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Avatar universal

For those with hand/wrist pain

What is your occupation?
I have had 2 carpal tunnel releases done three years ago.

The wrist and hand pain has becom increasingly worse since then, no apparent cause.
It has gotten to where checking my email or folding clothes is near impossible.  

I am I think lacking in imagination as to what jobs I can do that will not require much handwork. I have thought about it alot. I am trained in paralegal and insurance but cannot do either anymore.

So, if you have severe hand and wrist pain, I was wondering what do you do for a living ?
8 Responses
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Avatar universal
Good for you!  I've thought about that one, too.  They usually have good insurance plans as well.  Although I do think R.N.s have a good deal of hand work with taking care of patients, it will probably be less than an office job.  The M.As in the doctor's office typically take vitals, make notes, and move charts all day. ((Not that that's all they do by any means, just in general)
I hope with whatever you end up doing, you love it!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well I had a thought an RN does not do nearly as much typing as a paralegal or call center insurance agent, and since I am in the doctors office so much I should probably get paid for it.  These outpatient surgery centers would be a good place to work for me. There is no perfume, cologne, or sick people, and I already know my way around fairly well.  I plan to go into the RN program at my local Community college after finishing the paralegal degree.
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Avatar universal
American Idol is always a way to go, especially as a "William Hung" because there's less work in it for you in the long run.  You just make that one hit wonder or youtube video and you're set for life, lol.  But the handwork, you must not have seen the "She Bangs" video. LOL
I have thought about substitute teaching as well.  It would be good for me to do as a mom if I could do it.  I just worry that I will start a job and love it and my body will start protesting violently.
I don't have problems with my hands neccessarily, which is why I type on here like crazy, but I have lifting problems and occasionally my hand just drops things.  No one around here even blinks when I break a glass or a dish these days.  I did have some terrible carpal tunnel in the past, though, and I was so addicted to the computer that I used a pencil, eraser side down to peck the keys, lol.  I have learned from my neck problem, though, that if it hurts it's generally not a good idea to push it as that's how it ended up hurting all the time.  
I made a mistake like that with my last job.  My neck only would hurt then at the end of the day.  I used to take all the overtime I could get as well because I loved my job and needed the money.  I had to go to the ER straight from work at least twice because the pain was just unbearable.  I ended up having a doctor's note that said I could only lift 10lbs and I wish I would have kept it to myself because there were no jobs that had a lift limit of under 10lbs so they cut my hours and I ended up quitting for another job that ended up not lasting.  I had had neck/shoulder pain previously, though, and I knew it didn't start from the job, but it did exacerbate it.  I just didn't feel right even talking about WC.  
I have thought of applying for disability and I have known people who recieved it for less, but I am hoping I can do something eventually.  Like all of you I've been trying to figure out what.  I was going to school for Anthropology when I had to take a break with moving to FL and other life changes so I hope to go back for that.  If I like school enough I'll keep it up and go for my law degree as I always wanted to.  
I have been holding out hope that the Artificial Disc Replacement may take care of a majority of my pain.  It may be misguided, but it helps to have something to look forward to.  

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
All of my surgeries have been out of pocket/insurance. I was ignorant of WC law and let my bosses talk me out of it. They said since the problem started on a previous job I wouldn't get it. Now that I'm more familiar with the law I would have at least consulted an attorney before giving in and spending 20K out of pocket to date.

I am going to try for disabillity but that will not pay much I would imagine. It would seriously damage my plans for getting married...  

I guess I could be the next William Hung. No hand work there :)  American Idol FTW.

I could try substitute teaching again,were they not cutting positions... Writing on the board would be impossible... grading papers would be painful... yelling at kids (Male=Auto Bad Cop) and having a nervous breakdown for slave wages doesn't need hands.(God help the kids I teach handwriting to.)

I suspose I could do walmart greeting to offset disability if I get it. I still don't know if it would be enough though.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
CaoMoo, it sound as if you really got the short end of the stick with worker's comp!  Did you have an attorney?  Is it too late to go back and try to get something?

i don't know what will happen with me and my WC.  They have approved everything for me so far ... even last month they agreed to let me switch to the Duragesic patch instead of the generic one.  The generic kept falling off, left loads of glue on my skin and clothes that I couldn't get off.  But the generic was $500 a month and the Durageic is $1100.  I never thought they'd approve it but they did.

They've approved every med, lotion, procedure and surgery.  I've been fortunate.  But I have been to the very top doctors in this area and when I went for my examination ordered by the WC board, even that doctor considered me 100% temporarily disabled.  The thought being once I had surgery, I wouldn't be any longer.  Unfortunately for me, it got worse and by the looks of things now I'm 100% permanently disabled.

