Professions

[Healer]

Hello!
How many of you can still work as in own business or employment? This disease makes a hardship all the way around.
The immune system is hypervigilent I like to say and then one must be hypervigilent to live more comfortably.
I had to resign my position and I was not dong physical labor. I went for training and opened a business last year.

[JeffN]

I'm an electrical contractor and had a tough couple of years with SD. The first year before DX and then the next year, my first on mino, coming back from SD after that my condition became progressivly better, slowly but still improvement. I was fortunate to have a good crew that I could get going in the AM and sleep or do “light duty” bookwork etc. then go to the field after lunch an get a so so afternoon in. The afternoons were hard in that somedays I could pull it off and some days not so much. After work I would come home and go back to sleep. The fatigue was crushing. I became more managerial but now am able to put in a good week. I can't do what I used to in the course of a day but I am not a kid anymore either. All in all it is going well even in this dismal ecconomy. I have been taking one day or at least part of a day in the middle of the week to do billing, meeting and greeting, and organizing things. That way I can have a light day and then get back out wiring things. I used to to the billing etc. in the evening but don't do that anymore and actually that part is kind of nice.

[Healer]

OK, remember I am a newby. SD as in Sjogren's?
DX????
Good on ya and thanks for the reply. How you do work like that with your hands I don't know, but maybe your hands are not an issue. I can relate to a fatigue that rips the day to shreds.

Joy,
Cheryl

[JeffN]

SD = scleroderma

Dx = diagnosis

The hands were a large issue for me. They felt like they were in broken glass all the time and opening and closing them to grip objects was very painful. I wore gloves at work most of the time and that helped some. Picking up small objects etc was a trial if possible at all. I have been able to work without the gloves (in warm areas) since last fall. My middle and index fingers still have slight curvature but the mobility is pretty good at this point. I still have to make a few accommodations with some tools but not a big deal. From where I was three and a half years ago to where I am now is very very far.

[Healer]

Thanks for the info!  Good on ya……..You are doin it!  What a challenge.
Here's to continued healing.

Joy,
Cheryl

[JeffN]

Thanks. Good luck with the new business.

[Patti D]

Healer,
I am sorry i did not respond to this post as I had every intention too but forgot. I have been on AP for a little over 3 years. I run my own business and teach emergency response, CPR etc. A very physical job that at first was brutally painful to do. I could'nt get down or up from the floor as my RA started with lyme disease that had caused pain & swelling in the knees and ankles and progressed to the hands. This made it very difficult to carry all of my equipment as well as demonstrate how to do CPR & first aid procedures.
I am proud to say that today, like most days I worked a full day, trained 23 people without extra help and was up and down off the floor for 7 hours straight.
Am I tired. Heck yeah!! So would anybody else who did what I did at half my age and who may be in perfect health. I am grateful at how well I am doing.
I used to do exactly what Jeff did, come home and do my billing , scheduling etc. Today I was home at 4 PM anwsered some emails, made one call and fell asleep for 15 minutes. No longer do I push myself to those extreme levels of work I used to do. For that there will be a price to pay.
My business is very sucessful, I really enjoy what I do and now make sure that I reduce my stress as much as possible so I can continue to hold on to this almost normal health.
When this began 3 years ago I missed 4 days of work , thats it. It was very hard but I couldn't let my business of 15 years take a hit as I had worked very hard to get where I am.
I have to say, the blessing in this horrible disease is I now really enjoy what I do as I know feeling good{mentally & physically & spiritually & socially} is the most important thing I need to attain as all else rests on that. Surround yourself with positive people. Push yourself a little but not too hard and give the AP time to work. It will and you will be glad you don't have all of those nasty side effects as some of the other medications have.

Sending well wishes your way!

Patti

[Healer]

Patti,
Thanks so much..inspirational.
I got an appt. with the RA/Lyme Dr for August 2nd. Not soon enough, but hey who's impatient?
I taught a class tonight so, stood for hours……..thank heavens not on the floor, and I am doin fine.
We have all beat this…our bodies just need to get the message a little clearer. I'm lookin to be smokin in my old age…not boohooin.

Joy,
Cheryl:roll-laugh:

[Lynne G.SD]

Hi Healer;
     I now run a business also.I have agreenhouse 100X30 feet with 2 levels holding 16000 or so orchids and have never worked so darn hard in my life.Thank God my SD is past history and I can lung and tote all day long.Each of these little beggers has to be repotted every day and I never get to sit down until 10P.M.I have been left with osteoporosis from the prednisone I took before finding AP and always wonder if I am out of my ming when I am 18feet up in the rafters doing work on the Vandas.Wonder if I would shatter into a million pieces if I fall  hehehe.You can take a peek at the place   http://www.exoticorchidsplus.ca
     Lynne

[Patti D]

Ok Cheryl
From one midwestern to another, YOU BET YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Humor should also be in the mix.

Patti

[Healer]

Lynne….OMG, you are really doin it. Sounds like way too much though, but that you love it. I lived in BC quite awhile. I really feel Canada is the best part of me. I gotta look where you are on the map.
Soooooo this current Lyme…do you think it was there in the beginning of all this or just arrived?
Best of everything to you on this. I'm feelin more hopeful every day just by all these wonderful posts.

Joy,
Cheryl

[Healer]

Sure thing Patti!
I hope you have a pad……getting on the knees is brutal on indoor flooring. Be careful. I want to do more somatic healing, but have to figure a way to get too the client without getting on the floor. My getting up is not pretty..even from a chair and I do not have a hydraulic lift, but want one,
😀

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