Work & Disability: Don't Fall Through the Cracks

I am in the situation where I was forced out of my job because of my migraines.  I missed too much work so I got demoted to 2 hours a day at minimum wage and I live over 30 miles away one way.  Basically, I would have been spending money to keep that job. This is just the most recent of a list of jobs I have lost due to abscences from my migraines.  I am searching desperately to find something I can do from home on my schedule.  I have accepted the fact that I am unable to maintain a full time job with migraine disease.  However, I need an income in order to live.  If you have any suggestions of places to look or resources to read, I would be most appreciative.  Thank you.  Angela

Megan,

This is amazing info for me to have come across! I just started back to work with the new school year. I have not been doing well at all since my last hospital stay and this new school year is terrifying. The very first day, I had to take and injection just to get out of bed. I walked into the school and bam, florescent lights, new paint smells, lound noises. I was in misery. I push through the day and crash as soon as I leave. I was getting a little scared that I wouldn't keep up or be able to continue my job. It is great that I have some options to try first. I would probably qualify for disability, but I just can't fathom that. I would break if I got to the point of being trapped in my home waiting for a monthy pay check. What a relief to have some option to talk to my boss about and have hope for keeping my job! Thanks!

Hi Megan, what happens to the ones who have really never been able to hold a job down since they've had migraines from the age of 8 -12 yrs old? That would be me.

I cannot say that I remember one single important event in my life that a migraine was not right there with me.

School was not exactly a fun place to be, right from the start I was 'different' than the other kids. To add to the mixture, I ended up with Rheumatic Fever and was in hospital for long periods of time.

Now stir that all in together, and you come up with a 'half baked' girl!! ;)

No matter what type of work I tried after colege, I just didn't fit in. Missing work several times in a month does not make for employee of the month!

So, what I'm saying is, if we don't have the opportunity from the get go to work, we don't have the opportunity to draw any kind of income...or at least that is my experience here in good ol Canada.

All this time, (I am 52 yrs old and not afraid to tell my age, silly me!) and no one could give me any straight answers on disability...why? because I was not employed?? mm, what happens if I would of been born is some other kind of disability, one that would be far more visable...bet I would of had some help along the way, long before now.

Migraines and disability here in Canada, well, it feels like I don't have a leg to stand on...we are in limbo...too bad, too sad. Take a pill and get over it, attitude...at least from where I am, that is how things are.

...so we do fall between the cracks and get pushed asside along the way. We do the migraine shuffle sans frills.

Hopefuly some day, I'll actually see some help for people who have migraine desease.

We need more people in Canada that will stand up for us...if there is someone, I sure don't know about them!

Keep up the good work,

The 'half baked' girl/woman,

Donna

Thanks, Megan, for a solid article with practical information! I guess there are a lot of different kinds of cracks for us to fall through and try to climb out of.

I am in the situation of trying to work and manage my migraines.  I have had migraines for the last 25 years.  To add to the problem I had a brain tumor removed 5 years ago and I still have the migraines.  I find myself constantly pushing to get through the day in order to go home and crash.  I am currently able to use the intermittent FMLA benefit.  I am able to take time to go to the doctors or have test done if it is related to the migraines and it is covered under that program.  I try to make sure that I only use it when I am at the point I can no longer function.  I seem to need it more lately and I am worried that since my company is an at will employer, who like every other company has down sized, I could be in a position to find myself out of work.  I have never thought of disabilty until recently and really don't care for the idea.  I would feel as thought the disease won the battle.  How protected am I by the FMLA program?  I am a Payroll Specialist so I am aware of the "rolling calendar" the system works on and I am well below that, but I am still concerned about fighting to keep my job.

I commented earlier and was so suprised to see a reply and it what free?  How wondweful, everything seems so hard and uphill.  I do beleive it is approached the time to retire on disability. I use 3 wks vac, 2 wk sick, and fmla hours.  I also have some mental health disorders for over 17 years, migraines my whole life. currently I have been off 3 weeks due to pain in neck shoulder back. been to 4 types dr. Who do I go to? I will be retiring on ohio public employees retiremenr system not ss.

thank you

I had to quit my job because of Migraines, and am trying to get individual insurance... I fear having migraines is going to get me denied.  Especially when I have seen a neuro, an orthopedic, ect.  CAT Scans, MRI, ect.  Never had to get insurance on my own before, always had good benefits with my job. Is this going to be a problem?  More frustration from Migraines!