I imagine when I apply (and if I'm approved) for accidental disability retirement that WC will try to end my case.  It's at that time they may offer me a settlement.  Of course, I'm hoping for a decent settlement because this has left me so disabled.  It's changed my whole life.

I'd love to do something with the medical field.  I'm good at it, and I did medical malpractice deposition work for about ten years. Then I have 7 years of all kinds of cases working in Superior Court.

I wouldn't mind doing pharmaceutical sales; I think I'd be good at it.  I definitely have a knack and a lot of knowledge of the medical field.  I'd love somehow to do something with hospice, but I don't know what.

I was hoping that WC will offer me some sort of educational retraining but I'm not sure what direction to go in.  Basically, you really use your hands for everything you do.

I miss working in the courtroom.  I miss the formality of it.  I miss following a case from beginning to end.  It was great money but I really loved the job.  It was so diverse.  I felt like I was taking a college class with each new case.  I learned about forensics, ballistics, the law, the medical field, eminent domain, and more.  And of course, the criminal side of things

I'll be glad to get my retirement and get off WC, though.  It's been very hard to survive financially.  The worry and stress adds to my anxiety and probably doesn't help my pain levels.

Sara, bone spurs are so painful.  My mom had them on her feet.  She had surgery but the recovery was terribly painful and didn't do much for her.
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1301089 tn?1290666571
Stay at home mom with a bad neck and bone spurs in my hands.
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1415174 tn?1453243103
Well, I was a microbiologist and can't do my job as a researcher or a clinical lab scientist. I got tendonitis in both wrists on the job. I can't think of what to do either. I would say a phone job where you can wear a headset? I know this is really hard for you losing your career and the pain. I have been through it too. I am 48 too!  I have been out of work for 4 years. I tried once for 4 months going back to work but it got worse and I couldn't do it. It is hard doing simple things and I love gardening and I used to play violin and tennis and can't do any of it including the home things like opening a jar or lifting things. I drop stuff all the time. The doctor said surgery wouldn't help. They cut me off of workmans comp a long time ago because they forced me out of my job by giving me only the same kind of job and I couldn't do it. I didn't know (duh) that they would cut me off of the WC pay for quitting. I sued them and got more PT but that doesn't help in the long run. I opted out of surgery because the doctor said it was a 50-50 chance of getting any relief. Now I hurt my back trying to avoid using my hands to walk my dog. The pain in the back is so much worse but the combo is bad too. As for jobs also sales, I know I hate it too. Technical support maybe? They won't give me disability as I don't have carpal tunnel. That is the great WC law. The law suit I have will only give me $5,000. I get no medical either. I do sympathize. This country doesn't see to care about its employees. Whoever sued and got the lawsuit turned into workmans comp ***** because we used to be able to do more and use your own doctors and sue for a much higher amount. Now we are out of luck and it is all to the benefit of the companies! As a paralegal can't you use a headset for the phones? Isnt' there something they could work you into? A court reporter is harder no way I can see getting out of that. My problem is a microbiologist has to look into the microscope a lot and you have to turn the fine an coarse adjustment which hurts and is a twisting motion and move the stage back and forth. I can't pipette which is also part of both jobs and even picking up all those petri dishes, hurts. Wish us all luck.
mkh9
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just had my 9th surgery in August to remove hardware from my thumb joint.  I had a joint replacement three years ago.  The implant failed and since then I've developed RSD and I'm in pain management.  My pain started as arthritis.  I've been a court reporter for 18 years (and LOVED it.) But the job exacerbated the arthritis in both hands.  I chose to have my left hand operated on first mostly because I'm right-handed and I wanted to see how it went.

I'm on worker's comp and haven't been back to work in 3 years.  After my last surgery, I realized that I will never be able to work as a court reporter again. I can't hold the microphone for any length of time, typing my transcripts would be impossible, and it probably wouldn't be a good idea to be responsible for the authentic trial record being on all the medications I'm on.  (I definitely have some memory/cognitive issues from the narcotics.)

For the past 6 months or so I've been trying to think of what I can do for a living that won't aggravate the pain in my hands.  I've come up with nothing!  Really, you need your hands for everything.  (And my pain and function are bad enough that I have trouble with simple things like drying my hair, fastening my bra, buttoning things.  And sometimes I forget how weak my hand is.  I've had times where i've grilled up a platter of steak and chicken for dinner and forgetting I have little strength in that hand, dropped the whole thing on the ground.)

I'm 48 and planning on applying for early disability retirement, which my company offers.  If they approve it, it will be a big help financially, but I still need to DO something.

Maybe someone will have some ideas :)
Helpful - 0
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