Posted by Sherry (63.21.141.161) on June 19, 2000 at 10:28:02:
In Reply to: Working with clusters! posted by Elaine on June 18, 2000 at 12:48:55:
It never occurred to me that anyone could get disability for these things. I worked through 10 years as episodic. My boss never worked with me on these things. I would work through them, eye streaming, rocking, moaning quietly, beating myself gently in the head with my stapler.
I went to meetings like that...they knew I was in pain and I got brownie points for working through it. Never occurred to me to leave, or call in or anything else. I was not on any medication and I told everyone who asked, what was going on. I got sympathy, no real understanding, but sympathy and respect. There was just no question that I had to go on... to me this was just something that I had to deal with and the people I worked with just learned that when I said I had my "one sided headaches" again, that they would see me doing weird things and being in pain.
I feel however that each person has a different tolerance for pain. There is nothing they can do about this. The same pain for me and you will be tolerated differently. I am lucky, I have a very high tolerance, in other words, I can quietly and calmly endure the most excruciating pain I have ever felt. Not everyone can do that, and it is not because they are wimps or give in, it is simply because they have a lower tolerance for pain.
So, I can see where some people would have to apply for disability, because it is truly disabling for them, and some of us just endure. No bad or good, right or wrong,...just different.
Thank you for letting me put in my 2 cents.