Two Weeks Later

[chrischris]

Hi All,
I've survived my first two weeks back to work and just wanted to let you all know I am still alive. LOL!

Physical injury restrictions are pretty easy to keep at this job; but even with the great amount of flexibility I have, it's been hard to get back in the swing of things. I collapse every night between 8 and 9 p.m.

Everyone I work with has been so good to me, and it seems like they all knew my situation before I came on board. All my needed accomodations are being taken care of.

I forgot how much fun it is to work with high school students. They really are a blast. What makes this high school special is all the one-on-one attention these students get. I've registered, then taken student body card pictures of all of them. I've even had feedback from one of the teachers that said a student told him how nice the new lady in the office was to him.

I fell once, and my neck started spasming. Fortunately I had P/T that afternoon and when I told my P/T what happened, he changed my routine and spent a lot of time on my neck. I was just fine the next day.

My hands hurt all the time but in spite of the pain I'm going by restrictions and only using them 10 out of every 30 mins. for typing or writing. I am finding that I have increased pain in my hands.

As far as my depressive condition, it's good to get back to work. I've cried several times while answering questions co-workers ask me about what happened. I still cannot talk about the siutation without crying and I'm on a lot of medication. Without the meds I doubt I would have been able to return to work.

One day I was left all alone to run the office while a couple of the girls went out to lunch and they were gone a long time (1 hr 45 mins) and I about had a meltdown. Too many multi tasks and only about a year ago, multi tasking never bothered me. When the girls came back, I said I hoped they had a good lunch and then I left to go pick up something to eat. As soon as I walked out the door of the office, I fell apart from the experience; but after about 1/2 hr. of just sitting in my car, I felt much better and went back inside.

I still haven't received the results of my AME and do expect that report any time now. It will determine the status of my psyche claim. I can't fathom that with all the reports already on my side, that this psychiatrist would report differently; but I have been told that I am naive; so I will just have to wait.

After returning to work, I started receiving letters both certified and snail mail from my I/C informing me about Voc Rehab and TD stopping, and PD payments, blah blah blah. You know all those form letters signed by some clerk that never make much sense. I used to worry about I/C letters but now they just go in file 13.

That's about it for now. I am doing ok, am glad to be back to work in a friendly environment, and hope that I am able to continue until I retire, or die. Whichever comes first!

Hope everyone is well. May God Bless You All.

ChrisChris

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Chris, I thank you so much for this update. it's good to know you like the people and the students. As you or me will always have a melt down here an there, maybe it can be called a good melt down though, only because we been away from it for awhile. Surely you will feel more and more comfortable as the weeks go by now.

[sparkey]

I think you seem to be doing great. So glad to hear your happy with work and it is a good thing to get out and be with people all day. No matter how bad the pain is, you are not at home thinking about your injury. I still cry myself everytime someone talks about my injury. What bothers me is my loss of the career i loved. I do not enjoy what I do now, but make a heck of alot more money than what I did for 15 yrs. Money is not everything.


Just take it easy and do things slowly. Do not over exert yourself and cause more injury. I am so happy to hear your doing good in your return to work.

[RNvic]

Chris chris, glad to hear you are enjoying your job. I understand the being tired, when I get home and shower it is all I can do to stay up until 9PM. Hopefully soon you will get where it doesn't wear you out.

[Bummer Knees]

Good to hear you are doing well with your return to work!

[jayne]

I am so happy for you Chris I so wish I could go back to work......as far as the melt downs I am guessing we all have em I know I do....I still cant drive in traffic I am afraid I will turn my neck just so and get hit with a migrain....you are strong you will get better each day I believe you need a cat....Hopefully next summer as we are planning to go see the Grands in Yucca Valley altho you cant have my Tom I will get you another one....Great going girl you will make it ...chin up....we are all behind you....

[Lilly]

Chris!
Thanks so much for the update. I've been wondering how work was going for you.
You are fortunate to have such great co-workers & employer, who aren't trying to undermine you, every chance they get. I wish you luck, that you can become accustomed to the working ennviroment again (you will) and that you can keep your mind busy w/ business matters, and not your current number on the pain scale.
May you have great sucess !
Prayers going up for you, Lilly

[debra]

Lilly Wrote:I wish you luck, that you can become accustomed to the working ennviroment again (you will) and that you can keep your mind busy w/ business matters, and not your current number on the pain scale.
May you have great sucess !
Prayers going up for you, Lilly

exactly, lilly!!!!! lol!

ah, chris.......you sound so positive. i only hope that my outcome is as good as yours. thank you for sharing about this.

deb

[vickinat]

Chris,
I'm glad that you sound so happy. I'm sure that work will become easier on you with time. I wish you the very best. Don't worry about a few meltdowns, it happens to everyone at some time or another.
Love
Vickie

[capricorn]

CC>>>> I am so happy for you and hope all continues on a positive note. I worked with teenagers also for 20 years and loved them. It's one of the big things I miss about work. I am wishing you all the best. Slow and steady gets the job done. Wish I had known that before I got hurt.


CAP