5 posts tagged “medical”

By next week or the week after, I will be working at home.  Slowly I'm getting my life back to the way it was 'before'.

I stopped at Staples and picked up a computer cart and ergonomic chair.

The cart adjusts up and down, and the tabletop can be tilted.  Must have that perfect keyboard placement :)  I'll be using a regular desk for the computer and monitor.  See all those levers on the bottom of the chair?  That's seat height, back tilt, and seat tilt.  Those are all a must when you're typing 8 hours a day.

I've already ordered all the books I need from Ebay and Amazon, plus a few extras since I'll be working in the stats/prios work pool, and that could include any work type from cardiology to infectious disease to rehab.

When I first started back at work, I was worried it would take a long time to pick up the terminology and get my speed up.  I'm happy to report it didn't!  Because I'm in the same work pool I was before I got sick, all of it is coming back to me fast.  It will take a while to build up my speed text, but that will come in time.  I'm already up to 1400 lines a day, which is only about 600 lines off from before.  I'm so happy!  It's getting to feel like second nature again.

Very soon I'll be sitting at this desk I'm sitting at now, looking out my living room window at the trees, and working.  Yay!

Tomorrow is my orientation.  It's my first full day of work in 5 years.  I'm thrilled and a bit scared. 

I know my back has healed, but it's also very weak still.  I have an accommodation where I can get up and walk around for 5 minutes every hour.  That should help my back to not stiffen up.  During my lunch break, I'm going to either go for a walk outside if weather permits or walk up and down the stairs a few times.  Then I'll be taking another walk to loosen up before I drive home.  Guess we'll see how much self-discipline I possess. 

I'll also be putting my back brace back on until I'm sure I can complete a full work day without it.  Tomorrow may be a bit uncomfortable because orientation is in a room with tables and straight chairs.  After that, I'll be in an office with ergonomic chairs for transcription.  That should be a lot better.

I have an irrational fear of my back pain coming back.  I know it won't. But after being disabled for so long, I'm scared this will all go away again.  It's difficult to push this thought away.

I have a feeling I won't be getting much sleep tonight.  I'm going to be way too excited/scared/nervous.

I'm so excited!  I have a meeting with my old supervisor this morning.  The only unknowns are what hours I'll be working and what pay grade they will start me at.  I was checking out www.mtdesk.com and www.mtdaily.com this morning, my old haunts on the web.  I spent so much time there. 

I wonder how long it will take me to get back in the groove of transcription.  My speed hasn't decreased too much, but it'll take me a few weeks to get back into using a speed typing program again.  Then there's 5 years' worth of new drugs, new procedures, and new equipment words to learn. 

The car is running now to get it nice and warm before I head into town (it's -1 outside).  Time to go dry my hair and get dressed.

Fingers crossed!

Five years ago I had a wonderful job working from home that I absolutely loved.  I was a medical transcriptionist, and I worked at home in my pajamas for really good money.  Five years ago this month, I called my supervisor and told her my pain was so bad I couldn't work anymore, and I quit as of that day.  That pain was later diagnosed as fibromyalgia and depression. 

Over the next 5 years, I saw many specialists, psychiatrists, and therapists.  Five years of people thinking I was faking it.  Some thought my pain wasn't as bad as I said it was. Some thought it was all in my head.  Some said I could work, most said I couldn't.  I even went through an exam to see if I had multiple sclerosis.  Talk about scary!  I went through years of legal hearings to try and get Social Security and never got it.  My pain finally became so bad in July of this year that I couldn't get up off my couch.  After being stuck on my couch for about 4 hours, I had to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital.  Lo and behold, I had a piece of bone lodged against my spinal cord.  A wonderful neurosurgeon removed the bone fragment, and I have now made a full recovery.

So today I called one of my old supervisors at the medical transcription company.  She's as excited as I am that I can work again, and I have an appointment with her next Tuesday.  I should be back in my old job soon!  I can't believe it!  Excellent pay and benefits, and I can work in my PJs.  Not so great news is I'm sure they'll probably want me to work in the office for a week or so on a trial basis before heading home to work.  The only reason that is not so great is because I'll have to get up early and drive to the office :P  How spoiled do I sound?  Ah well... it is a great job, and I loved every minute of it.

I am so thankful right now I can't stand it.

Pardon me while I scream:  YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!