Reprimanded at work for an ITP flare

I think my condition of having ITP "scares" my employers because they do not want to be responsible for anything happening to me on the job. As I've said, I work on the front lines in the medical office and although I am not a nurse, I am considered to be on the nursing staff. I am exposed to lots of seriously sick people (okay, in more ways than one, ha!) and all kinds of germs. It is high risk and probably not the best position for me having an auto-immune disease. I've never heard of such a thing and I can imagine now they are sweating bullets because I mentioned that I felt I was being discriminated against. They covered their own tails by saying everyone who has used up sick time this year has gotten the same warning I got. I was able to get a copy of what is in my work record and this is word for word what it says: "You are receiving this disciplinary warning because of the following actions: Concern about frequent absenteeism (unexcused) for sickness, has resulted in decrease productivity because ***** place of business needed to rearrange schedules & workers." Under counseling/discussion plan it states "Need Kathy do do what she needs to do to be healthy and at work. I want Kathy to be aware of this and understand what is expected of her." Geepers, do they think I am faking or something? Do I not understand that I need to be healthy? Who wants to get sick with this illness? Steroids work but they also suck. All this over six sick days. I've been there for eight years now and never have I seen anything like this before.

Unfortunately this new manager of the practice, who has been there for two years now, has been given all the power there is. She is my boss, she handles HR, She takes care of the employee schedules, etc. I told the Drs. there today "shame on you for doing this to your employees!" God forbid any of them come down with something like this or any other type of chronic disease, but I believe karma will have it's way no matter what. Time for a fresh start outside of this practice.

Sandi, I appreciate your looking more into the disability laws. It's still worth a try, especially if I have the aid of legal representation. I know it's a risk, but there isn't anything to really lose by trying. The attorney my husband and I received advice from said if my illness is causing me to be unable to meet the demands of my employers and still maintain my position, work hours, and benefits, that's where the loop hole might be towards getting social security. He said it was a good thing I got the copy of the warning from my record as evidence. I'm sure my employer will be relieved that I am going to be seeking this course of action and may even be able to help me achieve it. I can use them as they have used me. After all, as I was told this morning; it isn't personal, it's just business.

Kathy

As sad as it is, it's always business. As I said, I'm in the same position. I physically can't do my job any more, but have no choice and the problem is that the employer just keeps adding to my duties and making things worse. We've had many discussions about my ability to continue. I keep hearing "work faster, work harder", but I know that no one could go any faster than I do. It's not humanly possible. I actually researched disability as much for myself last night as for you. I found that I do meet the criteria for Lupus, but the "still working" part is what will get a denial for me. If I quit, I have no health insurance so that isn't an option.

I can't understand why, since you didn't go over your allotted sick days, they can even mention missing too much work. You'd think that right there would put them in a legal bind. You're entitled to those days.

You should read my post about quitting my job last summer. I was in a panic then just as you are now. Bad situation!

Sandi,

I would love to read your post, but where is that one about quitting your job last summer?

Also, in my research on disabilities, I have discoverd that one can still be working while on disability, as long as the combined income isn't above $1,500 a month. Something to think about I guess. Each person's situation and circumstances are so different.

Kathy

Kathy, I'm on disability here in Canada. I know the two countries have different laws, but I can make $4800 before I have to let CPP know. That's before taxes. I'm planning on looking for work this Spring.

I can't imagine what you're going through! It just doesn't seem fair. Good luck.

Basically, I got fed up with the stress and how it affects me and I put in two weeks notice. After I did it, I panicked big time. A few days went by and my employer started to get resumes in. During the next weekend, I was going nuts because I felt I'd made a hasty decision. I've been there for 14 years and have excellent perks and benefits. I'd never get that anywhere else. It was during that time that I also researched disability because it just gets harder and harder to get through the days with my symptoms and medications/side effects. I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't qualify and begged for my job back.

Good luck Kathy. Let us know how it goes.

