I worked for a industrial electrical contractor since I was 20, during the later part of 1998 I started having horrible left knee pain after seeing orthopedic doctor he said I had the start to Osteoarthritis. I started to use steroid and Hyalgan injections in the knee first 3 shot series & then 5 shot series to lessen the pain did this for 30 months then in 2011 had a total knee replacement. I went back to my job for about a year after is when I developed sciatica in my left hip. Upon exam my doctor said the Osteoarthritis had spread through both hips. Round the same time my left shoulder and lower back started to hurt couldn’t lift over my head, after MRI showed I had torn my shoulder muscle and I had a herniated disc in my lower back. So in 2012 went and had a total hip replacement went to physical therapy 6 months, then went back to work and the following spring I had the other hip replaced. I was in the IBEW union went back to work had good days and had bad I was just trying to make it until I could take early retirement. I lasted until 2019 when I had to go in and have total right knee replacement. I told myself I have 7 more years and I will take early retirement, if need be. I went back to work, continued to have aches and pains, inflammation, swelling and was exhausted every day after work. The start of 2022 my doctor sent to a foot specialist because I was having extreme pain in my left foot he discovered I had little to no cartridge in my ankle. So that takes me to Feb 2023 I went on short term disability and applied for SSDI I was approved in Oct 2023. I missed my retirement goal by 3 years but since the bills keep rolling in, I was just informed by my local union I will have to pay back all my short term disability over 20K. Nothing says ease into medical retirement then being stressed out on paying back money that you don’t have because you lived on that money that last six months. I am getting my SSDI and pension but that covers the mortgage, car payment, utilities, living expense, medical bills and everyday living. I’m uncertain how long my ankle will last until I have it replaced, I’d like to at least be debt free while I’m still in pain so I have not two things to stress over.
So this brings me to now, I have always been the friend helping others I am now asking for some help for myself. I feel help less and even wished I would get better to return to work, but that’s not going to happen. I can say my body isn’t in a constant ache 7 pain everyday. Just when I do some thing extreme.
This is my request If you would like to help me you can
donate at paypal.me/243moose68
I will be very grateful, and someday I will pay my kindness forward to someone in need too. Thanks