For the most part I consider myself a perennial optimist, and I make that statement less out of ego and more out of intent: there’s always a silver lining, even if the silver lining is having learned something so you don’t do whatever it is again. However, we all have our moments and right now is one of mine.
The bonus though is this— in telling you that my day is grim on this website (while brewing tea) it means that it’s not just a standard pity party, it becomes a pity TEA party! My tea is steeped and prepped in the most comforting manner that I know (part of a Chinese sugar cake and cream) and I am sufficiently bolstered to tell you why I am underwhelmed by today.
I fell at work halfway through April. We thought it was a scaffoid fracture (the bone that allows you to have an opposable thumb) but instead it is nerve damage stemming from the rotator cuff. I also have a nervous system disease. I have been casted or splinted since April 13th. Not the end of the world, but at least with a fracture you have an idea of when you’ll be getting out the constrictions! (I have no clue and neither does anybody else). The important part of my right hand has very little strength or is frozen. The whole thing has been a gong show. (insertion of strong opinion at this point): ANYBODY WHO TELLS YOU THAT WCB IS YOUR FRIEND HAS NEVER DEALT WITH THEM.
My employer made 48 BILLION dollars profit in Canada alone last year. I fell over aging SAFETY equipment. An ergonomic mat that was reported to management more times than I can count. Hell, a mat that TRIPPED management more times than I can count. Right off the bat they suggested it was my fault because of my disease… uh, no. The more I spoke with my managers the more it sounded like I was going to lose my job… not a sad thing in terms of job fantasticness, but not good in terms of financial stability for my family. I expressed my concern. Verbatim my manager replied ‘you don’t lose your job over something like this, you just don’t get any hours.’ (I should explain that for the sake of reader relief I am keeping things short…. Sad, really, that this is the short version.) and I have been on WCB ever since.
I get a fraction of my pay (which wasn’t much to begin with), but I think it’s the endless harassment that I find so exhausting. So I grabbed my brain, did some soul searching and signed up to go to school in September. In the meantime everyday is filled with physio, doctor’s appointments, nagging from WBC ‘are you better yet, because we don’t want to pay you’. Almost 3 months of this because a conglomerate employer doesn’t like to protect it’s employees. What prompted this rant you may be asking yourself. This isn’t new… why today? Because they have me going in for an MRI. Through a private firm. It’s one of 2. I do these routinely at the hospital…. Once, twice a year. No big deal. The only other time I’ve had one through a private company the tech screamed at me the whole time and actually listed her insults in her report!
I think it just comes down to: you can only push someone so far before you get a negative result. WCB doesn’t let up, the appointments don’t let up and I have had enough. I managed to botch my ‘with open eyes’ brew this morning by underleafing, when my American teas order arrived today I discovered that my samples arrived, but the one tea I really wanted ‘brioche’ had not (operator error). I resent it when outside stress impacts my tea!
I needed tea. I needed something comforting. There are so many teas I love, what to choose. Well, I suppose I was hoping for a new perspective on the day so I wagered a gamble on a tea I’ve never had before… who did I choose? In honour of the laughter I gained from my sample yesterday I chose ‘pancake breakfast’ by 52teas. And it worked. I won’t say the day is great, or relaxing, or that I have any faith in this imaging procedure, but this tea helped ME.
I love breakfast for dinner, I love pancakes. Frequently with too much butter and real maple syrup. The blend gave me buttery, syrup, the really light cake flavour. All the components were there, plus a caffeine settle down. The Chinese sugar added some extra richness, the cream is my standard….. thanks for reading my rant. We all have days where we are…. Other. This tea gave me comfort, familiarity with a favourite food and a moment away from all the nonsense. Thank you 52teas… and thank you CHAroma for sending me the sample.
I’m sure I’ll be back to myself once the MRI is over. Grrrr.
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My sympathies and best wishes in overcoming your health challenges and dealing with WCB. I know it can be a nightmare especially when your existing workplace does not have the culture or resources in place to
thank god i am set up for school with my loan in place for september 1st. i’ll have the freedom to walk away and come out of it all with so many more options!
part two…. hit the finger pad at the wrong place;). …especially when your workplace does not have the culture or resources in place to help you replace your income, rehabilitate you, or provide alternative employment. I was lucky enough to work for years for a company that treated us as family and provided us with many insurances and alternative placements if need be. Even though the company closed its doors a few years ago many of us are still close. Comparing it to the workplace of my stepfather where the work environment was antagonistic, safety measures were often circumvented in replace of economy and where the majority of the workers referred to the company as " The Place" I know I was blessed. Hopefully you receive good news as a result of this process, and on the flip side try to think of the positive new adventures heading your way. Although I am easily a pessimist in North America, I try at times to capture the sense of optimism I gained when I was in India. The favourite saying of my friends there is “This is India, anything’s possible” reflecting on that often helps me get through anything.
When I had carpal tunnel in one hand and nerve issues with the other, I got granted compensation for one, but not the other, even though a specialist said most likely work related for the other nerve issues. Not fun to deal with…turned into a really big unnecessary problem.
thank you, both of you. i am particularly good at being out of control of myself. i know it will all be fine… just don’t know how yet. i cannot wait until september! …. this is india, anything is possible…. i’ve not heard that one. excellent. thank you yyz! i will find a way to apply it here. and if they’re rude at the mri today, i have a solution: i walk out. period.
*NOT particularly good. yup, it’s that kind of day.
Oh, I wish you the best. Fingers crossed the techs you deal with today are polite and have sunny dispositions. :)
she was quite great, actually. i don’t do well with magnetics + vibrations, it sets off body spasms, but we worked really well together. 1 of 2 down!
