Trials of returning to work after a stroke

In June of 2009 at the age of 29 I survived 3 strokes, since than i have been trying without success to return to work. Prior to my stroke I was a registered paediatric nurse working full time. In the days following my stroke I remember asking my Dr if he thought i'd have to stay off work until after my baby was born, she was due in the November? His response was a basic, lets wait and see. If I knew than what I do now I too would have been laughing a little on the inside.

I have cronic ongoing fatigue and chronic ongoing pain, these two things together make it somewhat impossible for me to return to my old job. So I have been trying to find something new to do, I still want to be a nurse as I loved my job. I have returned to uni to complete a course in imminisation in the hope that i might be able to find some work for a few hours a week every now and then. But of course nothing is ever easy, I have to do some prac for this course and today just two weeks out for when this is supposed to be done I have been told that the surgery can no longer accommodate me. AAARRRGGGGH. A few tears so phone calls and I think I have a new placement. But to ensure that nothing is too easy the registration board of nurses are making my life difficult as well, by putting restrictions on my license.

Some days I think the universe is just out to get me. What about you? Do you have rotton luck too or is your life peachy because i'm using up all the bad luck for you? If so I hope you are making the most of your easy life!!!

So some tips to anyone else who is trying to get back into work after a significant illness or injury. Take your time, remember that the most important things are your health and your family, so look after yourself as your primary job. Try to prepare yourself for a bunch of knockbacks and people telling you that it's too hard to help you, it seems rather than cut you a break its much easier to palm you off and make you someone elses problem. Don't sweat the small stuff, your illness should have taught you that life is for living and work will come your way one day. Ask for help from people you trust and who will give you the support you need during your transition back to work. If you cant get back to work try and accept it, most people who are at work don't want to be. Chances are when you were working you would have liked to stay at home, so try and make the most of it and live a little each and every day