hi all,
i just feel like venting today. i've had a terrible week, pain wise. 11 on the pain scale. all last wkend & all this week so far, everything on my body aches & is sore & it's hard to just move. i'm more tired than normal, and i'm normally always tired. it's been really hard to work. i actually called in yesterday cuz i just couldn't move.
and to top it all off, yesterday i had an MRI (my 1st one) for my elbow. it's been really bad for a long time now. i can't straighten my arm or barely move it, so my rheumy scheduled an MRI. well, they twisted my arm in a way that hurts the most, and then they put sandbags on my hand so i wouldn't move during the 45 min process! it really felt like i was being tourtured.
so i'm just really unhappy this week & trying so hard to not give them any reasons at work to let me go.
please help my dear online/message board friends! your messages always cheer me up. thank you...
I'm so sorry you're in so much pain msjoey...hope you were able to make it through the day ok.
One good thing...it's almost the weekend. Hopefully you'll have a relaxing and painfree couple of days.
Feel better!
Kelly
Hey msjoey,Msjoey,
I saw your message while I was at work today and I felt so much for you. But I couldn't answer then.
I know exactly what you are talking about. My knee, brain and hip MRIs were not so bad. So, when they did my shoulder, I didn't expect the awkward and very painful position that they put me in.
Today, I got xrays of both knees and hips. I have had this done before, more than once. But this time, they twisted me this way and that. And, like you I had to make it into work.
Do they know at work that you have RA? Some people tell and some people don't. But I had to tell my boss and co-workers because I miss so much work because of doctors, tests, physical therapy. It depends so much on the place where you work. But if you continuously miss work and they don't know, then they just think all kinds of things. It puts so much pressure on you to pretend everything is ok when it isn't. So, you might want to think about if there is anything you can do to take some of that pressure off of yourself at work. Maybe talking to someone would help. Knowing your rights also helps. Go to www.ada.org and www.jan.org for the rules on what they must do to accomodate you at work. When you are aware of your rights, it can help you deal with it better.
Also, ask for a workstation evaluation if you can get one if you work on the computer. This can be adding to your problems.
Regarding the pain, there is no need to suffer. You have the right to pain medications and your doctor should be addressing this. If you can't get in to see your doctor, then ask to see the nurse practioner. You need to let them know you are having this much difficulty.
I hope you feel better and work is easier. I know how hard it is to be there and everyone else is just fine while you are in the worst pain in your life.
Hi Msjoey..I totally hear ya...Had that same week last week at work. Burst out crying to a friend and a supervisor. Luckily, everyone is amazing at my work and are trying hard to accomodate me on the really tough days but it's still so hard. This disease totally sucks !! I'm on pain meds now which is the only was I get through. I know it's not the answer but it helps take the edge off so you can concentrate on actually completing a task. Hang in there...We know what it's like!!!wow, thank you all for your responses.
deanna, thank you. i knew someone would understand what i was going through. it does help to just talk about it.
i made it through the day & did a really good job of getting a lot done, although i still felt like just breaking down all day.
no, my work doesn't know i have it. i don't want to tell them. they prob would get rid of me then. i do graphic design work & animation. they wouldn't want someone with bad arthritis. i've wanted this job most of my life, and now i have it. so i really don't want to lose it, even if it hurts at times. but i think any job would hurt. i hurt all over. they have accomodated my workstation the way i want it so it's more comfortable. and it's an extremely relaxed atmosphere, so i get up & stretch all day. when i don't, it's only my fault. so yeah, when i call in sick or leave early for a dr appt, i'm guessing they don't like it. but i tell them it's my really bad allergies, because they know i have those, i can't hide that when i sneeze all day.
and i just got some pain med's from my doc today. hopefully it'll work with little side effects.
deanna, how are your knees & hips?
i hope we all have little to no pain- today & tomorrow...
This week has been one of my worst in a long time too...my family members with RA are also feeling it. I think maybe it is the funky weather changes.