Hi all!

Interesting events have happened over the past 24 hours; I was speaking with a co-worker last evening who knows my situation and what exactly has been going on. She point blank went up to one of the physicians in the office yesterday and asked if she should be looking for another job. He was surprised and asked why. She had gotten the same written vebal warning I had gotten and was worried by it. He had NO idea that was going on! Now today I gave my resignation, after talking it over all weekend with family, friends, and most importantly, my husband. After my decision was made (I don't feel it was in haste as I have put up with a lot of things over the years at my place of employment) I felt a peace about it. It still was not easy to do, but I kept my dignity, held my ground, and the office manager sure was trying to back peddle like mad. The physician that I see within that office pulled the office manager into a room and I guess they had quite a heated discussion. The office manager was quite subdued all day long, totally unlike how she normally is. A few people from work have called me this evening and although they did not get any details from me, they do know my health history and said they were sorry to lose me as a co-worker. (Apparently the office manager told the rest of the staff that I resigned due to health reasons.) I've already been updating my resume and have looked into other areas of health care and feel confident that within a couple of weeks I will be employed elsewhere. One posting said with only 30 hrs a week I can have benefits, including health insurance, paid sick and vacation days, and bonuses. I have confidence in my skills and that someone out there will want me. Oh yes, work WILL be giving me a letter of recommendation as well as proof that I no longer work there so I can get on my husband's health care plan. My insurance is paid up until the end of the month and that will be no problem, we've already covered that basis. I'm still going to try for disability, the worst they can do is say no. There is life outside of what I have been doing and working for the past eight years. I know this initial feeling of "freedom" will not last long as the bills are going to still come in. We will tighten out belts and get through this period and into the next phase of the journey. I don't feel these were wasted years, but added to the years of experience I have. Would you rather have a wide-eyed 19 year old coming at you for tests or procedures or a calm experienced somewhat older lady?

Anyway, what's done is done and there is no going back now. I only hope that people where I had worked learn from this and grow. I'm going to be just fine! I'll still keep posting updates here, especially as I go through the disability process, and what happens with a new job prospect or anything like that. This is the best place I have found by far for information and support. It's very important to be in touch with folks who have similar health issues too!

Kathy

But Kathy, if you don't stay at your job, how are we going to find out what happens to the evil office manager? You have to think of your fellow ITPers here!

OK but seriously, good luck!
Erica

Erica,

Thank you so much for the giggles! I had three more phone calls this evening from co-workers so don't worry, I have my inside people to keep me up to date! Stay tuned for how the office turns....lol!

I am going back to the office tomorrow morning to turn in my letter of resignation. I can time my visit so I can "say goodbye" to some of the Drs. there and find out if they did indeed know what was going on. Also, I'm still a patient at that office too, just routine checkups though, so I still have my foot in the door. Don't worry, you'll still get to hear about "evil office manager!"

Kathy

How do they manage to sneak into every office? I don't know.

Good luck with your job search. I never quite got that far - the thought terrified me. Starting over is hard; I'm sure you'll do fine!

Good luck, Kathy.

Evil office manager greeted me at the front lobby of the main office today to take my letter of resignation. I never pushed the issue to go in to see anyone else. I got my two letters I needed and ran! Here's the kicker though; evil office manager gave me a letter of recommendation that is so weak and bland that my husband says it is unusable. I'm sure she thinks she got in one last "dig" into me, BUT, I took letters and dropped them off for each phsician I worked for at the other office we have across town. One of the RN's I work with promised me she would deliver them personally to each doctor. My letters state my reasons for leaving and my side of things, just so they would know what really happened. I feel sure that at least one of them will contact me and will give me a much stronger and more positive letter of recommendation, under the circumstances. If not, I have several offers of references from coworkers too. ALL of the girls at that office gave me hugs and well wishes. It was a nice way to end my morning!

