Posted by Bipolarsux on February 17, 2003, at 4:46:01
Hello Fellow Sufferers.
Well, it's official: I'm to get ECT "sometime" in the not-so-distant future. I failed to respond to the last conceivable drug combo and have crashed from hypomanic to severely depressed, as is usual.
Although ECT itself scares me, I'm more worried about losing my job, either directly from physical absence or from poor performance when I return (memory probs?). My job is the only thing that brings a sense of stability and routine to my life, not to mention income.
But I can't avoid ECT anymore since I've been pain for many years from trial after trial of medication that have all been failures. I'm falling apart again on this, my last combo. If I continue like this I am bound to lose my job anyway I guess since I feel so ill.
My pdoc wants ECT ASAP with maintenance if it works. That would mean being away from work *at least* one day a month: the hospital dosen't do ECT on Saturday mornings (dang it).
Despite the pain, I've asked that treatment be delayed until I can think of a plan to receive ECT and keep my job.The best I can think of is to fake a 'physical' illness that requires routine attention (but actually receiving ECT instead of course). This is bound to be much more well received than, "Hi boss. Did you know I've got a severe mental illness and now have to take regular time off work to get ECT? Great, see you Monday."
Before anyone says,"your boss can't legally fire you" etc etc remember that we live in the real world and the law cannot tell people how to *feel* - these feelings would have to manifest themselves in some negative way.
Any suggestions on illnesses that might fit the bill, or any other ideas at all? Crunch time has finally come.
Bipolarsux(to the point of destroying me...)
poster:Bipolarsux
thread:201088
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030215/msgs/201088.html