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 Oltman

8/15/09 9:40pm

Angela - I am working on compiling a resource list for work at home which I will be posting on my own web site - www.freemybrain.com.  I hope to have that up in the next few weeks.  In the meantime here are just a few ideas for you: a blog you might want to look at is Work at Home Mom Revolution which lists a variety of work at home opportunities, also About.com has a Home business page and newsletter you can sign up for which has some useful ideas.  I have heard several people talk about a company called Alpine Access which hires people to do customer service and call center work from home.  

 

Good luck to you!

 

- Megan

 

JKM

6/18/10 10:52pm

I am to that point of needing to apply for disability also.   I don't care whether you are a waitress, a teacher a nurse, physician, a attorney, or what your job is, you work hard and you are entitled to the benefits.   But its like your employer and the government thinks your wanting to take advantage of them.   Well frankly, I've worked for 30 + years as a RN,  and believe me disability is not making anything close to what I would make working, but for me it is the safety factor for my patients.   I do not want to harm anyone, I cannot function with these, I cannot drive, I have times when I faint with them.   I feel for people that are struggling with the pain and fear of job discrimination r/t their health problems.   We have a long way to go in this area.  I applaud people like Cindy McClain that are willing to stand up and talk about the necessity of funding for research and treatment modalities.  I just hope everyone here is like me holding on to each day and being thankful for those here that give us information and encouragement.

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

Megan Oltman

8/18/09 10:44pm

Hi Donna -

 

I wish I had some answers for you. It sounds like in Canada, as in the US, disability income is hard to get and isn't much to live on if you do get it.  I do know of a few people in Canada who are on disability status for Migraines, but I don't know what the considerations are if you've never worked.

 

Here in the US there are two different types of government (Social Security) disability, one where eligibility is based on whether (and how much) you have worked and paid into the system (like insurance) and the other based on financial need.  This sets up another "crack" you could fall through, since there are people who haven't worked enough to qualify for one, but whose household resources may be too high to qualify for the other.

 

All that said, and knowing how frustrating it can be to deal with bureaucracy, you still should be able to get some kind of straight answer about what it takes to qualify! Maybe time to insist on talking to a supervisor or getting a friend, advocate or even attorney (someone whose head isn't hurting) to do your insisting for you.

 

- Megan

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 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!