I’m not 50 yet, but I think I need to retire. I don’t have the money to retire, but after my 4th spinal surgery in a decade I can’t see myself continuing to work. I can’t feel my hands or my legs below the knee most of the time and when I can feel them they hurt quite a bit.
I’ve been let go of my last 2 jobs (over the last 4 years or so) for not “keeping up with the fast paced environment” even after asking for accommodations. It’s probably illegal, but I doubt I could successfully sue either company as they are extremely well known and well funded (NDAs - don’t ask).
I used to always be ahead of my work, but trying to transition to using new tools (since typing is really difficult now) slowed me down a lot. I walk with a significant limp now too, which also makes my job difficult (I do about 50/50 office and field work). My last job canned me before I had even finished my PT or gone to all my surgical follow up appointments after my latest surgery last year. And while I was better immediately after this last surgery, my back always seems to regress and I haven’t seen any doctor in more than 6 months. Meanwhile the numbness slowly creeps up my legs & arms and all my other symptoms progress.
My wife is amazing and is helping every way she can, but she dropped her career while raising the kids and is having trouble getting back into the job market. My parents are trying to help, although their advice of “get a job at Walmart so you can get health insurance” or “why don’t you go back to school and become a welder” don’t seem like winning strategies. I don’t think WM is known for giving out health insurance to all their employees and most welders I know can turn their neck more than 10 degrees and work overhead, which I cannot.
I’ve applied for social security benefits, but that will probably involve some back and forth. Apparently it takes “7-8 months to get your first rejection” according to a disability lawyer I spoke with. I’m still not sure if the disability process is looking for “can this guy do a theoretical job that we can imagine being out there somewhere” or “will anyone actually hire this dude when he can’t really use his hands or legs?” I’m also feeling scammed by the collective push to “return to work” from my employers and healthcare providers when my employer can just “at will” me out of my paycheck and insurance (God Bless the USA, I guess).
What’s the point of working hard for 20+ years if you end up bankrupt due to medical bills? What’s the point of any type of insurance (medical, dental, disability) if your employer can fire you “at will” for any reason and then you don’t have insurance at all?
My mom’s chicken casserole recipe (but with actual spices in it).