What type of work do you do

[phantom6624]

I was wanting to know what type of employment some others have with HCM. Since beeing told I have HCM and need an ICD I will no longer be able to do my job. I was a truck driver and my doctor has had me off work since Dec. 20 and pulled my medical card after blacking out while driving the semi. All I have ever done is hard pyhsical labor like construction, mechanic and so on. I went back to driving due to back and knee.

Sounds like back to school to me but I have no idea for what. It seems that what I like and what I can do drastically different.

[LindaSo]

Re: What type of work do you do

So sorry to hear that. I do know that you are not the only person who has been in this position. Hopefully others can respond and share how they handled it.

Do you have a Vocational Rehab office in your area? I might suggest that you look them up, go thru what you can and can't do and see how they might be able to help in terms of education/training for a new career.

Best of Luck
Linda

[mtlieb]

Re: What type of work do you do

I'm an archaeologist and had to give up fieldwork after my HCM diagnosis. It's a much more physical job than what most people think. Hauling large buckets of soil and rock around, digging with shovels through compacted soils, and long hikes into remote areas with heavy equipment strapped to your back. Though the biggest concern actually was that since we often work in areas with difficult vehicle access and/or no cell coverage it would be impossible for help to arrive in time if something did happen. So I went back to school, almost made that my career lol (it's taken me over seven years to do it) but I will finally graduate this coming May. It really sucks to give up something you love and are good at because of HCM, but in actuality it's opened up new doors and it's kinda fun to start all over again. Scary-fun, but nonetheless I'm glad it happened.

[mandksiders]

Re: What type of work do you do

I am a special education teacher, because I teach special education I have to be trained in doing restraints on students, but because of my ICD (don't want to risk a head butt to the chest or a punch, etc) and the fact that many of the students are bigger than me and weigh more than 50 pounds (my lift restriction), I can no longer do the restraint aspect of my job. I'm okay with that......I'm only 5'1 and don't weigh a ton, so me doing restraints was sometimes comical.

-Kaye

[Lumax]

Re: What type of work do you do

My situation is similar to yours. I was an airline pilot. After diagnosis and ICD I lost my medical and therefore my job. I love aviation and wanted to stay in the business so I am now an instructor and teach people to fly in flight simulators. Not nearly as much fun but it will have to do.

[CarolinEOregon]

Re: What type of work do you do

I am in an opposite situation as the others that have posted. I was a wife and mama for 20 years when I had to back to work. I had observed about a dozen sleep studies and thought I could do that. Well it required school, although it doesn't at the moment and will again in the future, so I spent 3 months applying for scholarships. It is kind of hard to pay for school when you don't have any money! I received an amazing scholarship that paid for everything. I went to school for a year, before my HCM began acting up. I quit school and got a job. I worked for just a few months before HCM took over.

I have only been back to work for a couple of weeks, since recovering from my myectomy in September. My recovery has been long and painful, although I have not had any major complications, just a lot of pain.

It is a good job if you are a night owl and are able to sleep during the day. Full-time is three 13 hour nights a week. There isn't any heavy lifting. If you work in a hospital vs a stand alone lab the shift differential is substantial (as much as $5/hour on the weekends where I work). A year of school and I make about $25 an hour in a very rural part of my state.

I am back up to working two nights a week, home schooling four teenagers, wife to the youth pastor at our church and mama to foster children ages 9 and 5. My stamina is returning, and all is improving.

If you are interested reserach...Polysomnography Technologists in your area.

Carol

[Moosedreams]

Re: What type of work do you do

Dear Phantom:
I am a CPA so desk/computer work is what I do. Not a real issue post myectomy as far as physical needs. I am lucky that way.

However, a CPAs work load can be large and stressful. I am trying to cut back but I went back to work 5 weeks post myectomy and at 6 weeks I was doing 10+ hour days. Pretty wiped out at the end of the day. Recently had an AICD and was back to 12 hours a day in the week after. Again really wiped out!

I am trying dillegently to hire someone to take the load off but it is hard even with getting a zillion resumes to pick the right person. I am really looking forward to being able to step back a bit, lower the stress and enjoy life a little more.

I wish you luck in your upcoming changes. I am sorry you can no longer do what you had been doing and had hoped to continue. HCM does leave a wake in its path for all of us.

Toodle pip... Moosedreams

[scottonbike]

Re: What type of work do you do

Hello

I would suggest two things.

You can take a test that will give you an idea of what kind of jobs would fit you and your personality. I thought it was a lot of BS until I took the test and realized it had jobs that I have never even thought of. I had never heard of a stationary engineer or a few other jobs that it had suggested for me. I looked at the stationary engineer job and really thought about it, and then my old job recalled me.

This is very obvious but look at growth jobs. No reason to look into a job that has no potential.

Scott

[crystal]

Re: What type of work do you do

I am a nurse practitioner in hospitalist medicine

[amyshields]

Re: What type of work do you do

I have a medical administration background but haven't worked since June. I was able to work from home for a couple months but finally pulled the plug on that, too.

Now I do my best to take care of my health and care for my husband and 4 kids I find that I NEED things to keep me mentally "busy" so I started a home business (I make soap/bath products) and started working on genealogy.

[Farmerdancow]

Re: What type of work do you do

I am a farmer for the current time. Long days and hard work, but I love it, so maybe that's what keeps me ticking? I just know if I can't get out and feed the cows someday it will kill me. I am very aware of my HCM so I take it relatively easy.

[Woody]

Re: What type of work do you do

Im a Sod Grower ( Owner ) I grow sod for Golf Courses and sports fields. I had a Myectomy Nov 9th 2009 and i was so sick i could hardly walk. Im back to work and better than ever. Check out my web site at www.emeraldkikuyu.com

[mark720]

Re: What type of work do you do

in the same boat as most now worked 38yrs in auto parts and now with restrictions cant lift or carry anything over 15-20lbs. ( each person is different as per condition) tough to find something at 53and when they get your mediacal report with a icd its like thanks but.....................

[mbcube]

Re: What type of work do you do

Underwear model. My having HCM seems un-affected by the long hours under the bright lights or the stress of posing in cotton briefs.

Truly, there are a few jobs out there that us HCM'r can't (or shouldn't) do, but the opportunities are endless. Its what make you happy (and pays the bills) that matters most.

[KSidebottom]

Re: What type of work do you do

I'm a Administrative Secretary in a High School. I was wondering if you could teach construction or mechanics in your state at a Vocational/Technical School. Some places will give you a different type of certificate that allows you to teach towards your trade if you have experience. Not sure if you would be interested in teaching but there are a lot of people that are trying to learn those trades and you might be able to help them learn.