I have an appointment next week with an attorney to get my disability case rolling. My next platelet count will be on Monday, Feb. 21. I'm hoping things will stabilize and that I will not have to go back on Prednisone again. Then my job search begins! I've already targeted a place that is a good fit for my skills and experience and they state on their web site that I can set my own hours and schedule. Cool, sounds very promising. It's with a "Homemakers & Companions" program that runs through the state. Hmmmm, I could be a state employee and have better pay and benefits than the job I just left! When God closes a door, he always opens up a window. We shall see how things pan out.

I think I'm going to go work on some craft projects now. I have three baby quilts to make! Take care, I will keep you all posted!

Kathy

Thanks for the interesting posts Kathy. They have made great reading. But most of all I wish you well on your new adventures and good health. You could consider a career in writing LOL (I can't get my emoticons to work??)

Shoot - I was hoping they would fire the manager. Good luck with your job search.

I don't expect they will fire the manager. They hired her to make their business more profitable, which she is doing. I'm sure by now they think I'm just a nuisance now because I'm gone. We shall see. They are just happy their paychecks are getting fatter!

Sally, it's funny you should mention a writing career because I was in classes at one point for that very thing. I don't think I was cut out to be in children's literature though and the teacher I had wasn't very good. Who knows, perhaps I will try again down the road....

I made a mistake about "Homemakers and Companions" being a state run organization, it is not. They do have programs through the state which people can qualify for this service and they take state insurances.

I'm sure something good for me will turn up. I have to focus on the positive things now. All this stress is not good for my husband as he was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He has a progressive disease and I have the chronic one. Good thing I'm trained for clinical medical care because I think as we get older, I'm going to be his "nurse!"

This web site here is informative, as well as therapeutic, at least for me. Hopefully all of this will help someone else too!

Kathy

Good Luck with it all Kathy, i don't know if i would be brave enough to just resign without knowing i had another job to go to.

I do know of at least one other lady in my office who is in similar circumstances. She was also written up for being out sick, only she is trying to find another job to go to first before she leaves there. I know it's just a matter of time. I tried to hang in there but they made it such a hostile work environment that I felt I had no other choice. Only one more day (today) before I find out what the latest platelet counts are!

Kathy

Update! My count today was 134,000, which is a great count for someone with ITP! Although it is down a bit from last week's count (which was 167,000) the drop is slowing way down. No treatments for now, just a repeat count in a week. This seems to be my pattern with ITP and I am expecting the count to rise back up again, all on it's own.

I have updated my resume' today and gotten a new list of references and I'm off on the job hunt! Tomorrow is the meeting with the attorney. Not much else new to report for now.

I do have a question about Vit. D. Good or bad for someone with ITP? I recently found out my level is very low. My Dr. tried a prescription supplement of 50,000 IU's, but I couldn't handle that much all at once, even if it was just once a day. Now she said to try going to a daily dose of 2,000 IU's, which I seem to be tolerating quite well. I only ask because somewhere on this site, I did see it mentioned. Any response would be welcomed, thanks!

Kathy

Vitamin D is controversial, there is a lot of findings and research coming out about it these days. It seems to be related somehow to autoimmune disorders, but does it cause them or is it a result, and does more vitamin D help or hurt - jury is out, debate is on. Many people are discovering their levels to be low - lots of folks on the board, many people even in my family. What is going on with Vitamin D - I think it could be important but it's too soon to say.

At this point I'd say do your research and consider any other disorders you might have and their relation to vitamin D and of course consult with your doctor.