After hearing all this I’m just that much more excited for you going back to school. I can’t believe how much everyone is making you jump through hoops when you’re clearly not scamming them and the hazard was the company’s fault. I’m so sorry.
But, on to new adventures! With tea as your companion!
I’m sorry to hear about all of your troubles. I broke my ankle in an odd place in February and the doctor recently decided that my bone just isn’t going to heal. Since then it has been non stop visits to the doctor, MRIs, XRays, and Physical Therapy to regain my complete range of motion. Not to mention the battles with the insurance companies to get everything paid for. I understand completely the amount of stress this places a person under (I have hard to control epilepsy to top everything off). I can only imagine the added stress you’re facing since this happened at work.
I wish you luck with your situation as well as luck in your studies. Going back to school can be difficult, but definitely worth all the hard work.
Let me know if surprise box of samples might cheer you up :) I know we just discussed having similar tastes and I would be happy to send you a surprise.
I work in a neurology office as a secretary and I get to hear from a lot of our patient who like you are in the midst of disability claims and insurance claims. Also my Dad just went through an injury at work and was out for quite a while. It’s always stressful, but in most cases it does work out for he best! Take care of yourself, do what you have to do, and just try to keep up with all the stupid paperwork. Everything will work out even if it’s stressful now. And since your going back to school, this may even work out better than if you had stayed injury-free and locked in your job. You got a great opportunity! :-)
thank you friends… all your kind words remind me of how fortunate i am to have found this community where we can all talk about tea, and techniques but also have the odd bad day.
i’m probably extra sensitive because i do this so often regarding the disease. it is ridiculous that an entirely preventable accident nailed someone with a nervous system disease.
however, it’s another day and i am much more myself. i’m goooooing back to schooool, i’m gooooing back to schoooool. =0)
Wow, I’m so sorry to hear about all this. But I echo everyone else’s comments and pray that your recovery goes smoothly. Congrats on going back to school! What will you study?
it’s all planned: occupational psychology! with a very specific study in motivation.
My sympathies and best wishes in overcoming your health challenges and dealing with WCB. I know it can be a nightmare especially when your existing workplace does not have the culture or resources in place to
thank god i am set up for school with my loan in place for september 1st. i’ll have the freedom to walk away and come out of it all with so many more options!
part two…. hit the finger pad at the wrong place;). …especially when your workplace does not have the culture or resources in place to help you replace your income, rehabilitate you, or provide alternative employment. I was lucky enough to work for years for a company that treated us as family and provided us with many insurances and alternative placements if need be. Even though the company closed its doors a few years ago many of us are still close. Comparing it to the workplace of my stepfather where the work environment was antagonistic, safety measures were often circumvented in replace of economy and where the majority of the workers referred to the company as " The Place" I know I was blessed. Hopefully you receive good news as a result of this process, and on the flip side try to think of the positive new adventures heading your way. Although I am easily a pessimist in North America, I try at times to capture the sense of optimism I gained when I was in India. The favourite saying of my friends there is “This is India, anything’s possible” reflecting on that often helps me get through anything.
When I had carpal tunnel in one hand and nerve issues with the other, I got granted compensation for one, but not the other, even though a specialist said most likely work related for the other nerve issues. Not fun to deal with…turned into a really big unnecessary problem.
thank you, both of you. i am particularly good at being out of control of myself. i know it will all be fine… just don’t know how yet. i cannot wait until september! …. this is india, anything is possible…. i’ve not heard that one. excellent. thank you yyz! i will find a way to apply it here. and if they’re rude at the mri today, i have a solution: i walk out. period.
*NOT particularly good. yup, it’s that kind of day.
Oh, I wish you the best. Fingers crossed the techs you deal with today are polite and have sunny dispositions. :)
she was quite great, actually. i don’t do well with magnetics + vibrations, it sets off body spasms, but we worked really well together. 1 of 2 down!
After hearing all this I’m just that much more excited for you going back to school. I can’t believe how much everyone is making you jump through hoops when you’re clearly not scamming them and the hazard was the company’s fault. I’m so sorry.
But, on to new adventures! With tea as your companion!
I’m sorry to hear about all of your troubles. I broke my ankle in an odd place in February and the doctor recently decided that my bone just isn’t going to heal. Since then it has been non stop visits to the doctor, MRIs, XRays, and Physical Therapy to regain my complete range of motion. Not to mention the battles with the insurance companies to get everything paid for. I understand completely the amount of stress this places a person under (I have hard to control epilepsy to top everything off). I can only imagine the added stress you’re facing since this happened at work.
I wish you luck with your situation as well as luck in your studies. Going back to school can be difficult, but definitely worth all the hard work.
Let me know if surprise box of samples might cheer you up :) I know we just discussed having similar tastes and I would be happy to send you a surprise.
I work in a neurology office as a secretary and I get to hear from a lot of our patient who like you are in the midst of disability claims and insurance claims. Also my Dad just went through an injury at work and was out for quite a while. It’s always stressful, but in most cases it does work out for he best! Take care of yourself, do what you have to do, and just try to keep up with all the stupid paperwork. Everything will work out even if it’s stressful now. And since your going back to school, this may even work out better than if you had stayed injury-free and locked in your job. You got a great opportunity! :-)
thank you friends… all your kind words remind me of how fortunate i am to have found this community where we can all talk about tea, and techniques but also have the odd bad day.
i’m probably extra sensitive because i do this so often regarding the disease. it is ridiculous that an entirely preventable accident nailed someone with a nervous system disease.
however, it’s another day and i am much more myself. i’m goooooing back to schooool, i’m gooooing back to schoooool. =0)
Wow, I’m so sorry to hear about all this. But I echo everyone else’s comments and pray that your recovery goes smoothly. Congrats on going back to school! What will you study?
it’s all planned: occupational psychology! with a very specific study in motivation.