MilDot

Well, life is strange...
After twelve years as a police officer I am now going back to school. At the begining of October I blew out two disks in my neck (on the job). One of them is sitting on the nerve root to my right arm. My deadline from work was today...and I am still screwed up. So they are basicly firing me and my career is pretty much over...Now this might be a blessing in disguise. If I go back to school while I'm on workers comp. I can retrain for a new career, as long as I dont lose my house its a good thing...
btw this is why I have not been on a computer for a few months, I'm actually in alot of pain.

Any advice? I've never been on comp before...I'm tentatively planning on going back to school for respiratory therapy. I'm just wondering if anyone else has gotten injured on the job and had to change careers as a result, dealt with rehabilitation or knows anything about respiratory therapy.

Thanks guys.
-Erik

BULLET99Z28

iTrader: (9)

I'm with ya man. In ocotber of 04 I lost my job of 3.5 years as a purchaser for a smaller industrial supply company due to loss of contracts,wich sucked because I loved my boss, he and his family treated me like ason. So my neighboor got my a job driving a beer truck for a DFW distributor. Well in May I had booth knees operated on(due to job), was out for 6 weeks. Then 1 week after I broke a bone in my hand(out for another 2 weeks). Then I had to have a surgery for a herniated disk in my lower back, and had to have a series of epideral injections to help with swelling and to increase mobility. Well on october 26th I went to talk to my boss about my condition, what the doctors recommended(they were concerned that me being so young-27, that this job would casue serious and permanent back damage). He told me that they had let me go abou 10 days prioir, no notice or nothing. He said I should have received a letter in the mail. So I have no insurannce for therapy, they basically fucked me out of a job, would not find another postion in the company, no help!. I have been looking for another job since. I to am wanting to go to school, I can't do the physical work anymore, wich only makes finding a job even harder. Bills are piling up, I'm way stressed. Its a bad sutuation bro, I feel ya. good luck, things will work out

BigSteele

iTrader: (17)

damn I thought a beer truck driver would be a pretty cool job. sorry to hear about both situations

BULLET99Z28

iTrader: (9)

Driving i beer truck wasn't bad. I was salaried,plus overtime, and if you go back out for a smalldelivery, it was a minimum of 30 bucks.I usually got off work around noon. its easy to make 42-55grand, wich I thought wasn't bad for a 27 yr old single guy. I did not want to do it forever, but for a few years It would have allowed me to save up $ for school and p/t job before I reached 30

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Sorry to hear about the injury Erik, I know how much you enjoyed being a cop. They couldn't move you into an office/detective type role? How long is school going to take? Planning on going to UT Galveston like your wife did?

Tony

MilDot

I have had a couple of those lately, they do nothing...I feel for you bro.

MilDot

Whazzup man!
I cant make ends meet without working the extra jobs, and I'm not going to be a secretary...They would not even release me to light duty in time to avoid termination anyway so my only option is ton use this as an opportunity. I can easily double my salary if it all works out. I just pray...

BTW Jimmi didn't go to UT Galveston, those were just friends of friends that night-I will refrain from being more specific fpr your sake.

I'll probably just go to Alvin Community College, easier,cheaper, and closer (I dont handle driving or riding very well right now-I cant even get into the stang or the Z yet)

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Haha, you sure knew how to throw a party! Hard to believe that was about 5 years ago, time flies. Does your wife stay in touch with those friends? I got dumped for a redneck in nursing school, but I guess things turned out for the better for me.

TXCAMSS

iTrader: (60)

Sorry to hear about that Erik. I had been wondering how you've been. I have been through something similiar, but was fortunately able to continue working. I still have scarred tissue and herniated discs at C6/C7, but the pain is intermitent and is directly related to my physical activity. I had considered exactly the path you are taking. It very well could be a blessing in disguise. You will do fine. Just consider this a speed bump in life. Good luck to you man!