It really is frustrating to hear what you went through during your MRI. Usually there is a nurse or paramedic on site to administer medications for the MRIs. I hope that all of you know that you can request some mild sedation for those tests. Take a pain pill before you go and then when you get there they can give you some Xanax or Valium. It helps you relax, and you may even sleep through the test. When I had both feet, both ankles and both wrists done it took 3 1/2 hours. I slept through the whole thing except inbetween each series when they would reposition. They should let people know that there are options available for those who are claustraphobic or has other issues which make it difficult to tolerate the test.
msjoey, we do the same kind of work. I so know what you are going through. They told me I can't do this any more. I am ruining my shoulder.
My boss knows. Sometimes she's patient. Sometimes she's not. But what you have to remember is how good you are and how hard you are to replace. That is what keeps me my job even with all the missed days and all the bad reports from the doctor.
I can't hide mine. So people know.
Hips and knees hurt. Pout. Whine. Moan. Groan. But thanks for asking. I got the xrays done today and hopefully will know the results when I see the doc next Thursday. I hate waiting a week especially when I know it probably won't be good news.
I'm really unstable on them. They worked just fine (well, not quite) last week. Something gave and it's like a domino effect. I walk really, really slow now and have dusted off the cane. Yes, the cane is back in play. Shoulder is complaining about that though.
I'm such a mess. I so want to quit. But today I went in and it was change this, rewrite that, change, rewrite, another proof. You know how it goes. But you could tell everyone really did need me there.
I don't know if you know it or not but we have lots of artists in this forum. I sure would like to meet some of the people here in person.
Why do wonderful people get RA? Why can't it just be jerks? There's lots of jerks in the world. I hear that there's no shortage on them.
But good people have bad things happen to them. Then, they become amazing people. That's what we all are, simply amazing!
If they are already jerks and then they got RA, they would be intolerable. We would have a bunch of psychos running amuck then.Sorry you are in such pain. I think you should tell people who would be perturbed by your missing work a lot that you have RA and that you have to schedule doctors apointments. I am an artist too but earn my living as a teacher. I don't tell everyone but those who work closely with me know and sometimes help me out as I help them out when I can. I don't know how flexible your work situation is but I have managed to do most of my teaching and walking activities in the morning so I can do desk work in the afternoon when I'm more tired.There comes a time with this disease when you have to do selective divulging or possibly loose your job. There are accommodations yo could request too.I feel your pain. In my new job I have to walk around for 8 hrs. Earlier this week I hurt so bad I could cry, but I don't want to complain. I have pain in my hips knees and ankles. I wear a knee brace to work and it helps, but man it can really hurt. I don't want to use too many pain killers or anti-inflamatories (my doc says no). I hope you are feeling better
BTW- I am undercover security for a big retail store
Crunchy,
I guess that explains the psychos. Hey, I'm next! Oh, I'm non-violent. However, I can be a jerk if called upon. I try to be good though. It's really, really hard for me. Sometimes I think God gave me this disease just to slow me down a bit. He did a good job.
MsJoey311, if you tell them about your RA, it will explain all your doctor appointments and such. Also big plus, you can get accommodations for your job also. You can't be fired because of your disability. As long as you can perform the job with accomodations.
My sweet DH is a graphic designer, so I hear all the time from him about the demands of that profession. I give you gold stars for enduring the demands on your bad days.
You know, I always wondered about that whole thing with the job accomadations. I am a nurse, if I cant do all aspects of my job what kind of accomodations can they make for me? I dont think there are really any. What happens when I cant do my job anymore?We had a nurse that they made accomidations for. She made follow-up phone calls (post surgery), next day reminder calls, she tried doing PAT for awhile, and she did some chart review.
Crunchy,
Go to http://www.jan.wvu.edu/. I believe they have the job accomodations that are listed for each disability. It's really informative site.
I think I'll post this separately as well.