[amosmcd]

#1180384

Hi, Sue–that’s GREAT news! I’m glad it was short-lived and you went on to get things accomplished. Woo-hoo!!

My calcium was never an issue, either. Glad you’re almost done with the calcium supplements.

I hope you don’t have a crash. Maybe we all don’t have to have them. But forewarned is forearmed I guess!

I may end up taking more time off work to get more rest. I can apply for intermittent leave, rather than a bunch or time in a row. It would be nice to give in to the fatigue now and like you said, rather than slog through it.

I hope the rest of your time off goes well!

Amy

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1180385

amosmcd wrote:

Hi, Sue–that’s GREAT news! I’m glad it was short-lived and you went on to get things accomplished. Woo-hoo!!

My calcium was never an issue, either. Glad you’re almost done with the calcium supplements.

I hope you don’t have a crash. Maybe we all don’t have to have them. But forewarned is forearmed I guess!

I may end up taking more time off work to get more rest. I can apply for intermittent leave, rather than a bunch or time in a row. It would be nice to give in to the fatigue now and like you said, rather than slog through it.

I hope the rest of your time off goes well!

Amy

Intermittent leave? Don’t think I’ve ever heard of that but it sounds like a perfect solution, especially for people with thyroid issues. We most definitely have “intermittent” good days and bad days and it would take so much pressure off of you to know that on the bad days you can just give in and stay home.

That’s pretty much my biggest fear about returning to work. Once everyone sees that you’re back they assume you’re “cured” and back to normal. I may follow your lead and start announcing to my co-workers that I may very well be taking “intermittent” days off as we try to get my levels right. It would be a good reminder to those around us (as well as ourselves) that our bodies have undergone a major disruption and it’s not resolved in any set period of time.

Thanks for continuing to post….. it’s so helpful!
Sue

[amosmcd]

#1180386

Hi, Sue–

If you work for a large enough company and work enough hours in a year, you can qualify for 12 weeks a year of FMLA leave (Family and Medical Leave Act). It’s a federal law. Some states gave their own versions as well. It’s a way to protect your job while out sick for a qualifying condition (thyroid stuff is qualifying.). You can take it in chunks (like for post -op recovery) or intermittently (a day here or there.) I would Google it and see if it’s something you can get. You have to use either vacation or sick leave (your choice which gets used first) and then if you run out, it’s unpaid.

I’ve already talked to my boss about it and she said I should go for intermittent. Not all bosses are nice about it, but they can’t do a thing to interfere, and they are not allowed to ask the medical reason, either. It’s a great thing to have. I hope you can get it. Let me know!

Amy

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1180387

amosmcd wrote:

Hi, Sue–

If you work for a large enough company and work enough hours in a year, you can qualify for 12 weeks a year of FMLA leave (Family and Medical Leave Act). It’s a federal law. Some states gave their own versions as well. It’s a way to protect your job while out sick for a qualifying condition (thyroid stuff is qualifying.). You can take it in chunks (like for post -op recovery) or intermittently (a day here or there.) I would Google it and see if it’s something you can get. You have to use either vacation or sick leave (your choice which gets used first) and then if you run out, it’s unpaid.

I’ve already talked to my boss about it and she said I should go for intermittent. Not all bosses are nice about it, but they can’t do a thing to interfere, and they are not allowed to ask the medical reason, either. It’s a great thing to have. I hope you can get it. Let me know!

Amy

Hi Amy.
OK, I didn’t realize you were referring to FMLA. Yes, we have that but I honestly won’t need it. I am the Executive Assistant to the President of the company and me and “my guys” in the front office are like family. They would never let me go for something like illness. I have plenty of vacation and sick days left this year and will use them as needed and I’m sure even when I run out of those they will pay me for staying home as needed. I was just wondering about the “intermittent” term because I’m sure that’s what you and I will both be needing in the next few months…. intermittent days off.

Thanks for the info.
Sue

[amosmcd]

#1180388

That’s great you have that type of work relationship, Sue! I work for a hospital and these days they’re run more like corporations. My boss would probably love to fire people for being sick. My assistant boss is much more understanding at least! She’s the one I talk to. It’s nice to have job protection out there. Glad you don’t have to worry about that!

Amy

[karenz516]

#1180389

Hi Sue, as far as FMLA, how nice that you work for a place that will pay you for being off and that you have alot of sick leave and vacation time. When I had my RAI on 12/14/12, my endo kept saying “bring me the FMLA papers”. I had to use 4 weeks of vacation and 4 weeks of sick leave and I returned to work on 2/4/13. I could have used another month off of work after I returned. My endo filled out my FMLA for a year and said that this is an on going chronic condition. I have blood work monthly and then follow up with him two weeks after the blood work. I don’t know how different we are as far as RAI v. TT, but 8 months after my RAI, I still have days of feeling totally exhausted and I usually sleep most of Saturday just to catch up on sleep. I still have days where my anxiety flares up but my heart rate usually is between 50-70 which is the greatest improvement of all!!! I still don’t feel like my old self and shared that with my endo who said to me that I was really, really sick and that its going to take me a long time to feel well. So, I guess my point is, we have to expect this blips in how we are feeling.

