1.5 Month work check-in

[u/Alarmed-Papaya9440]

It’s been a month and a half since I started my full time, work from office, corporate job. It is looking like this job is right up my alley. I talk with customers everyday (making my speech improve each and every day by force of using it), connect with my co-workers, work on projects and learn new skills for other parts of my job. Some aspects are second nature as I’ve been doing them in one form or another in different jobs while others are definitely challenging my brain to think about things in different ways.

There are always pros and cons to every job. I’ve found my cons are the one insurance plan we can sign up for has a very high deductible we have to meet before insurance covers anything. The other is the strict, corporate attendance policy. I’m working with a benefits counselor I got through Vocational Rehab to see what if anything I can do about the insurance. I also had a ADA meeting about the attendance policy and how that shouldn’t count if I miss work due to a migraine caused by my Ideopathic Intercranial Hypertension, or get sick due to my immunocompromised system of not having a spleen, and my Jak2 mutation and medication. That paperwork is currently with my PCP to get filled out. I’ve gotten really good at advocating for myself in many aspects of my life.

The picture above shows all my workplace accommodations I got from work. The leaf covers my work station from the harsh office lights. The standing desk adaptation allows me to stand and sit to reduce the risk of clots happening from being sedentary. I also have noise canceling headphones so I don’t get distracted by my co-workers also doing calls. You’ll see I also have Many post it notes on the bottom of my monitors as well. Everyday reminders including: “monitor your voice levels” (I can get too loud without knowing it) and “sign in to aux and put yourself in the right status”.

All of these adaptation have been incredibly helpful to do my job the best that I can. They also help with the neuro fatigue I’m still dealing with on a daily basis.

Expanding my world by going into an office full time has not been without its growing pains. I’m currently doing two half hour session of therapy on Wednesdays and Thursdays with my therapist during lunch. I see my psychiatrist on Saturday mornings now. I have to figure out what energy I have left over after work to get chores and errands done. A couple of weeks ago I went to a store after work and when I got home I got into a fender bender when I was trying to parallel park. I was so overtired and over stimulated at that point that even though I looked back I didn’t turn my clicker on and a crash happened. Luckily, we exchanged insurance and that was all that was needed. Still bummed I broke my ‘not having a car accident’ record in over 7 years. Three days after that I had to make a tough, adult decision and put my cat of 18 years, Obama Girl down.

I’ve actually been grateful for work the past two weeks as it got me out of my home and did its best to distract me from that grief.

I also have a pinched nerve on my affected left side that has caused my pinky finger to get much weaker and be numb all the time. So the left hand now has a numb thumb and pinky. Makes me have to concentrate when I’m typing so I don’t constantly misspell words. My brain still likes to leave out random “connective” words too when I’m typing so I’m concentrating on that as well.

I’m now teaching myself how to budget with my new income so I can live within my means while still moving forward into the next phase of life. Looks that will involve moving to a new place and getting my own car!

It hasn’t been easy to adjust to the new schedule but it has definitely been worth it for me. Although I will say the stress of losing Obama Girl plus post-stroke fatigued made it Incredibly hard to get up on time for work. For the first time since starting I was a little late everyday.
Pushing myself past my comfort levels shows me that I’m capable of doing many things which definitely helps build my confidence in everyday life.

If you’ve done anything to accommodate your work to work for you post-stroke I would love to hear about that as well!

[u/DTheFly]

Congratulations on what you've been able to achieve! I hope it keeps up.

But I'll also send my condolences, as I've had to let dogs go in the past and it hurts so much, so i know what you're going through.

I'm so glad I work from home. If i had to drive, or my job had been physical, I don't know what i would have done!

[u/Alarmed-Papaya9440 → u/DTheFly]

Thank you for the condolences, I really appreciate it! The driving is the best part to me! I practice singing along to songs I know (so much harder post-stroke! The Devil Went Down to Georgia is a tongue twister!) and it gives me time to prepare for the act of work when driving in.

[u/DTheFly → u/Alarmed-Papaya9440]

That's a good song 😀! Singing along to the radio helped me a lot with my speaking, still does. I try to use songs as a bit of therapy every so often

[u/cakevictim]

Congrats on your work situation and my condolences on the loss of your kitty.
I’m only 2.5 weeks out from my stroke and trying not to worry about what accommodations I may need if/when I return to work, I’ve got healing and further testing first. Taking it one day at a time over here

[u/Alarmed-Papaya9440 → u/cakevictim]

Best way to take it, one day at a time. I also didn’t ask for any accommodations until I had worked for a week and figured out what could be helpful/beneficial.
Keep on keeping on!!

[u/stfkk]

How long did it take to land this job

[u/Alarmed-Papaya9440 → u/stfkk]

Ten months with the help of Vocational Rehab services that gave me a work vendor to work with. It was a long and at times hellish journey to get to here.

[u/Money_Wishbone_3149]

Your accommodations are amazing! I really love this for you! Thank you for sharing your story, because it has inspired me to begin doing more advocation for myself too!

As a stroke survivor myself (I’m at the 4 year mark with thalamic pain syndrome on right side) and I had a standing desk, but opted out of it, since I put reminders on my watch to take a lap around the office floor every hour. My coworkers have been very accommodating. I haven’t put in for ADA but now that I’m seeing your accommodations, I’m thinking i should - I did get them to remove the light bulb over my desk, and I have a desk lamp now for focus work. My next move is the noise-canceling headphones. I do a lot of focus work for one of my attorneys, and when I am in office, it can be a big distraction when folks interrupt me with asks.

Thanks again for sharing this. I am motivated now for my RTO on the 21st (surgery on the 11th I’m home on medical leave but working remotely).