Pleas help! Need to switch jobs to be healthier

[Iamqueenofeverything]

I am very close to having to a lung transplant. I got all the testing done to get prepared. Now it is a wait and see. The doc dropped a bombshell and recommended that I don't teach preschoolers any more due to all the sickness and my low resistance to fight off bugs. I know this will help me be healthy and delay the transplant alittle but longer. I need to switch jobs but don't know what to do because I have been teaching the last 10 years of my adult life and don't know what else to do. I'm 35. I'm also sick a lot. I do the hospital/Iv for 18 days about 4-5 times per year so I know I will be sick and miss a lot. What type of job do you have? What would you recommend? I can really work part time and need to stay away from germs

 

[erock77]

Considering you're on the transplant list, could you afford to not work for a while? Maybe try to get on disability? After your transplant you won't be able to work for at least a few months anyway. You could always volunteer if you need the mental stimulation, or some work from home type of job.

 

[Iamqueenofeverything]

I'm on disability. I live at home with parents who are retired and now on a fixed income. They would help if needed but I would rather not since they have a limited income. I know I can't work after transplant but who know when that is. I would like to work so I can have money in the bank later for when I do have a transplant. I can do work now.

 

[Beccamom]

I work for early intervention which serves children birth to three. Although I go to the kids houses I refuse homes with smokers and dirty homes. I also have a strict adherence to the sick policy of our company which states that we do not enter a home if anyone in it is ill and I do leave if when I arrive and I see a school age child home sick or the child I'm working with has green snot. Also one supervise I work with knows I have CF so that I don't go to a house where someone has CF. I ask about health issues over the phone when I call before my first visit to introduce myself. My schedule is very flexible since I work part time. If I'm coughing I call the family and ask if they want to cancel or if they want me to wear a mask.

 

[LittleLab4CF]

You might challenge your transplant team to establish that preschool employees in fact report higher incidents of sick days compared to any other occupation. The last teacher to complain how young charges were a bunch of germ bags online was castigated by her community including some health professionals claiming they were no more infectious....

Maybe just using sterile protocol when close or touching kids is workable. Think of yourself as a new character on Sesame Street like Annie Immunity with gloves and a number of masks with funny smiles. Intuition says they are still developing immunities of their own so you are exposed to a larger pool of pathogens. If you can, move up to older children?

Keep on Truckin'

LL