Posted by Todd Owen (152.163.207.209) on June 19, 2000 at 01:32:26:
In Reply to: Working with clusters! posted by Elaine on June 18, 2000 at 12:48:55:
I've been pulled into the VP's office to give me a bonus while telling me they recognize that I am doing my damndest to work through the pain. Within the same week I was at the pharmacy to pick up more pills to try to either break the headache or deal with the pain. Had the pharmacist ask me if I had such a persistent bad headache why I didn't just try to get disability so I didn't have to work for a living. I think I was a bit put off by the fact that the pharmacist seemed to think I should get the disability more for the fact that I could make it through life without working instead of using disability as help for when I am unable to work.
I know your sentiment, Elaine. I head into work even though I am already hitting a 5 on the Kip scale and know it probably won't get better. The feeling that you are doing something to earn that paycheck helps make it past the depression the clusters can cause. After living with clusters (this last one for eight and a half months and still going...) I cannot fault anyone who is unable to work because of them, especially chronic clusterheads. I know most people do not understand what it is that destroys our lives so, and they simply look at us as having problems that interfere with the job they want us doing. Some of us are fortunate to have bosses that will see beyond the headache and look at the extra time we put in along with the quality of our work.
Any way you stack it, we'll make it somehow.
Todd Owen