Vet Tech Journals: Good and Bad News

"Mischief" wrote in message
...
On Jul 16, 1:46 pm, "jmcquown" wrote:
"Mischief" wrote in message

...
Doctor gave me muscle relaxers and told me to take it easy, and gave
me a note saying to restrict my work detail.

I told my manager and she flipped. "Why didn't you disclose this when
I interviewed you?" My answer was simple, I didn't HAVE this problem
during the interview. I offered the note, but she was more concerned
about my ability to do my job. I told her I would do the best I
could.

(snippage)

They aren't allowed to ask you about medical conditions during a job
interview and you are not required to disclose any. There is, of course,
the understanding you are able to do the job you are interviewing for.
(e.g. if you apply for work in a warehouse you'd better be able to lift
boxes.) But as you said, you didn't have this problem when you
interviewed.
What were you supposed to do, guess approximately when your back might
bother you again?

Jill

It also has NEVER been this bad. I've dealt with it just fine. But
when it hurts after walking or standing for a period of time, or I
can't go to sleep because of back pain/spasms, that's totally
different.

the above symptoms started occuring the week after I accepted the
position and BEFORE i even started. and it was because of the new job
that I decided to get it checked right away.

I don't know what I did to cause this, and so far for the few days
I've been working, it hasn't affected me that much. I just deal with
the pain and do my job and if i need to I ask for help.

But its still bothering me, and I feel its not getting better. My
manager has a business to run and wants written verification that I
can do my job. And if my doctor declares that I can't work, then I
most likely will lose the job.

Which means I'm screwed.

So I need to go get my back evaluated again and see what the doctor
says, and try to at least convince her to maybe give me something to
lessen the pain/spasms so I can work.

And yes in the meanwhile, I'm trying to exercise to lose weight. But
it is difficult to exercise when your back hurts. I've been focusing
on strengthening my core.

Time to head out to the doctor, hopefully I will find out more.

Kristi

======================

I know how frustrated you must be right now, I'm having similar problems. I
just had my yearly evaluation - my manager said that every single person I
work for (and I work for more people than anyone else here, just because I
can handle it) told her that I was technically excellent, always did my work
on time or, usually, ahead of schedule, was always polite, respectful, and
nice to work with, my accuracy level was excellent... not a single person
had *anything* negative to say about me! I have never once messed up a
project or missed a deadline. I get in to work an hour ahead of everyone
else, I usually work through my lunch break, and I've stayed as late as 10PM
when I've been asked to stay overtime (I've never refused to stay late as my
coworker almost always does).

Yet still my rating will be lower than all my coworkers this year. Why?
Because I missed so much work this year because of my injury/illness! Never
mind that this did not effect my work or my output. This is the reward I
get (plus they've started to dock my pay since you can't have anything over
negative 80 hours of PTO - even though that's way less than my allotted PTO
for the year and that's not counting the PTO that two of the people I work
for donated to me). I go to work each day in more pain than any one of
these people will ever experience in their lifetime. Yet I don't let any of
that show in my work *or* my demeanor.

But because of something that I have *no* control over, I'm going to get the
shaft when raise time rolls around. Mind you, I *ONLY* miss work when I
have a doctor's appointment or a procedure like when they inject my cervical
spine with steroids - I *NEVER* stay home just because I feel bad. When I
have one of these procedures done, I go in the very next day (I have to have
Ben drive me into work because you're not allowed to drive for 24 hours
after having anesthesia) - no matter how much pain I'm in. This coming
Monday I'm going in to have them literally burn away the nerves in 8 places
along my cervical spine (in each facet joint along my right side). I've
been told that I may have 3 to 4 weeks of absolute agony before the pain
goes away *IF* it works at all. Yet Tuesday I'll be right back at work -
burned nerves and all.

Wow, sorry about that rant. I guess your situation just caused me to go off
like that. It is just so damned unfair when you're berated for something
that you have absolutely no control over!

Sending purrs that things will work out for you. I know how much you've
struggled, working and going to school at the same time. You deserve to
finally find a good job with people you like to work with - I hope you find
that soon.

Hugs,

CatNipped

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote:

wrote:

It's not about "gluttony" vs. "self-control". It's about biology. And
it's *not* a moral issue.