Karen

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1180390

Thanks, Karen. Sorry you’re still having blips and not feeling “yourself” but I appreciate the warning. I’m sure I will get sick of myself being sick long before the people at work get sick of it….. I have no patience for not feeling well. (Perhaps this illness is the Universe’s way of showing me that I can NOT have control of everything, damn it)

I guess I’m fortunate that I don’t really worry about my job security, but I still am nervous about going back next week and not feeling well while trying to keep my happy face on and being the old Sue they remember. Hmmmmm…. sounds like something I should work on….. worrying more about how “I” feel rather than worrying about how others expect me to feel. (makes note to discuss with a therapist).

What a journey, huh? What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger? We Graves patients must be some of the strongest people on Earth!
Sue

[Kimberly]

#1180391

SueAndHerZoo wrote:

Hmmmmm…. sounds like something I should work on….. worrying more about how “I” feel rather than worrying about how others expect me to feel.

Hi Sue – I think you hit the jackpot here. Obviously, we have to be professional in a work situation, but I actually think it’s *extra* stressful and exhausting to try and be “Pollyanna” if we really aren’t feeling well. No shame in explaining to your co-workers what you’ve been through and that recovery doesn’t happen overnight!

[Boomer]

#1180392

You’re sounding stronger and tougher and more awesome with every post Sue. I had better be on my best behavior now- I think you could out-run me the way you’re sounding these days!

I’m REALLY glad to hear that you moved through anxietyland as quickly as you did. Until a person experiences anxiety they have no idea just how frustrating and tiresome it becomes. It’s exhausting. Like Gabe and others have said, though, I too think it was just your body saying “Hey wait a minute here- something’s amiss. I’m not sure what but I know what will slow her down every time: anxiety!” and so the cycle begins (began). Again. I really do believe that subconsciously, sometimes, our bodies/CNS is pre-programmed to fall into anxiety as “default mode” when we are under stress be it physical, mental, or emotional. But my how I digress sheesh… I’m just glad to hear that you’ve eased right on through it and are sitting pretty on the other side!

I noticed something in your most recent post: You said “I’m nervous about going back next week”. Do you realise just how… How normal that statement is? You didn’t say “I’m sick about going back” or “I’m so anxious about going back”. You said “I’m nervous” and ya know what? It’s normal and natural to feel nervous. What we feel throughout this Graves baloney is anything but normal. Everything is so extreme. If we’re hot we’re REALLY hot and if we’re having tummy troubles we’re REALLY having tummy troubles. It never seems to be a moderate case of anything. But “nervous”? I could live with “nervous” instead of “anxious” or “worried sick” or “in a panic”. Call me crazy but I see “nervous” as a good thing. A little “tell”, if you will, that just told me that your body is moving back into balance. Having a normal reaction to a normnal life-event. Woo hoo! Go on with your normal (yet still badass) self!

I’m feeling kinda “normal” today myself. Had my first follow-up after RAI and right now my levels are normal. On the way down into the hypo zone but boy oh boy does this state of “normal” ever feel weird! I guess it’s been so long that my point of reference is skewed as are all of ours’. Regardless, though, i’m basking in this uneventfukl place of normalness while I can. I’ll be keeping an eye on you so I’ll know how to act when I too can break on through to the other side. Someday. Eventually. I hope…

Hope that pesky incision is healing up nicely for you and that the itching has stopped. Heck I hope EVERYTHING is going good for you and for the rest of the brave fighters here too!

Just want to remind you of one thing before I shut the heck up and give someone else a chance to talk: You WON! You ARE the winner! You did it! You got that no-good rotten thyroid out of you and you’re on your way back to normal! Nervous or not look out cuz here she comes!

Be healthy and happy!

Boomer

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1180393

Geez, is it any wonder I love you? It’s always so wonderful to hear from you and it’s EXTRA wonderful when I hear that you are feeling pretty good right now. Thank God, right? (Really – thank Him!) That’s quite a lousy journey you were on for a while there so maybe this is the beginning of the good life and the worst is behind you? Yes, that’s what it is. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

That one really lousy anxiety day I had was an isolated thing, but I’ve had a few days now of mild anxiety… enough to need to pop a tranq twice. It’s nowhere near as bad as it was before the TT and I’m sure it’s just still having natural and artificial hormone in me. It could also very well be me being bored ….. too much time on my hands and I start watching myself every minute and noticing every little thing I feel and obsessing over it.

I love what you said: “I really do believe that subconsciously, sometimes, our bodies/CNS is pre-programmed to fall into anxiety as “default mode” when we are under stress be it physical, mental, or emotional.”

I’ve never thought of that before but it makes SO MUCH SENSE! I’m sure after spending most of my life having panic attacks and severe anxiety, my CNS is most definitely programmed to fall back to anxiety when any thing is wrong with my mind or body. Never heard or read that before but I really think you’re onto something. I am going to remind myself of that every time I start to feel anxious in the future. Instead of doubling the panic by wondering why it’s happening I will remember that it’s my body’s “default mode” and probably a coping mechanism that it has learned as a self preservation. Such a wise man, regardless of how hard you try to hide that.

My incision hasn’t itched yet…. you must be mixing up the females in your fan club. You’re not cheating on us, are you?????

Me? Normal? Surely you jest. But it’s funny you pointed out my statement about being “nervous” about going back to work. When I mentioned it to my therapist last night she said “why wouldn’t you be? It’s absolutely perfectly normal and to be expected.” Geez… don’t think I’ve ever been accused of being normal before, let alone twice in two days.

Thanks for checking in…. I think of you often. And, oh, by the way: I WIN!
Sue

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