I have a question for all of you: what do you do for employment, and how do you hold down a job?

In my case, I have been programming/developing for over 20 years, and I sometimes wonder if staring at a monitor all day has anything to do with the onset of The Beast.

For the past few years, I have lost too many jobs to count due to The Beast (and lack of sleep, onset while at work, calling in sick way too often). I would dearly love to find a job that would allow me to work from home, and work hours that are productive for me, but I'm not having much luck.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks :)

Shawn

I was a programmer/analyst for over 10 years.  My dr thought the high stress of the job and or the glare from the computer was causing or agrivating the ch.  I stopped working for several months and there was no change in my ch.  Still as many hits and just as intense.  I get all my hits durring the daytime hours and into the night while awake.  I was constantly doing the dance at work and unable to concentrate, focus, keep an even temper, and perform and stay at my desk.  So after the leave of abcense didn't improve things I decided to try to go on disability.  I was awarded SSDI in 2000 on the first attempt.  The strange thing was they didn't award me ssdi for ch but for the depression it caused.  I am sure if I had an attourney I would have been awarded for both the depression it caused and ch itself.  I completely understand where you are comming from.  

I sometimes think the monitor may have an effect, but i still believe CH has to do with the eye.

I am self employed and I do premium audit.  It makes it easier when you are self employed because you don't have to answer to a boss.  With my CH I can not do a 9-5.  Being self employed, it is much easier to make my own hours.  
Also, I find a 'customer' much more willing to let you do whatever you need than a 'boss'.  I can get up and go huff O2 in my car without asking permission from anyone.  I have even brought O2 in to my appointments and used it while working.  
I come from the school of 'you do whatever it takes'.  No matter how many times the beast kicks your ass, you get your ass up and go to work.  No matter if you have gotten 10 hours of sleep in a month, you get your ass up and go to work.  If you have to work longer than anyone else to get the same amount of work done, then you get your ass up and go work longer than anyone else.

Don't let the beast win.  Do whatever it takes.

Ditto, what B$ said!

My name is Barry and I am an o2 pusher....

E-tank in car, another at work in basement and The "Mother Ship" tank at home.

My boss understands, somewhat. ::)

Quote:

I come from the school of 'you do whatever it takes'.  No matter how many times the beast kicks your ass, you get your ass up and go to work.  No matter if you have gotten 10 hours of sleep in a month, you get your ass up and go to work.  If you have to work longer than anyone else to get the same amount of work done, then you get your ass up and go work longer than anyone else.

I do it for me, not them.
the bb

I lost a job once,  went on FMLA twice (that sucked!) and now into year two of o2 use, I now have a tank at work, a tank at home, and a majorly cool boss who is one of the biggest supporters I have. o2 at work?  no prob!  He knows I'm doing whatever I can to live a normal life in spite of ch.

ps.......B$.... awesome post!

From my perspective, the trick is to kick ass between hits and be super productive at whatever you want to do.

I have a lot of horror stories like having to walk out of a meeting with 200-300 who paid to hear you speak –left just  sitting there………. Getting hit in the middle of negotiating the biggest deal of the year......Or being pinned down in your airline seat during a bad hit…..

When you’re a CH’er, you get clever and find ways to keep rolling. What works for me, doesn’t work for the next person, etc.  – but we all need to find ways to stay productive.

It’s important for your internal sense of self worth. For me, giving up is saying the Beast has won - and that's something I won't do.   (Not to mention pesky things like paying the bills )

I think when I am in cycle, too much computing brings on an attack.

BTW - Welcome aboard.

BMoneeTheMoneeMan wrote on Oct 27^th, 2008 at 6:41pm:

you do whatever it takes

Indeed, bro.  That has been what has kept me going.  I don't think I'd be where I am now if I hadn't persevered and decided that I was going to be the winner, not CH.