I couldn't agree more! Most people who have been alcoholics don't ever
consider themselves "cured", however long they've been "dry". They
refer to themselves as "recovering", because they know that they're only
one drink away from resuming their old habits. (And that's only with
alcohol - or tobacco, or drugs - how much harder if food is your
addiction, because everyone has to EAT to survive.)

Besides, not everyone who is a lot heavier than average got that way
because they eat too much. I know plenty of people who can sock away
huge amounts of food, and they're skinny as rails. Other people gain
weight almost by just looking at food. It's not simple arithmetic ("food
in, minus energy exerted equals weight gained"). It has a lot more to do
with how your body handles food than anything else.

I know that I didn't get to be heavy from overeating. For most of my
life, I was about the same weight, which was pretty much average sized,
with minor fluctuations. Then in the late 80s, I took some medication
for a year, and while I was on it I gained 80 lbs!! I was going up a
size every 3-4 weeks. My diet had not changed at all, nor had my
exercise habits. I felt horrible on those meds - sluggish, spaced out,
unable to focus. I had always been a morning person and all of a sudden
I couldn't get out of bed in the morning.

As soon as I went off this medication, I didn't gain anymore weight.
However, I didn't lose any, either - I had been hoping that would happen,
but I just stayed the same. Over the next few years I went on extended
diets, lots tons of weight, and gained it all back once I stopped dieting.
Since I gave up dieting, my weight has been stable, which means that I
am eating the number of calories my body needs, not more, not less.

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

"Mischief" wrote in message
...
On Jul 16, 1:46 pm, "jmcquown" wrote:
"Mischief" wrote in message

...
Doctor gave me muscle relaxers and told me to take it easy, and
gave
me a note saying to restrict my work detail.

I told my manager and she flipped. "Why didn't you disclose this
when
I interviewed you?" My answer was simple, I didn't HAVE this
problem
during the interview. I offered the note, but she was more
concerned
about my ability to do my job. I told her I would do the best I
could.

(snippage)

They aren't allowed to ask you about medical conditions during a
job
interview and you are not required to disclose any. There is, of
course,
the understanding you are able to do the job you are interviewing
for.
(e.g. if you apply for work in a warehouse you'd better be able to
lift
boxes.) But as you said, you didn't have this problem when you
interviewed.
What were you supposed to do, guess approximately when your back
might
bother you again?

Jill

It also has NEVER been this bad. I've dealt with it just fine. But
when it hurts after walking or standing for a period of time, or I
can't go to sleep because of back pain/spasms, that's totally
different.

the above symptoms started occuring the week after I accepted the
position and BEFORE i even started. and it was because of the new
job
that I decided to get it checked right away.

I don't know what I did to cause this, and so far for the few days
I've been working, it hasn't affected me that much. I just deal
with
the pain and do my job and if i need to I ask for help.

But its still bothering me, and I feel its not getting better. My
manager has a business to run and wants written verification that I
can do my job. And if my doctor declares that I can't work, then I
most likely will lose the job.

Which means I'm screwed.

So I need to go get my back evaluated again and see what the doctor
says, and try to at least convince her to maybe give me something to
lessen the pain/spasms so I can work.

And yes in the meanwhile, I'm trying to exercise to lose weight.
But
it is difficult to exercise when your back hurts. I've been
focusing
on strengthening my core.

Time to head out to the doctor, hopefully I will find out more.

Kristi

***************

First a disclaimer. Always see your own doctor and take your
medical advice only from them

My back went out for the first time the same week I turned forty.
Now it goes out more often than I do.

I've had most every treatment available at one time or another.
Some help more than others.

Nothing works just about as well as anything else. It lasts about
the same amount of time no matter what. That said, the first day or
two, I find it physically impossible to do anything but lie very
still.

As far as comfort goes, the old fashioned tranquilizer, Valium, it
turns out has some fairly good 'side effects' in stopping muscle
spasms. That's what the day clinic gave me a couple of years ago
and what I've used since. It gets me mobile a lot sooner and
lessens the severity of muscle spasms. Ask your doctor about it.