For myself, since I have lupus also, I would not at this point supplement with vitamin D. I haven't had my levels checked. I guess I do supplement a little - I take calcium with vitamin D. But not the prescription or the higher doses.
Erica

During my research re: Vitamin D, I have found that low levels can be a major cause of muscle loss, weakness and pain, all of which I have. Since I'm also on long term Prednisone (7 years so far) and have low Vitamin D levels, I do want to supplement and get the levels higher. I was on 150,000 IU's once a week for six weeks, twice, and it didn't get my levels up. During that time period though, I had super long, strong nails which I have never had in my entire life...they always bend and break. That was last year and I'm now back where I started with horrible nails. I have been taking 8,000 IU's a day on my own and it hasn't made any difference. I need to try to gain some muscle back before it's too late, so that will be my next discussion when I see my Rheumatologist next. I want to get back on the high dose D for a much longer time period.

I am aware of what the studies say and would not want to exacerbate Lupus, but on the other hand, my body is a mess anyway and I have to try something. If I saw that huge of a difference with my nails, what is going on with my bones? My Mom was diagnosed with osteoporosis at 73 and I don't want to be right behind her in my 40's.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1304730/pdf/westjmed00340-0061.pdf

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43711-2004May20.html

www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/38221304/Severe-Proximal-Myopathy-with-Remarkable-Recovery-after-Vitamin-D-Treatment

www.bio-medicine.org/biology-news-1/Vitamin-D-may-exacerbate-autoimmune-disease-7924-1/

or

www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20100823/vitamin-d-linked-to-autoimmune-diseases

My doctor tested my vitamin D level right after new dx of ITP. It came back 16 (>30 is normal). My fingernails are very brittle and are cracking down to the quick. I've had muscle aches and pains but didn't think much about it until now. I'm wondering if my vitamin D level had anything to do with my new ITP. Was my immune system weakened by this? I just don't know.:blink:

ITP is the result of an overactive immune system, not a weakened one. No one knows if there is a connection between low Vitamin D and autoimmune disorders. Many of us have low Vitamin D, but not all.

I was diagnosed with osteopenia from my bone density testing, but nothing major. My Mom has severe osteoporosis and has had that for years. My Vit. D level was also 16. My primary care Dr. is trying to get that level back up. When I tried the 50,000 IU's of Vit. D, it made me excessively thirsty, have diarrhea, and I just felt sick on that amount. (No, I am NOT diabetic....) I guess I'll continue taking the 2,000 IU's of Vit. D as I seem to tolerate that. I'll repeat my levels again some time in May to see if that has made a difference. The reason I asked about the Vit. D is that I had been taking fish oil capsules, or flaxseed oil (DHA, omega-3) and found out quite by accident that those supplements, which are supposed to be so good for the heart, have an anticoagulant property to them, for some people. No wonder we couldn't get my platelet levels to an acceptable point! Now they have warnings on the DHA/Omega-3 supplements, but I'm wasn't sure about Vit. D. I read that salmon, fish oil, and other fish have good levels of Vit. D in them, but I am not fond of eating fish. Never have been, but that's just me. The Dr. I spoke with said it would be better to eat the right foods containing fish oil or flaxseed oil as that is a natural form of the synthesized supplements. I guess perhaps I should try sitting outside on sunny days two to three times a week when the weather permits to get my levels of Vit. D? I'm pale as a ghost anyway and could use some color to my skin. No more than 30 min. though or I'll be as red as a lobster!

Funny thing about fish and other seafood. I can catch it and cook it all day, I just don't like the taste, the smell, or the texture of it. I used to go crabbing with my Dad all day long and once we caught 93 blue crabs. You should have seen my Mom scramble up to the countertop when the container we had them all in tipped over in the kitchen! I can fish, lobster, or dig clams and cohaugs, I just don't like to eat them. Oh well! Taste is a purely personal thing, whether it comes to food, decorating, colors, etc. I've learned that it's okay for me to like some things but not others. Everyone is different!

Kathy

We Itpers seem to be a very sensitive mob. I'm sure this is the reason homeopathy has worked with some people. I don't think there is link between Vit D and platelet counts but there is some link between low vit.D and autoimmune diseases - See 'positive strategies' in natural therapies section for a discussion on this.
There is also a link between thyroid function and Itp - there are some very knowledgeable people on this forum who can advise about this and the necessary tests required to rule this out. I only ask because of your aversion to seafood and it being the richest source of iodine.
I hope you are enjoying some more time for yourself and family.
Keep posting. Sally

Hi Sally!

