Employment with WG

**sbeach78** · 06-06-2014, 06:35 AM

I lost my job in all this mess we call WG. With no education I have always made a living in labor bound jobs. Wondering what everyone else is doing for a living?

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**renidrag** · 06-06-2014, 06:46 AM

What did you do for a living? I was a Master Plumber, but no longer. Had to go on disability. I'm sure I am much older than you as I was close to thinking of retirement.
Dale

**sbeach78** · 06-06-2014, 06:51 AM

I installed Dish Network TV Systems and Alarm Systems.

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**windchime** · 06-06-2014, 10:38 AM

You can apply for social security disability. It's not easy to get through it, but it can be done. I was just approved a couple of weeks ago, I was able to do it with no appeal. That of course depends on your age and how many quarters you've paid in. If you go to the social security web site you can pull up your personal information and it will tell you how you much you would receive (approx) if you were approved for SSD.

If you would like further info on the SSD process PM me and I'll be happy to share what I know.

**vdub** · 06-06-2014, 04:11 PM

Situations like yours are the ones I hate hearing about. I take it you are reasonably young. I am extremely fortunate to have retired a couple years before the WG symptoms showed up. It will take a while (4 years for me), but eventually you could get to a point where you can do the less labor-intensive jobs, but you probably have to go back to school and retrain yourself for different career path. Maybe IT, accounting, banking, etc Something where you think more than you do...

**LisaT** · 06-06-2014, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by windchime

You can apply for social security disability. It's not easy to get through it, but it can be done. I was just approved a couple of weeks ago, I was able to do it with no appeal. That of course depends on your age and how many quarters you've paid in. If you go to the social security web site you can pull up your personal information and it will tell you how you much you would receive (approx) if you were approved for SSD.

If you would like further info on the SSD process PM me and I'll be happy to share what I know.

In Canada, you would apply for the CPP disability benefit. Look on Service Canada's website under Canada Pension Plan disability. There is a bit of an art to filling out the application, so it is helpful to have assistance from someone who knows the system and the wording or catch-phrases that will help your application. Perhaps your dr or hospital can provide a social worker to help you. Also, I'm not sure whether you are/were self-employed or working for an employer, but if you have extended health benefits you may be entitled to disability through your insurer, and either way you can apply for Employment Insurance sickness benefits, also through Service Canada. None of this is to say that you won't eventually get back to work. Many on this forum seem to have found a modified version of their former work or even continue to do their previous job... I haven't managed that yet but hope to if/when I regain more energy. But any or all of these benefits can certainly help to ease the stress and any financial strain in the meantime. For CPP they generally deny at first; just appeal. I know the paperwork seems overwhelming... I felt I didn't even have the energy to complete the forms. I actually mentioned that in the form in response to a question about why I couldn't do my work. I told them it had taken a week to complete the application. I couldn't very well get through editing a 1,000 page manual by deadline (what I did until I couldn't do it any more). When they ask you to describe your day and activities you should describe what it is like on your bad/worse days. It would be great if you could just focus on healing and getting your strength back for now, and worry about work later when you feel better. Good luck.

by the way I'm sure SSD and CPP are pretty similar, and Cindy's advice would be useful... Especially because she managed to get approved on her first try without having to appeal.

**mishb** · 06-06-2014, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by sbeach78

I lost my job in all this mess we call WG. With no education I have always made a living in labor bound jobs. Wondering what everyone else is doing for a living?

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I'm sorry to hear this but I guess with any manual labour it would be terribly difficult to continue to work in the early stages of WG.
A builder, plumber, brick layer etc, would just find it too hard.

I work in administration/insurance/accounts which is fairly relaxed, just sitting at a computer all day.

I'm sorry that WG has also taken your job. Please look into the disability allowance and hopefully, when you are in remission or even before, when you are feeling good, you can re-apply for your job or something similar.

**MikeG-2012** · 06-06-2014, 11:51 PM

Originally Posted by sbeach78

I installed Dish Network TV Systems and Alarm Systems.

I manage an Audio/Visual department at a college. Before diagnosis, I was also the installer of all the A/V gear too. I still do both, but I am not as limber and agile as I used to be. I'm not saying that you will never do what you used to do, you may go back to it. It all depends on how fast you build up strength and how the meds affect you.

dont give in, keep fighting. I do every day!

**LisaT** · 06-07-2014, 12:28 AM

I'm sorry, I think I confused your location with someone else's who recently posted from Canada. I'll leave the reply in case any of it is helpful regardless of location.