144 replies to this topic

[dave420atya]

Before my injury I was an Iron worker . I hung the steel on some big buildings and some small ones. I worked my way up to leadman.It took about 15 years to climb the proverbial ladder. I loved my job most of the time . I enjoyed operating some cranes and heavy machinery, but mostly I liked to "monkey" around climbing on the Iron the higher the better. It was a thrill to be up so high connecting big beams. Only ,all the tools and big bolts I had to carry were f**king heavy.
I miss my job and my paycheck.

Now I work for the federal govt. I fish , hunt ,and play my guitar and in exchange the govt. gives me a tiny little bity disability check.

Oh, ok I was wrong the govt. pays me for being a para.LOL, Disability sux !
So ,I guess you can say ,no I don't work now, but I hope to soon cuz living on disability has emptied my bank account.

[kewlcatkez]

Hi,

Before: A Registered Nurse/Senior Staff Nurse specializing in Cardiology.

Now: I *Did* go back to work in a clinical setting ( albeit a slightly different role) but unfortunately The NHS isn't as accomodating as one might think ( well that was my experience) and although when everyone was having to re-apply for their jobs, I DID get mine back ( some RN's didn't in the money saving exercise) I no longer work there.

The fatigue/pain/paralysis and dislocations meant that the days after a shift were affected, not an option when my little ones started to be affected by my situation. So it put pay to that!

That and the ( some understandable, others not so) problems that the NHS see having a chair user in clinical and sub clinical settings.

Edited to add: I miss my job like crazy....

Edited by kewlcatkez, 13 October 2007 - 01:59 PM.

[JohnD]

I worked for BT (British Telecom) before my accident and was luck to go back with them after. Started of part time 30 hours a week now back to full time. been with BT for nearly 28 years now.

[Illinois Boy]

Before I was an electronic technition, played lead guitar in my band, and owned a hobby shop....

Now I worked 3 days a week at my old job designing electrical - hydraulic drawings on CAD, write programs for robotic microprocessors - operator interfaces. (Lost that job about a year ago) Used to DJ till about 5 years ago, when I got stuck in bed with Osteomyelitis...... Design websites, write custom dataabase and spredsheets. Almost ready to open my frst webstore with my programs - Actually it's my wifes business, as I can't make anymore money and keep disability....... Owned a Video store.... Actually, I'm working 3 times as much as I used to?
Keeps my mind off my disability.........

Jim

Edited by Illinois Boy, 21 November 2007 - 04:27 PM.

[kashley]

dave420atya, on Oct 13 2007, 05:48 AM, said:

Before my injury I was an Iron worker . I hung the steel on some big buildings and some small ones. I worked my way up to leadman.It took about 15 years to climb the proverbial ladder. I loved my job most of the time . I enjoyed operating some cranes and heavy machinery, but mostly I liked to "monkey" around climbing on the Iron the higher the better. It was a thrill to be up so high connecting big beams. Only ,all the tools and big bolts I had to carry were f**king heavy.
I miss my job and my paycheck.

Now I work for the federal govt. I fish , hunt ,and play my guitar and in exchange the govt. gives me a tiny little bity disability check.

Oh, ok I was wrong the govt. pays me for being a para.LOL, Disability sux !
So ,I guess you can say ,no I don't work now, but I hope to soon cuz living on disability has emptied my bank account.

My husband was a A/C guy. The state paid for him to go back to school so he could do something else. Now he works for a city.

[PsychoSimon]

I was a mechanic for the MOD prior to my accident. I was working on the miltary vehicle rebuild and test line. Now I work with the MOD still, but on night vision sights/weapon sights and vehicle sights. It's quite interesting and I like it

[GreenwoodSC]

I used to work for a Textile company before now i don't work and get dissability checks and taking online classess in Computer Information Management i miss working..................

[Murray]

Grew up drivin' nails and doin' the nasty jobs the ol' man didn't want to. He was a builder. I got into the education game. Played school teacher and coached for 30+ in Oregon. Worked concrete construction in the off season. Retired. Came back to California to do some carpentering with my brother. Then, I fell off the roof - oops! Three years post. Now I'm gettin' a support group rollin' here in Placerville, CA. The local rag just ran an article today. Lookin' forward to first meeting, Monday. Things are lookin' good.