Yes, I have been enjoying my free time with my family. I know it won't last too long though as I'm putting out job applications and resumes this week.

I have had my thyroid tested twice and both times the tests come back fine. I do eat a little bit of fish now and then, it's just not my favorite. I eat tuna, scrod, or cod, the lighter tasting fish. I've tried crab and lobster, ate shrimp once by mistake and liked it all right, and tried salmon too. I also use seasalt instead of regular salt. The one I buy has iodine in it.

You are right about us ITP people being a sensitive lot. Before I was diagnosed, I barely took Tylenol. When my Dr. puts me on anything, he now knows to use 1/2 the normal dose, otherwise I will have a reaction to it. Once, several years ago, during emergency surgery to remove my appendix, they gave me what they thought was a "normal dose" of anesthesia for my weight, height, and age. I woke up from that surgery temporarily paralyzed! It took quite a while for that to wear off; what an odd feeling! My Drs. and my family have learned that if I complain about anything, it has to be really bad.

Today is the day for the attorney appointment. I'll keep everyone posted!

Kathy

Hi all,

Another update after today's events. I spent some time at the attorney's office today to no avail. ITP for me doesn't make me ill enough to qualify for disability, plain and simple. I'm not that sick very often, and I am still able to be employed at some type of job. We talked very briefly about unemployment or perhaps a discrimination case. The attorney told me those would be uphill battles and not a very big compensation if we did end up winning anything. I don't need that kind of stress in my life, who does? I thanked the attorney for his time and left.

On to the next chapter, I had my resume and references ready to go so I started my job hunt. I went to "Companions and Homemakers" and spent three hours there, filling out paperwork, having an on-the-spot interview, and they even had me watch training videos. They said it might take a week or so, but if my background check comes back clean and my references check out, I'm basically hired! While I do have medical training and a medical background, starting over again is never easy. Okay, Sandi, now the doubts about what I did are coming out, I admit that. Once in a while I even think to myself, "Oh my God, what have I done?" Perhaps there is a bit of hope on the horizon. If they offer me the new job, of course I will take it, but it's only half the pay I was making before and ALL of it would be new to me as far as the routine of how they do things, the job itself, etc. Basically, I would be "on-call" which I didn't want. The hours are irregular, also something I did not want. However......one of my inside people at the old job called me today. We knew it would only be a matter of time before that place realized what they had lost because frankly, no one else knew how to operate some of the machinery or computer programs in place at that office like I did, although I tried very hard to teach others, I was just never given the time to really teach them properly. Me, I "play" with something new until it does what I want it to do or need it to do. That's how I learned, mostly on the fly and with very little training. (And this is coming from someone who never even touched a computer until the year 2000!) I just took to it, it came natural to me. Of course I had the desire to learn all there was to learn about it and worked hard on it too, but I figured it all out and had it running quite smoothly!) Today the system wouldn't work, no one there knew how to operate it or fix it, and the Dr. trying to use the system broke down in tears and cried out that she missed me! My coworker asked her if any of the Doctors have called me. Perhaps a glimmer of hope from my former job? If the Doctors wanted me back, and they said that they did not know about what the office manager was doing to the staff behind their backs, I believe at this point that I would go back. I fully believe that is the case now as my coworker questioned a couple of the Doctors and they had no idea this was going on. (By the way, the computer problems turned out to be an "I. T." connection problem of some sort. They had to call in a repairman to get it fixed.) My husband and I, and a few of the girls from work thought this would happen, we just had no idea how quickly it would happen. Then again, I may not get a phone call at all from any of them, so I'll have no choice but to continue on with the job search. Such a conundrum! This morning I woke up thinking I had so many options opened to me, but one by one the doors to those options are being shut. Talk about a life lesson.