The worst time I have with muscle spasms is when I first lie down at
night after a day when I've done too much. Even driving for four or
five hours will make my legs cramp. Walking it off is a drag when
you are exhausted anyway. It helps then too.

Jo

Jo

On Jul 16, 3:43*pm, wrote:
wrote:

* On Jul 16, 11:24?am, LadyJane wrote:

* It's just too easy to blame the weight because
* it's right out there to be blamed, but that's just silly. ?Your
* muscles need training, that's all.

* I disagree and see this type of excuse usually come from obese people
* (I was one.) Weight *is* part of the problem and to deny it is to
* continue to suffer. I know, as I spent many years overweight and
* suffering from back and knee problems. I can blame the multiple car
* accidents I've been in (none of which was my fault) but the extra
* weight I was carrying was what was causing most of the pain. One can
* live their life in denial and make excuses for their lack of self-
* control (which I did myself) or they can take responsiility for their
* physical condition and *do something about it (which I eventually
* did.)

Hey trips,

So if you're going to
lose weight, you'd better be prepared for very stringent eating habits,
where you will most likely always be hungry, FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

This is outright false. The problem with failing with diets is because
people go with strange fad diets that don't teach proper eating
habits. Once they lose the weight, they go back to the same old
patterns and the weight comes back. I tried many times to diet and
never lost weight because I wasn't eating the right foods. I finally
found out about the low carb lifestyle and not only did I lose a great
deal of weight, but I had a ton of options for what to eat, didn't
have to count calories, and didn't spend most of the day hungry. Bad
carbs/sugar are a big problem in keeping you hungry and are very
addictive. Sugar also enhances depression and sucks energy. The very
first thing I noticed once I quit eating highly processed foods and
stuck to low carb is how much better I felt physically and mentally.
I've maintained this way of eating for several years now and don't
feel deprived in the least. I can still treat myself, but I make
better choices. I was amazed at how easy this was.

On Jul 16, 9:24*am, LadyJane wrote:
On Jul 16, 12:18*pm, Mischief wrote:



This really ticks me off. *I'm sure part of the reason for my back is
being on my feet all day, and that I'm overweight. *But financially I
can't lose this job. *Part of me wants to just grit my teeth and bear
it but then I could REALLy mess up my back. *I just had my 31st
birthday and I don't want to really screw my back.

I made an appt for the doctor this afternoon, and hopefully I can get
better drugs or something so I can DO my job. *If I lose this job, I'm
totally screwed and will have to really do drastic changes.

Worst case scenario is that I find a smaller apartment for me and my
three cats and put the majority of my stuff in storage. *I have a
credit line I can dip into only once, but if I do then I will have
nothing left, so if I have to move I won't be able to put down a
deposit. *I need to get some sort of income really soon.

My settlement from my accident is STILL in the process and is going so
slow I can't wait for it.

ugh.....

Kristi

Kristi,

See if you can get to Physical Therapy. I pulled a muscle in my
back once, and PT saved my life. *I'm *very* large,complete with
big belly, and no less than FOUR therapists said that if I do my
exercises, my back should never hurt again. *And they're right.
I keep my muscles strong and they hold the rest of me up.
There's no blaming the weight. *Even thin people hurt their
backs, y'know. * It's just too easy to blame the weight because
it's right out there to be blamed, but that's just silly. *Your
muscles need training, that's all.

Jane

Went to the doctor and got more Vicodin for the pain. As we discussed
my job she was concerned about the kind of work I do.

And I don't really blame her. Being on my feet for hours at a time,
having to lift or hold large animals, being forced to contort my body
so the vet can do their exam on a pet; crouching and manuevering
around a dog while in a 6 x 3 foot kennel. Being a tech can really
take a toll on your body.

I CAN do all of these things, just with a little more difficulty
because of the pain. That's what I need to convince my manager of
tomorrow. Yes, I can do the job she hired me for, but it will be a
little more challenging. I am willing to grit my teeth through pain
because my patients come first.

The doctor's note gave me restrictions to lifting no more than 10 lbs
at a time, and walking/standing for no more than 30 minutes at a
time. It does hurt to stand for a while, but hopefully while on drugs
i can last longer because my manager will probably not like that
option.