[pawperso]

I'm a professional ski bum.

[hanguk]

before - college student
after - 1 year of doing nothing, then about 2-1/2 years of being a student, since then I am a medical transcriptionist.

[Mikerowaved]

I spent 25+ years in Silicon Valley (San Jose, CA) as an R&D Engineer. Now I've moved to Utah and retired on disability. I still do consulting on occasion and I have a workshop in my basement where I build/repair custom PCs.

[STownsend]

Worked as an engineering Vice President at a large software company pre-injury. Two months after injury, was welcomed back by my staff and the other executives at the company. Nearly two years post injury, still sittin' around as an engineering VP in a different business unit. I enjoy the challenge of meeting customers, partners, teams, other executives the first time in person and they realize I'm 4'8" tall in a chair. I hope they look at all of us a little differently now.

[Motor]

STownsend, on Jan 18 2008, 12:18 AM, said:

Worked as an engineering Vice President at a large software company pre-injury. Two months after injury, was welcomed back by my staff and the other executives at the company. Nearly two years post injury, still sittin' around as an engineering VP in a different business unit. I enjoy the challenge of meeting customers, partners, teams, other executives the first time in person and they realize I'm 4'8" tall in a chair. I hope they look at all of us a little differently now.

Retired from the New York City Police Department after 9/11/01. I worked at Ground Zero for several days and came down with Lung Disease. Moved to S Florida and now do lots of rehab and play Texas Holdem for money 3 times a week at casinos...Also ride my new trike alot. I work partime at a local Office Depot doing various things.

[Motor]

dave420atya, on Oct 13 2007, 06:48 AM, said:

Before my injury I was an Iron worker . I hung the steel on some big buildings and some small ones. I worked my way up to leadman.It took about 15 years to climb the proverbial ladder. I loved my job most of the time . I enjoyed operating some cranes and heavy machinery, but mostly I liked to "monkey" around climbing on the Iron the higher the better. It was a thrill to be up so high connecting big beams. Only ,all the tools and big bolts I had to carry were f**king heavy.
I miss my job and my paycheck.

Now I work for the federal govt. I fish , hunt ,and play my guitar and in exchange the govt. gives me a tiny little bity disability check.

Oh, ok I was wrong the govt. pays me for being a para.LOL, Disability sux !
So ,I guess you can say ,no I don't work now, but I hope to soon cuz living on disability has emptied my bank account.

Just wanted you to know I was a cop in NYC on 9/11 and in my eyes the heros were the iron workers. The way they came in on there own time to cut away piece by piece of the whole mess. GOD BLESS YOU GUYS!

[carole338]

I was a Demand Manager (Forecasting) working in Queens, NY. I commuted every day from NJ taking the Port Authority busses and NY transit trains. I don't work now. I spend my time with my husband who is retired and my grandchildren who visit often.

[knowthill]

High Steel Welder working on grain elevators in the midwest, before my accident. Went back to school and now am trying to heal my ass. Pressure sores can really cramp the best laid plains.

[Smudge]

I was a police firearms & explosives specialist. They were great and employed me with full knowledge of my health history, but after my third round of surgery (a fusion at L3-5), the force medical officer would not let me return to duty, and so they pensioned me off.

Now I am self-employed working 3 to 4 days a week helping small business with their computers.

Smudge

[john S.]

Somebody, on Sep 6 2007, 05:23 PM, said:

Going to try a poll again.
Last time it didn't work.

c7
I don't work now.

Before:

Mostly in accounting at banks, credit unions, savings & loans.
Sold Real Estate
Bought an old movie theater and converted it to Opry.
Minnie version of Grand Ole Opry
My daugter sang professionally.
That was fun.

Would like a job on the internet.

How about you.