I'll still keep posting updates as they develop. Everyone take care and keep those platelets up!

Kathy

Kathy:

I know how you must feel about moving on. That's the reason I ended up asking for my job back - I couldn't imagine going someplace else and learning all over again. Every office has their own mode of operation and the thought of going through all of that freaked me out (among other things). I'm a creature of habit. Maybe you will get lucky and get called back...keep hoping! Things always have a way of working out one way or another. It will be fine. It doesn't seem like you are in a huge hurry due to necessity, so take your time and choose something you know you want as far as hours and benefits.

Just so you know - Fish Oils and Omega's do affect coagulation, but not platelet count. It just makes the blood less sticky. Vitamin E does the same thing. Have you ever tried tuna steak or sword fish? I don't like fish either but love those two. They should be eaten in moderation though because they contain mercury which is not healthy in large doses.

Hi again!

I've switched jobs before and had lots of changes in my life and learned that if I survived once, I will survive it again. It just gets harder and harder the older one gets! The attorney today told me I am fast approaching what is considered by social security "advanced age." Great, like I didn't know that! One thing about that is it can work to my advantage should other auto-immune diseases creep into the picture or if my ITP gets worse.

I guess the next time we are out for dinner and my husband orders swordfish, I should try it. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to new foods like that though, I much prefer vegetables, salads, and other aggragarian foods like that. I could become vegetarian and be quite content with that, but heck, I do love a good cheeseburger once in a while too, or a good steak.

Onward and upwards! Each day holds it's own surprises, good or bad. I'd much rather live in the present than worrying about the future but alas, I am not independently wealthy either. It is becoming a necessity to bring in or try and replace as much income as possible. The bills will not wait! I'm sure something will come up that is suitable. I just don't have a great sense of satisfaction yet from what I learned today about the one job I have applied for. It seems to put me right back into a similar situation of being on the front lines of an illness. There has to be something out there better for me than this. (Has anyone out there tried those "work from home" type of jobs where all that is required is posting websites? lol!) I guess keeping up a good sense of humor helps.

Kathy

Kathy - if there were an easy work-from-home job - I would have it! I do have a web site that I've been setting up to sell photos, but I can't seem to get the time to get it up and running. It's almost there, but I doubt I'll make enough to be able to quit my job.

My husband had to force me to try swordfish too. FORCED me to take a bite. I did and have loved it ever since. It doesn't have a fishy taste and has a great consistency. Tuna steak is the same - doesn't even taste like fish. I can handle orange roughy too if I make it.

I don't work in a doctors office but do manage to get sick any way. Two months ago, a former employee came into my office and stood there coughing without covering his mouth. I jokingly pulled my turtle neck over my mouth like Bazooka Joe. He just kept doing it! A few days later I came down with the worst case of bronchitis I've ever had. I was wheezing for two weeks. Then the antibiotic gave me achilles tendinitis. That was the costliest exposure I've ever had. I'm still coughing. If you're getting sick twice a year, that's pretty on par with the rest of the population who don't work with sick people. My fellow co-workers come in sick all the time and I go in sick too, so most offices are germ ridden. Oddly, I never seem to catch anything from my own family members.

Hi again!