So at this point I'm gonna use my lumbar massager, heating pads and
drugs and then give the note to my manager tomorrow and hopefully
she'll let me keep my job.

thanks for the continued purrs.

Kristi

"Mischief" wrote

Time to head out to the doctor, hopefully I will find out more.

If I were in your place right now, I'd be heading out to visit a
CHIROPRACTOR.

On Jul 16, 5:59*pm, "Pat" wrote:
"Mischief" wrote

Time to head out to the doctor, hopefully I will find out more.

If I were in your place right now, I'd be heading out to visit a
CHIROPRACTOR.

cant afford a chiropractor. in my area visits START at $65. With my
health insurance, visits are $25 each visit. I got a referral from my
doctor to the Physical therapy department and they will call me.

Kristi

On Jul 16, 7:40*pm, Mischief wrote:
On Jul 16, 9:24*am, LadyJane wrote:





On Jul 16, 12:18*pm, Mischief wrote:

This really ticks me off. *I'm sure part of the reason for my back is
being on my feet all day, and that I'm overweight. *But financially I
can't lose this job. *Part of me wants to just grit my teeth and bear
it but then I could REALLy mess up my back. *I just had my 31st
birthday and I don't want to really screw my back.

I made an appt for the doctor this afternoon, and hopefully I can get
better drugs or something so I can DO my job. *If I lose this job, I'm
totally screwed and will have to really do drastic changes.

Worst case scenario is that I find a smaller apartment for me and my
three cats and put the majority of my stuff in storage. *I have a
credit line I can dip into only once, but if I do then I will have
nothing left, so if I have to move I won't be able to put down a
deposit. *I need to get some sort of income really soon.

My settlement from my accident is STILL in the process and is going so
slow I can't wait for it.

ugh.....

Kristi

Kristi,

See if you can get to Physical Therapy. I pulled a muscle in my
back once, and PT saved my life. *I'm *very* large,complete with
big belly, and no less than FOUR therapists said that if I do my
exercises, my back should never hurt again. *And they're right.
I keep my muscles strong and they hold the rest of me up.
There's no blaming the weight. *Even thin people hurt their
backs, y'know. * It's just too easy to blame the weight because
it's right out there to be blamed, but that's just silly. *Your
muscles need training, that's all.

Jane

Went to the doctor and got more Vicodin for the pain. *As we discussed
my job she was concerned about the kind of work I do.

And I don't really blame her. *Being on my feet for hours at a time,
having to lift or hold large animals, being forced to contort my body
so the vet can do their exam on a pet; crouching and manuevering
around a dog while in a 6 x 3 foot kennel. *Being a tech can really
take a toll on your body.

I CAN do all of these things, just with a little more difficulty
because of the pain. *That's what I need to convince my manager of
tomorrow. *Yes, I can do the job she hired me for, but it will be a
little more challenging. *I am willing to grit my teeth through pain
because my patients come first.

The doctor's note gave me restrictions to lifting no more than 10 lbs
at a time, and walking/standing for no more than 30 minutes at a
time. *It does hurt to stand for a while, but hopefully while on drugs
i can last longer because my manager will probably not like that
option.

So at this point I'm gonna use my lumbar massager, heating pads and
drugs and then give the note to my manager tomorrow and hopefully
she'll let me keep my job.

thanks for the continued purrs.

Kristi- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'm not meaning to sound harsh, but, having experienced the effects of
Vicodin myself, you should not be driving or working in such a
setting when on Vicodin. The amount needed to ease the pain you
describe is enough to impair you and it's not safe for you to be
driving or handling animals as such.

Winnie wrote:
On Jul 16, 4:59 pm, Mischief wrote:

*snip back pain*

So I need to go get my back evaluated again and see what the doctor
says, and try to at least convince her to maybe give me something to
lessen the pain/spasms so I can work.

And yes in the meanwhile, I'm trying to exercise to lose weight. But
it is difficult to exercise when your back hurts. I've been focusing
on strengthening my core.

*snip*

It is hard to do core strengthening exercise when your back is
hurting.
A physiotherapist can recommend the approriate exercises for your
condition.
I was also once prescribed muscle relaxant. But instead I went for a
massage and that really relax my muscles. Have been going for regular
massages since then.
A physiotherapist can also give you ultrasound massage.
Acupunture and chiropracitc therapy should also help. But I have no
personal
experience in them with regard to back pain.

