hi crew, i'm at a total loss trying to decide my next career path.... i was wondering if i could do a bit of a survey here as to what jobs you guys work in, the hours, conditions (heat/noise/smells etc..) and how flexible you think it needs to be?

thanks heaps :)

Aloha Emily,Hope your feeling better..Wow that was a long incision. At least its over .! Thats a good question..My brother will also have to deal with that after his surgery..It would be interesting to find out what other mm survivors are doing.I would guess  like work from home ...maybe computer related..Aloha God Bless. We pray for all the mm family.GP

thanks for your message GP. i am heaps better, i just cannot believe it's only a month (and 2 days) since my last surgery, feels like 3 months!! have decided i'm taking this week off [social activities] to do some resting.. seeing as i haven't really done that yet, it's catching up on me!

back to the career choice problems; previously i've been:
- mechanical engineer -> complete lack of interest [and motivation to find out if i can still do it all]
- building site cleaner -> probably unsafe, long hours, often working on ladders, lots of fuming chemicals and stuff
- music management -> incredibly long hours, 6 days a week, not much money! hehe

options i've been considering:
- pre-school (early childhood) teaching -> worried about losing words or saying the wrong one, losing an arm or something, noise etc.. - if you felt bad/off you cant just leave..
- some sort of landscaping/land management/outdoorsy kind of work, but again worried about hrs/rain/heat etc..
- medicine -> nice idea as i have the interest, but medical exams?? nah thanks
- nursing -> combines the interest from above, without being quite as mentally challenging (maybe!), i'd be capable of it all, and puts me in the safety of a hospital all the time in case something happened!!

i guess i'm just in the typical space of a young person with no direction and now a few more limits!!!

Hi Em,
Glad to see you're doing so well. As far as career goes I was a structural/mechanical/electrical and civil draftswoman which I gave away long before the MM as it was long hours and STRESS!!! Now I do graphic design work from home (comes from years of technical illustrating for the government) and calligraphy for wedding invitations which i also design for people. As my husband has all these huge ideas of grandeur ie. buying a new ducati and an investment property!!,  I am looking at options for me to bring in more money. Have considered a proof reading course so that I can do free lance work as an editor/ proofreader from home.
Moira

I work at Honeywell (engineering aid) and put in a full 40hrs a month after my surgery. I decided to go back to school six monts later only 8 credits and still work the 40hrs. Honeywell is paying me for good grades so I am constanly studding. I am going to get a BS in Chemistry.
So I am surrounded by lots a chemicals all the time. The bigest proble I have is the floressent lights when they just get turned on give me a headake. Also there are some heavy machenery making all sorts of squeeks beeps and alarms when parts are done or there are ploblems with the macheenery. It can get very noisey at times. Only one high pitched alarm bothers me but that hardly goes off.

I sugest taking your time when going back to work. Don't rush yourself and let your coworkes know about your MM and if they are like mine they will understand and let you work at your own pase on the "Bad" days.

With this degree I hope to work for a nuropharmicutical lab making better medication for us with daily migraines, people with deperssion, alhimers or any other nuro problems that can be helped with a pill. I just started so I have alot of school ahead.

I hope this helps. Good luck!
Becky

I work for a defense, aerospace company in Corporate Communications.  I typically work 10-11 hour days.  It's a desk job and I work for 3 guys.  Not bad when the bosses are having good days!  LOL

Michelle

Hi, Emily.

Nursing was a great idea - there's such a shortage of nurses, that they tend to be able to pick their hours, and they pay very well!!

I work at an agency that provides services for kids with disabilties - we sort of point families in the directions of the stuff their kids need.  The neat thing about where I work is that almost everyone there has kids with either medical or developmental disabilities, so everyone tends to be very understanding of when you need to take time off for medical appts, etc.

By the way - my     s both looked at your pictures - they were happy to see someone with scars like theirs - now they'd like your hairstyle too!! ::)

Glad your feeling good.  Good luck with the new career search!

Hugs, Kristen

I work as a Sr. Application Analyst for a company that owns and operates retirement communities.  My company has been very supportive in giving me what I need in terms of my health.  My job is good as I, if needed, can work at home.  One downfall is staring at a computer screen all day....can lead to headaches.  

Good luck in finding a new career path!

-Shari

hi guys..
wow michelle you are hardcore... very impressive..
i guess there's a fair bit of range out there, but also looks pretty flexible...
i'm warming to the idea of nursing... but the next course doesn't start till feb 07 so got a bit of stewing time, which i'll need! (good money hey? i didn't know that!)

i guess i won't really be working til august anyway, it's killing me to not be able to plan very far ahead! hehe.. and fretting over a career hasn't got me very far in the past 24 yrs so i might as well just chill out and let it find me.. haha.. easier said than done for some!
thanks for your help.. i'll get there eventually i guess.. bit of a bummer because what i really enjoy doing (and am good at) is dreadlocking hair, making crystal/help jewelry and dying/making clothes... all such typical-hippie pasttimes haha and none very reliable financially!!

Hi Emily

It is good that you are not working until after August - you need time to setlle and adjust after all the ops.

I work as a manager in the admin of a large bank - 6 months after ops and still not back to fulltime work (6 hours a day at the moment).  Like many others, I find too much computer work a killer !
(I also have a theory that the phones at work bring on my focal fits). I have been on full pay since Oct last year - I wish I could retain that pay and the lesser hours !

Good luck

Helene

Hi Em....

For some strange reason my earlier message never got posted.

Over the years, I've managed to obtain two different college degrees (and started a few others). To date, I have a BS in Chemical Engineering and a MBA in Marketing. In my "professional" work life, I have worked as a Construction Design Engineer, a Corporate Realestate Acquisitions Manager, an part time Andjunct College Professor (taught a bunch of classes but never did get paid for them)...and for the past bunch of years, I've been a Project  Manager in Product Development for a leading consumer products company....over the many years, I've managed to develop over 30 consumer products that are sold throughout the world.

So, here is my two cents on the career front...identify your passion in life and find a career that fits within that passion. After many different jobs, there were a few that I could not stand going to in the morning. As we all know, life is way to short to work at a job that you can't stand.

Although my health issues are not MM, they are releated to a mas-restriction in my left MC1 segment. As my doctor described, I've got MM without the colateral vessels....Although I do suffer from ocassional TIA's (very rarely)...I am most often plagued with fatigue, foggy thinking, and ocassional numbness in my right hand. At times, this have kept me home from work for days on end....the good news is that my bosses are aware of my situation and support my needs. For this I am thankful.

Best of luck and keep us updated.
Greg

Hi Emily!

I work in the nursing field. I'm a nurses aid in a home health care. I use to work in a rest home with elderly, something happen that I was fired from there. I really loved the job.
If you are thing about nursing they always need help.

Amber R.   [smiley=cool2.gif]

A very wise person said to me recently,

We work to live - not live to work.

I agree with Greg - find something that you are passionate about and enjoy doing!

-Shari

hmmm well i'm passionate about rubbish - obviously minimising the amount of it improperly disposed EVERYWHERE!!!

hmm how can i make money out of that?? hehe

not serious though, it makes me furious (or cry, depending on my mood..) grrrrrrrrrr