I'm like a bad penny, I keep turning up! Yes, I only have an ITP flare up due to illnesses once or perhaps twice a year. I have no idea where I got the last virus from but several people within the same office also got it around the same time. Sometimes I can pinpoint where it came from and sometimes I can't. My ITP flares always follow a virus of some sort. That's why what work did to me doesn't make any sense to me. If I'm only out once or twice a year due to illness, then what is the big deal and why target someone for that? I guess I really did scare the evil office manager and from what I understand, that is pretty hard to do! She was there when I had the psychosis and went a little nuts at work, so perhaps that is what she was referring to. I never hurt anyone, I merely was yelling at the situation. That's when I realized I needed to get off the steroids, FAST. Knowing that happened once has made me much more aware of it happening again and I think with the last flare up and being on Prednisone again, I was able to keep things in check better. I have seen the same reaction to Decadron, not in myself as I've never had it before but in another person on it. My Dr. has been away on vacation for a couple of weeks now, and I can't wait for him to get back. I see him again on March 7th, but I have another platelet check on Feb. 28th. IF I follow what I typically do, things should start to level out and go back to normal again with the platelets and the ITP goes back into a spontaneous remission....until the next time, whenever that may be. I find I pick up more things from co-workers than anything else. I wash my hands a ton each day and if I can't wash, I use Purell. It's those darned airborn germs that get me.

I found some positions much more suitable to the type of work I have been doing and sent off my resume and references this morning. I sure hope the phone calls start coming in soon. Like anywhere these days, lots of people are looking for work so there is lots of competition for each job. Any job will bring in money, but I did love working in an office environment so perhaps I can find another office and kind of pick up where I left off. Hopefully my experience will serve me well for the future, whatever may come.

Fortunately for me I have a very supportive husband. I am going on his health insurance soon and will do what I need to do to bring money in so we don't sink because of this change of circumstances. At least I feel like I have a net of some sort!

Everyone out there take care and be well. Keep on posting too!

Kathy

Hi again!

I have another update for everyone; I have had two job interviews already and nailed a new job from those! The first interview was totally not what I wanted to be doing and I struggled to turn it down, after all, it would have been money coming in. However, another much more promising job interview turned out great. Out of over 70 applicants for this job, I was at the top! I go back to job shadow next Tues. and will meet the one physician I'd be working with. (Only one? I'm used to 12!) Technically I will be a hospital employee, and it is part-time with some coverage once in a while for other ladies within the office. It's a very good fit all the way around and I think it will suit me very well. More experience to put on my resume too, and once a foot is in the door at the hospital, I can apply for other job postings there as they come up, if need be. I still have 17 more years of working ahead of me, but one day at a time with that!

Some bad news though; we found out early Fri. morning that my brother-in-law had passed away. This was my husband's brother, who had a very troubled life. There is still an investigation as to the circumstances, as it could have been from foul play, or self inflicted. We are not sure yet. We are spending the weekend with his family. I had to explain to my interviewer why I could not come in on Mon. as we had to travel out of state.

It has been quite a roller coaster these past few weeks. Losing a job, finding a new one, then having a death in the family, plus monitoring my platlets the whole time. I had to change my next blood test till Tues. afternoon. Just in case, I brought all of my meds with me, including that dreaded prednisone.

I guess for the job I have to go to a hospital orientation class and then negotiate salary. No benefits I'm afraid, but that's okay. I'm on my husband's health insurance and with only three days of work a week, I really don't need anything else. There is another person to cover if I'm out sick or away for a few days. One other thing that helped was a former co-worker who shares the lunch room with the office I'd be working in came in while I was being given the tour of the office. She spoke up and said very nice things about me, and told the interviewer what a hard worker I am. (She did want to know why I was there too and although I didn't say anything negative about my former work place, she had gone through something similar so I told her my situation was similar to how she left.) I'm sure we will have chances to speak down the road.

So, starting a new job soon, I don't think I'll bring up anything about the ITP unless they ask, or there is a problem. Based on my last work experience, I don't think it's a good idea to "advertise" it. I can get a note from my hematologist that states it is just fine for me to work and that my flare ups are not very often.

Time to close this for now, but I'll keep updating. Thank you to everyone out there for the good wishes and thoughts. Just knowing there are others out there with similar situations is such a great help!

Kathy P.S. Evil office manager is in BIG trouble now with the physicians in that office as she did NOT have their permission to do what she did with the warnings. SHE was given a warning to not bully the staff any more. .....karma? Yep, lol!