I'm another who suffers pretty regular back pain - it comes about because I
do a 'bad lift' - usually i do a 'bad lift' unconciously and only become
aware of it afterwards, but for the worst one, it was the choice between my
back and the Yowlet, so you know which one I chose.

Generally what I need is to get my spine back into alignment (not saying
this is the case for you) and that gets done by a good 'crack'. Sometimes I
can do it myself, other times I've had the physio twist me (much like a
chiro probably) and it has gone 'crack' of its own accord. And sometimes
I've needed multiple treatments including massage, ultrasound,
micro-ultrasound and being put on 'the rack' and being stretched first (I
love the rack!). This doesn't bring baout the 'crack' as such, but it does
stop all the muscles bunching up in my back which is what prevents the spine
going back into place of its own accord and causes most of the pain.

Yowie
--
"because its more fun to be evil" - Jarppi, _The Dudesons_

On Jul 16, 6:04*pm, wrote:
On Jul 16, 7:40*pm, Mischief wrote:



On Jul 16, 9:24*am, LadyJane wrote:

On Jul 16, 12:18*pm, Mischief wrote:

This really ticks me off. *I'm sure part of the reason for my back is
being on my feet all day, and that I'm overweight. *But financially I
can't lose this job. *Part of me wants to just grit my teeth and bear
it but then I could REALLy mess up my back. *I just had my 31st
birthday and I don't want to really screw my back.

I made an appt for the doctor this afternoon, and hopefully I can get
better drugs or something so I can DO my job. *If I lose this job, I'm
totally screwed and will have to really do drastic changes.

Worst case scenario is that I find a smaller apartment for me and my
three cats and put the majority of my stuff in storage. *I have a
credit line I can dip into only once, but if I do then I will have
nothing left, so if I have to move I won't be able to put down a
deposit. *I need to get some sort of income really soon.

My settlement from my accident is STILL in the process and is going so
slow I can't wait for it.

ugh.....

Kristi

Kristi,

See if you can get to Physical Therapy. I pulled a muscle in my
back once, and PT saved my life. *I'm *very* large,complete with
big belly, and no less than FOUR therapists said that if I do my
exercises, my back should never hurt again. *And they're right.
I keep my muscles strong and they hold the rest of me up.
There's no blaming the weight. *Even thin people hurt their
backs, y'know. * It's just too easy to blame the weight because
it's right out there to be blamed, but that's just silly. *Your
muscles need training, that's all.

Jane

Went to the doctor and got more Vicodin for the pain. *As we discussed
my job she was concerned about the kind of work I do.

And I don't really blame her. *Being on my feet for hours at a time,
having to lift or hold large animals, being forced to contort my body
so the vet can do their exam on a pet; crouching and manuevering
around a dog while in a 6 x 3 foot kennel. *Being a tech can really
take a toll on your body.

I CAN do all of these things, just with a little more difficulty
because of the pain. *That's what I need to convince my manager of
tomorrow. *Yes, I can do the job she hired me for, but it will be a
little more challenging. *I am willing to grit my teeth through pain
because my patients come first.

The doctor's note gave me restrictions to lifting no more than 10 lbs
at a time, and walking/standing for no more than 30 minutes at a
time. *It does hurt to stand for a while, but hopefully while on drugs
i can last longer because my manager will probably not like that
option.

So at this point I'm gonna use my lumbar massager, heating pads and
drugs and then give the note to my manager tomorrow and hopefully
she'll let me keep my job.

thanks for the continued purrs.

Kristi- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'm not meaning to sound harsh, but, having experienced the effects of
Vicodin myself, *you should not be driving or working in such a
setting when on Vicodin. The amount needed to ease the pain you
describe is enough to impair you and it's not safe for you to be
driving or handling animals as such.

It's ok, I've been on vicodin before too....

One Vicodin and I'm fine, maybe slightly tired.

I just took two right now and I'm home in my apartment and I'll be
able to evaluate how I feel tonight.

Either way, I need to be able to work.

Kristi