When I was 19 I was injured. At the time I was doing auto restoration and working for Kenner's Toys doing repair and maintenance of just about anything that broke.
It took almost 7 years to get back into a mindset where I could work reliably. Not using my hands was very hard to get over. I met a guy at my church that taught me basic accounting. I worked for him untill 2000. After 25 years aas a quad just about everything was getting too difficult. I was having an awful time getting aides and I was having seizures at work. I had stashed some money but there wasn't much left by the time I got back on disability and the state had a waiver program that took two years to get on.
Now, I teach people how to get the most out of turbotax for $60 a lesson. On nice days in spring and summer I go to different places and panhandle while waiting for public transportation. I use to think I would be humiliated by begging, but it seems rather enjoyable.

best wishes,
john

[E-DOG]

Used to be a world renouned expert on the abuse of dangerous drugs. Now I'm a telemarketer, toner for printers. Fear not, I won't be calling you. I only target large companies.
But once I have you in my sights, there's no point in running, YOU'RE MINE.

E-dog

[sean3282]

I am a Police Constable, but for how much longer I don't know. My force is in the process of trying to pension me off, which I will resist and try to make difficult for them. Though, after a year I am returning to duty in the Area Control Room. I'll give my force their dues, they have kept me on full pay since my accident which they were not obligated to do.

By the way E-DOG I though you were an assassin operating in a third world country, or is that restricted information that I shouldn't have disclosed. Sorry the lids off it now! LOL

[Mike (c4-5) & Lorena]

before

I worked on cars, cut grass, built a home with my dad, rehabed apartments, swam, played soccer, water polo, raced cars, and party

after / now

Sr. Quality Assurance Test Lead at Wachovia Securities - I insure that the inhouse software the the finacial consdults use works as intended. I have 8 people I manage. # in India, 3 in Chicago, 2 in St. Louis.

[Kwag_Myers]

I'm a Technical Writer for a software development firm. I'm very blessed to have been working for this company as they have been really good to me through this whole thing, good benefits, too. I do my PT right in the building.

Also, before my injury I was car pooling with a guy that lives just a few blocks away. Since my injury he's been picking me up every morning because I haven't started driving yet.

[Texaswheelz]

Texaswheelz, on Sep 6 2007, 06:44 PM, said:

Hmm, before my injury I mowed lawns(junior high), I had about 25 a week I did during the summer for 3 years). After that I worked on a ranch(high school), driving tractors, throwing hay bails, moving irrigation pipe and herding cattle(yes I road around on a horse). I was working in a sporting good store when I had my wreck.

Since injury I have worked at Wal-Mart in the electronics dept. at my college I worked for the campus police as night dispatcher, sold computers at Best Buy, Data Entry for the city court house small claims department, customer service for AOL, DirectTV and Spring Wireless Web. Then I spent some time as the City Secretary for a small town in the Texas panhandle, the job was great but the location was horrible.

Last week I started my new job, I now work for a medical supply company. It is owned by a para, the VP is a para and another sales rep is a para. The owner is very active in the community and supports several events(look at my post in the sports section), great guy to work for and wtih. So if you live in Dallas and you need a new wheelchair, a walker, bed, commode, seat cushion, urological supplies...etc. I can hook ya up. I've been on two evaluations so far to measure people up for new chairs. I think I have found my calling, I've been on the bad end of bad orders of med supplies, from a new wheelchair that didn't fit and wasn't anything like I wanted and the sales person wouldn't take back, to incorrect catheters. Now I get to make sure the people that I see and work with get exactly what the need and want. When a newly injured person is setting at rehab using some 50 lb hospital chair and then we show up with our 12 lb TiLites and start the process to get them in one also it is a great feeling. Or take a power chair to a elderly person who has been stuck at home for month's unable to get out and about any longer. I wish I would have thought of doing this job earlier in my life, but I'm still young enough that I can spend decades doing it.

Well that job didn't last as long as I liked. I loved the job and actually brought in quite a bit of business for the DME, but it was depressing for me. I had to spent all day every day going to hospitals, rehabs, nursing homes, retirement centers...etc. I'm sure like a lot of other people here, they hate going to those places, now imagine doing it all day, place after place. After 2 1/2 months of it I couldn't handle it any more, I dreaded going. I loved when I helped people and when we got to deliver something that made life easier, but I hated going through the doors.

