Doxies

Hi Everyone! I am a relatively new nurse (2008 model ) although I feel like I do not have nearly as much as experience as I would like because of physical limitaions. I have gone through numerous surgeries and cancer treatments since graduating. The last surgery was a little over a year ago but I have been left with many limitations from the surgery. I have nerve pains in my arms which limit my use of them and at times my left hand will go completly pins and needles. I can not raise my arms over my head for any extended period of time or even use them period for much work. I used to work in the ED and now could not dream of doing the job I did. There is no way that I would survive a code if I had to do compressions. I also have very limited ROM in my neck from the surgery (they removed muscles and blood supplies) and also the radiation treatments. PT was unsuccessful and the dr's have all kinda just thrown there hands up and said "oh well!" I can not accept that. I am 27yo and have a life ahead of me that I want to live and I want to go back to work. The radiation has left me severe damage to my salavary glands which require me to keep water with my at all times. I can not make it through even the most basic conversations without my mouth drying out. I can imagine it is bad enough that it will make doing any type of procedure difficult for me. I really am at a loss as to what to do next. Nursing was most certainly the job that was for me. I loved the environment and my job. I miss it terribly on a daily basis. I have looked at other job positions online but am not finding much in the way of anything that I think I could physically handle at the moment. Any ideas on where what areas I should be looking into? How about ideas on how to present yourself in a favorable way to employers. It seems the job market can already be difficult but I feel like I have a ton that can be held againist me even before I can get to the point of being hired. I guess I am also looking to know that I am not the only one out there that has limitations that must be overcome just to function on a daily basis... and I need some reassurance that I might be able to return to a somewhat normal life one day.

Hi Everyone! I guess this is a post more to those that might be more invovled in the HR/hiring area of nursing than anything. I will be posting over on the disability forum with a little more information about my situation and perhaps some assistance. Little background... I graduated from nursing school in May 2008... got a job in a local ER (small town hospital) and loved it. In November of 2008 I was diganosised with thyroid cancer after a thyroidectomy. I went through my treatments and returned to work. Fast forward to August 2009 when I had to undergo a second, and much more invasive, surgery. The surgery itself has left me physical limitations that include lifting heavy weights or my using arms (esp raising over my head) for any length of time. I went through 33 radiation treatments and have had a limited ROM of my neck from that. I also have severe salavary gland damage from the radiation and have to keep a bottle of water with me at all times. I have tried PT with no success and am currently out on LTD from my employer. I can pretty much guarantee that my dr will not release me to go back to the ER... BUT I am hoping that I can find a position that I am able to successfully handle. Part of me really thinks that if I am in a situation where I *have* to do it I can overcome my own physical battles and pains to get the job done and it will, infact, make me a stronger person (both physically and mentally)... I long to go back to work and miss my job horribly. I absolutely LOVED being an ER nurse... even on the nights that we were stuck playing family practice it seemed like! I loved the critical thinking and being on my toes because anything could come in at any time. My biggest concern now is that when I find that job how do I go about applying to it? How do I handle the interview process? What do I disclose about my condition? I have to have testing every 4 months because I am at such a high risk for reoccurance and am also being monitored for mets right now. Add to that I have this fear that I will get judged even more because I have to have my water bottle with me at all times. I, seriously, can not carry on a normal conversation without having it with me. I go into coughing spells as my mouth and throat dry out. I doubt I could even make it through the process of triaging a pt in my old job without needing it. Any advice on what is my best option from here? LTD is only paying me 60% of what my base salary was (and I worked nights, lots of weekends, and a ton of OT) so it has been roughing making ends meet in the house considering I was the money maker by far in the household. Thanks for any advice!