maree

Stroke Survivor - female
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Blog Comments posted by maree

  1. I went back to work after the stoke -- for someone for whom I had worked 10 years before the stroke. He remembered me as this wonderful talented bookkeeper, and was thrilled to get me back again. Wrong. I knew that I was slower because I cannot move as quickly and dexterously, AND with the memory loss, my thinking skills are no where near as good as they were. BUT, I needed a job, and having applied for several other jobs and not even received the "thank you but" letters, I thought this might just be my chance to get back into the workforce, by doing a job that I had done for 15 years before the stroke.I did not like the job, and had worked hard to escape that particular career before the stroke, but anything is better than just sitting around and moping at home, so I went back to work. I proved that I am no longer a capable and competent employee, and after four weeks he eventually had to fire me, he showing no end of embarrassment when he did so. So, with that, I lost a great reference, and the high regard that he once had for me. Sure the income over the time was a great bonus, but, emotionally, I lost more than I earned, both in friendship, and self esteem.

    I found the fatigue was the hardest thing to beat. I suspect that he one day found me asleep at my desk. Trying to do a good job whilst you are using all your conscious mind to push back fatigue makes it very difficult to work effectively

    So think long and hard about going back into a job where you once excelled. And yes, do tell those who might offer you employment about your situation, though it would be pretty unlikely that they do not already know, someone's bad luck story gets around very quickly.