Re: Sheila0T- dealing w/ asthma & work

[Guest guest]

Sheila sweetie, I'm so sorry to hear about all the problems you're

having with your employer but girl, you need to get an appt. with

your allergist and get some kind of paperwork to take to work and

MAKE them do something to help you out!

You know you can get a dr. to fill out FMLA papers, if it does

nothing else, it will allow you the opportunity to stay at home on

those days you just can't make it to work, or need to leave early,

and they can't fire you for absenteeism. Everybody is allowed 12

weeks per year and it doesn't have to be taken all at once. It can

be taken intermittently, up to a total of 12 weeks per year. It can

be taken in minutes, hours, days, weeks, etc., just depends on how

your dr. fills out the papers but the only thing is, you probably

won't get paid for that time because employers are not required to

pay you for FMLA time off.

Sheila I've been there done that, with my employer and after they

started a new attendance policy, where you're only allowed two

occurrences per quarter (an occurrence happens if you call in sick -

not pre-arranged time off - like you're really gonna know when you're

going to get sick so you can ask for that day off...yea right!) so I

asked my neuro to fill out those forms so that they couldn't put me

on probation, or fire me for being absent or leaving early too

often. I haven't had to use it much this year, maybe used a total of

four days because my fibro is pretty much under control now. The doc

listed Fibromyalgia and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis as the medical

reasons which they are considered " serious chronic medical

conditions. "

Believe me, when they seen Fibromyalgia listed on those papers, I

went through hell trying to get them to understand what the fibro was

all about. They even tried to get my doctor to " pinpoint " what could

cause a flare and how often they could happen! I was so stressed out

from the H.R. witch (wanted to call her something other then that)we

had at that time, and was so mad that I went into her office and

said " look, would you be asking a person that had cancer, diabetes,

or even epilepsy if they knew when they might have an episode and

need to be off work? " Her reply was " well I have to have that

information or we will deny your request for FMLA. " I said, " lady,

you go right ahead and I'll slap this company with a lawsuit so fast

it will make your head spin around. " She backed off of me a little

bit after that conversation but I still ended up having to go online

and get the medical definition and symptoms of FM, typed it up into a

letter form, faxed it to my doctor's office, had him copy it onto his

letterhead, sign it, and have his office fax it to the H.R. witch.

After that, she left me alone and now I have to " re-certify " every

six months and have a new set of FMLA papers filled out and signed by

one of my doctors. I've now got three different sets by three

different doctors but all say the exact same things on them. After

the first doc filled them out, the other two pretty much just put

down the exact same things on them and signed their names to

it...whatever works, is what I say!

Anyways, here's the link for the DOL's website and you can print out

the forms right from their site:

http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/ESA/Title_29/Part_825/toc.htm

If you want more information as to what my doctor listed under each

paragraph, just drop me an email and we'll talk about it that way,

instead of here in group. Or for that matter, anybody else that's

interested in finding out more, please feel free to contact me.

Don't forget my home email addy is greyeyes1956 @ earthlink.net

because I don't go into my hotmail addy very often.

{{hugs}}

Debbie :@)

P.S. Yes, coffee/caffeine is used to help stop a severe asthma

attack when there's nothing else available. In fact, if anybody has

seen that movie Trapped, with Bacon (very good movie) there was

a scene in that movie where this little girl had asthma, was having

an attack, and the guy holding her hostage was told to give her

strong coffee to stop the asthma attack. Besides that, my son had an

asthma attack when he was about 13 and I was told by the doctor in

the emergency room the same thing. Said " give him something with

alot of caffeine in it if it ever happens again and we don't have an

inhaler. Thankfully, he outgrew it I guess since he's never had

anymore problems with it.

> Thanks for the advice, . I have found that ice water helps

some. I haven't tried the caffeine yet, although someone from another

group said it can save your life. She says her mom uses it

exclusively (instead of inhalers).

>

> I'll try to call my allergist & set up an appt.

>

> I did cry last night during my asthma attack. I tried to stop it

but I couldn't...just felt overwhelmed.

>

> I know I shouldn't say I'm stupid because of my brain fog. That's

not being nice and caring to myself.

>

> I feel like I'm sinking in quicksand, . I don't know what

it is. I don't know if it's Hashi/hypo symptoms, low oxygen from

asthma, adrenals going out...some depression going on.

>

> Not letting myself give in to that feeling; I just won't do

it.Dragging my butt out.Wish I knew what I was fighting against. I've

gotten away from my positive imagery. that will help me. I need to

visualze myself full of energy and oxygen and balanced hormones.

>

> How are you feeling? any better? Hugs, Sheila