I am totally with you Patti. After completing my rehab (one month), I returned to work part-time. I lasted two and a half months. At the end of each day, I hurt so bad I couldn't do anything - even cook dinner. And it took the entire weekend to recuperate from the exhaustion in order to start the next week. That meant turning down almost every offer to do anything fun. I finally gave in and went out on permanent disability.
I so miss the social interaction afforded by working, but I don't miss the forced exertion. To keep from becoming almost a hermit confined to the house - which is so easy to do when you don't work - I make a point of 'scheduling' things to go out and do during the week - even if it's just to grab a bite to eat for lunch or check out a new sale. After 34 years of working (31 for the same company), it was very hard to let go of the people contacts. it's so easy at work to be 'involved' in co-workers lives just thru office conversation. It's not 'convenient' for them after you're gone. I try to stay in occasional e-mail contact with several of them, but it's just not the same. TM definitely adversely affects your personal life as well as your physical one. I think that's why we feel so connected to each other on this site - we all sympathize and appreciate each other's losses as we've all walked in each other's shoes where TM is concerned. Loss of health, loss of jobs, loss of friends, loss of dignity. It tears away at one's resolve, but this site affords us a non-aggressive format for social contact (albeit thru cyber space), appreciation and validation of aches, pains and fears, and a way to gain knowledge about our condition thru the experiences of others. I thank everyone on this site for helping me get thru the worst of my times and teaching me how to accept and move on with what I do have. You're all an inspiration! Betty (in Northern California) _____ From: pat cooley [mailto:patticoole...@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 7:55 AM To: Robert Pall Cc: pjv1...@chartermi.net; tmic-list@eskimo.com Subject: Re: [TMIC] Facebook Robert you are much braver than I could ever be. Just the thought of heights makes me sick to my stomach. I did work part-time before TM and after about 7 months I was able to go make to my part-time job. It was exhausting at times but I enjoyed the people contact. Last year we moved about 120 miles away to be near my daughter and her family for my health. I didn't seek work after we moved. I don't miss working but do miss the people contact. Patti - Wisconsin On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 9:39 AM, Robert Pall <robthe...@aol.com> wrote: Good for you....people do not realize how much we go thru to accomplish even the simplest of things! All the best! Rob in New Jersey -----Original Message----- From: pjv1234 <pjv1...@chartermi.net> To: Robert Pall <robthe...@aol.com> Cc: tmic-list <tmic-list@eskimo.com> Sent: Tue, Oct 4, 2011 10:37 pm Subject: RE: [TMIC] Facebook Congratulations on your retirement. I know I've said it before, but I can't imagine working while having TM. I think skydiving is the ultimate gutsy thing to try. I'm not that gutsy, however, I went white water rafteing this spring and found it to be exilerating. Patti On Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 11:11 AM, Robert Pall wrote: I have not been around here for awhile. I stopped working in Februuary and neveer changed my email address until yesterday. I have been on Facebook which has a TM group and there are a lot of people on it from this group. I was confused but now I am not and I am glad to be back where I started. By the way to celebrate my 764th birthday and my 14th annivarsary with TMJ I went skydiving at the Jersey Shore....it was incredible and the most exciting thing I ever did! I continue to not allow TM to disrupt my life! Rob in New Jersey
