More about me

After I graduated, I went to work at a group home for mentally handicapped people. This was my first fuul time job, and was the happiest time of my life up to that point. I really loved working there. I saved money and bought my first home. After working there for about 2 years, I was diagnosed with Lupus. I needed to go on pain medicine immediately. Because I had terrible back pain and my job was physically demanding. For me. For someone who is healthy it would not be. The home I worked at needed staff 24/7. There was a lot of overtime because it was hard to keep staff. My intent was to work 2 or 3 years and work while getting a masters degree. I should have startes the process of more schooling sooner. As it was, I didn't start it until it was too late.
In addition to the overtime, I had to be on my feet most of the time. There was a lot of running around to dr. appts., and so on. Shifts were 12-24 hours long. A lot of the time I was on my own. It was very hard to keep people. When I did look into getting a masters online, I filled out the app., and then a staff had to quit, and we were short already. There was going to be a lot of hours needing to be covered. I withdrew my application temporarily in order to work. In hindsight I should have went the other way around. My health was getting progressively worse. By the time I was home, my feet would be swollen to the size of grapefruit and I could barely walk. Most days off found me in bed. I missed a lot of church. And if it were not for my faith, I would have ended it long ago. I could not sleep well, I tossed and turned, I woke up a lot with hips, arms, legs hurting and had to change positions. Still do. I kept working to the point I would be at work 2 hors and I would be dizzy and walking into walls; and I would feel like every muscle in my body had been beat on; and my body was full of magnets and the floor was one big magnet and I was being pulled to the floor. In a job where your responsibility is to take care of others, that is not good. I got to the point where I had to make a decision: quit or end up in the hospital. Or worse. So I quit. I tried to find a job for 2 years and noone would hire me. I have tried to get disability. No go. They wont let me have it because of my education and age. The only thing I can do that does not make my disease worse is writing. I have written 2 books so far and am trying to get published. I had to sell my house several years ago because I had no money. Thankfully my mom moved me in with her to help me. Now I live with my dad and step-moom while trying to get published.
If you have to quit qorking, dont do what I did. Try to line up another job before quitting. I could not work any job that had those same working conditions that are natural to the job anymore, but I could have found an easier job elsewhere temporarily if I had looked. Instead I had quit without notice because of my health. I was not able to get unemployment, and every where I interviewed with I had to be honest and tell them why I quit. The kinds of jobs I had experience with I could no longer do. Group home and food service. I had no experience in what my degree was for, or anything else I applied for. I applied for a social work position and got turned for no experience because they had applicants with experience in that job. So if you find yourself needing to quit a particular job for health reasons, get all your ducks in a row first. Dont make impulsive decisions like me. And pray for the Lord to guide you first. I didnt. I should have.

Why didnt the chimney feel well?
It had a flue.LOL