Hope for jobs after major WC injury

[bodybuilder1958]

Well, I guess you could call my injury major, an infection that eventually lead to an over 4 yr absence from work and a joint replacement.

But as of today I feel as if I beat the odds. Beat an injury, infection and then a total joint replacement. Home for over 4 years but today started a job in a hospital within the same department. With hopes that I can return to my original job description or atleast float between departments.

I feel like I've beaten the odds against a large employer and their lawyers. I've been re-hired in a full-time position. It's in the same department where I worked previously. Frankly I feel as if I have won the lottery.

Today was my first and and the guy training me had high praises of me. But today is only the first day. But we have alot in common beyond the job. He respects my intelligence which I want. Then In in turn respect him in making sure I'm doing the job properly by attempting to ask the right questions. He told me this afternoon that I probably asked more intelligent questions in 4 hours than more than a dozen people going thru that department have asked in 5 years.

A surgical technologist ideally has high standards personally and in their careers. A good technologist will care about their job and the people who receive the instruments after a case. I think in less than 10 minutes this morning I told my trainer that I have exceptionally high standards both for myself and those other supporting jobs within my department. Hopefully the similar wording to the managers by me will be also respect. But.

But........as my husband has pointed out for several years and now again. "This is a profession mainly dominated by females. Those females have a tendency to be female dogs in handling cases'. I agree with this statement, we eat our own. Either conform, understand the mentality or be consumed within. I conform and conquer, I fit in, I understand the mentality since I am both twist and understand. Such is the life of a medical professional who lives between an A-hole surgeon and the RN who thinks he/she rules the roost.

I can't begin to explain my mentality, ask Bummer Knees, she's met me. We're I hope good friends. But I understand first that I pull very few punches, very open, honest. But have high standards both in my personal and professional life.

I'm so happy that the Lord has blessed me enough to go back in my field. It just shows hopefully more people where they need to be strongest in their lives.

Bodybuilder

[Bummer Knees]

Bodybuilder I admire you as your skills in advocating for a job in your profession, along with your strength lead to this employment.

You are a role model for injured workers on this forum!

I would love to return to work, I realize I have some major issues, much I have already shared with you. But I do believe I will one day will find the right job.

[UndercovrAngel]

BB,

I'm glad that you have found a job, although not the one you were doing prior to your injury, but in a field close enough that you can be happy in. I pray that it won't be to hard on you and cause problems with your knee and that one day, others will see that you are still capable and able to work and you will be able to go back to working in the field that you loved so much before your injury.

I am hoping, that DARS will help me attain my goal of a new job (actually it will end up being a new business in the end) although similar to what I used to do... customer service, it will be a lot more demanding and I will need an entirely new education to do it. I am going to begin the process Monday morning with the phone call needed to get the ball rolling on the education part, but the good thing is, once I am educated, the cost also includes helping me get my business started. I so want off of the disability role and be able to support myself once more. And this new occupation would allow me to work from home via computer and phone mainly.

What am I looking at doing?? If my dream comes to fruition, I will become a Social Security Disability Advocate and rather than people having to pay an attorney, I will become a cheaper way for them to apply for/appeal etc for their disability as well as SSI/medicaid while they await the decision. I have already helped 2 people get their SSDI approved without being an advocate, so I know I could prosper as a certified advocate.

Angel ^j^