I left there and started working at Borders, the bookstore and am currently still working there, but studying to become a personal trainer. I've always thought about it but never followed through with it. My wife started going to a gym 2 months ago and got 5 free sessions with a trainer, everything he told her was stuff I had already been telling her. He told her she was lucky, as most people that he saw had incorrect info being told to them at home by their spouse or friends. So I decided to look into it and become one. I decided that first I needed to get my own ass in shape before I could tell others what they need to do to get themselves in shape. So I have lost about 20 lbs in the last 2 months, dropped 2 sizes in jeans and am now studying the various things needed for the cert test. I am going to go to a 4 day training session with 15 different seminars and then take the test afterwards and hopefully by this summer I'll be a personal trainer. I feel that being in a chair yet being fit, in shape and staying active is a good as motivation as people are going to get from a personal trainer. If I enjoy it as much as I think I will them I'm also thinking of returning to college to get a degree in kinesiology, my wife graduated from Culinary school in December. So we might try to start a small business where I work there ass into shape and she cooks them healthy meals.

[Big Valley]

At 17 I was still in high school and worked fast food. Missed a little bit of school, but was back for the last 1/2 of the year. Took a year off then went to community college that was close.

Got hurt again but after close to 5 years I got that 2 year degree. Worked nights at a hotel doing light accounting and running the front desk for a year.

Moved on to a clerical office job with a warehouse tracking inventory and customer service work. Started night classes and got my 4 year degree and then started on a masters. But that job wasn't cooperating well with my school schedule and I was very unhappy their after close to 4 years. So I quit to devote full time to my masters pursuit and found i received almost the same money with social security disability that I made working the 40+ hours at the warehouse job. And I now had Medicare insurance. Awesome.

Got the masters degree and aggressively looked for related work in my field for almost 2 years. Wasn't easy. Education but no experience and then having someone give the wheelchair guy a chance to show he can do more then answer phones. Finally landed my current job with the same 2 year college I used to go to doing account billing, collections, and financial aid. Very nice job close to home, paid benefits, lots of vacation time, and challenging work. Been here a year now.

[E-DOG]

By the way E-DOG I though you were an assassin operating in a third world country, or is that restricted information that I shouldn't have disclosed. Sorry the lids off it now! LOL
[/quote]

Great, now I gotta kill you AND everyone who's read this post.
Where'd you say you lived?
E

[sean3282]

Glad to see that the CIA don't hold that sort of information on me :-) Unfortunately Apparelyzed does, so now I'm off to change my identity and maybe visit Holland for a Gender Realignment. Do you think I may be safe from the E-DOG Ultimatum???

Edited by sean3282, 24 April 2008 - 09:24 PM.

[Soryfam]

I was apharmacy tech at hospital. (Make Iv's. package meds, etc). Then I got the MRSA in my spine, and after 6 months they terminated me (it's a policy issue). My boss says he take me back if I can ever get back to being able to do what I was doing. ::Sigh:: the doctors don't know if that will happen or not.

I keep thinking I want to learn something else, just not sure what that's going to be.

Sandy

[Motor]

Soryfam, on Apr 24 2008, 07:08 PM, said:

I was apharmacy tech at hospital. (Make Iv's. package meds, etc). Then I got the MRSA in my spine, and after 6 months they terminated me (it's a policy issue). My boss says he take me back if I can ever get back to being able to do what I was doing. ::Sigh:: the doctors don't know if that will happen or not.

I keep thinking I want to learn something else, just not sure what that's going to be.

Sandy

Was a police officer for 19 years in NY. Got lung disease from working at Ground Zero after 9/11. Moved to Florida and had a motorcycle accident and wound up in chair! Now work part time at an Office Depot as a greeter! Living on SSI & pension!

Motor

[City Girl]

Pre-injury: Analyst...and high-end call girl.
Post-injury: Analyst...had to give up the high-end call girl thing. hehe.

[Kev-O]

City Girl, on Apr 25 2008, 06:16 AM, said:

Pre-injury: Analyst...and high-end call girl.
Post-injury: Analyst...had to give up the high-end call girl thing. hehe.

DAMN!!!! you are a very attractive looking lady