# Losing the ability to work in the trade



## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

I have no idea but I wish you the best.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Great avatar Sun Dude....:thumbsup:~CS~


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

To the best of knowledge the rules are unique to the local. I would have a discussion with the company that manages the locals insurance and benefits. 

Been there and done that brother, I wish you all the luck and hope you don't get stenosis in the levels adjacent to the fusion.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> To the best of knowledge the rules are unique to the local. I would have a discussion with the company that manages the locals insurance and benefits.
> 
> Been there and done that brother, I wish you all the luck and hope you don't get stenosis in the levels adjacent to the fusion.


If I sit for a 30 to 40 minutes and get up, my legs want to keep straight for about 10 seconds. Same thing getting up in the morning. Legs wont move much but if I start walking, its just fine.

Im not so sure what an orthopedic Dr could do and I dont want a chiropractor twisting my neck again. Im very fortunate not to have the pain most people have with spinal issues.

Have any of you gone to an acupuncturist, massage therapy or experience with yoga? 
Im interested in adding some non- traditional if its at all useful.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> If I sit for a 30 to 40 minutes and get up, my legs want to keep straight for about 10 seconds. Same thing getting up in the morning. Legs wont move much but if I start walking, its just fine.
> 
> Im not so sure what an orthopedic Dr could do and I dont want a chiropractor twisting my neck again. Im very fortunate not to have the pain most people have with spinal issues.
> 
> ...


Acupuncture seemed to only work for a max of a day before the pain came right back, massage therapy a tad longer. The last chiro I went to had a water jet table to massage your back, that put me to sleep within 10 minutes and let me feel decent for a work week. Haven't tried yoga but stretching twice a day really makes a difference. I bought a TENS unit and used that at home, which relaxes the muscles nicely. 

Believe it or not the honey-cinnamon concoctions do help with all joint pains and arthritis aches. It reduces joint inflammation and provides a natural form of pain relief. To prepare, mix 2 tablespoons local Honey and 1 teaspoon of ceylon cinnamon powder into 1 cup of warm green tea, drink this honey cinnamon drink daily in the morning and evening.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Suncoast Power said:


> If I sit for a 30 to 40 minutes and get up, my legs want to keep straight for about 10 seconds. Same thing getting up in the morning. Legs wont move much but if I start walking, its just fine.
> 
> Im not so sure what an orthopedic Dr could do and I dont want a chiropractor twisting my neck again. Im very fortunate not to have the pain most people have with spinal issues.
> 
> ...


See if this guy will get you a copy of his dvd
https://neurologyoffice.com/images/pdf/CV-Kandel.pdf

Drop my name. I swear by the guy. I had already been through 3 back surgeries and spent 1-1/2 years in a wheelchair and was told I never would walk again. Then I found this guy. Within a month I could walk and within 2 years I could run. 

I have had hundreds of deep tissue massages. They feel great. There is zero long term relief though. But the chick who did that taught me about breathing to maximize the lung capacity and the psychology of stretching where you put your mind in another world paying no attention to what's being stretched. To this day I use her techniques.

I've never done acupuncture but I'd be interested in trying one day. I love the stimulation of pressure points, if that's what they do.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Suncoast Power said:


> Have any of you gone to an acupuncturist, massage therapy or experience with yoga?
> 
> Im interested in adding some non- traditional if its at all useful.


I have done all that stuff. I feel like it was more than useful to me, it saved my bacon. About 25 years ago I was told surgery was in my near future and I'd have to start taking it easy. I have avoided surgery, lost very little time from work over the years, did all kinds of working out and athletics, and of course work myself like a rented mine mule. And I know a bunch of other people who have had positive results.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Yeah i've been to acupuncture , it's ok, just addictive imho, i'm just as much a train wreck as the rest of you....

But in the grander scope , let's face it fellas, we all need some kinda '_exit plan_' 

~CS~


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

When the cardiologist said that I should sign up for permanent disability, I decided to be the boss. You're already there. So stop kneeling and climbing ladders and digging. 

Our local doesn't let the company owner work at all anyway.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Move from down there , up to N. Smyrna Beach and surf up at the jetty's as often as possible. You will achieve ''flow'' which releases nitrogen oxide into your blood stream which makes your t cell count go up and your immune system gets enough of a boost to help you get over your bad knees in just a few weeks of surfing therapy. Watch out for the sharks though, that place is choke with em.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

May you outlive your doc's Hax ....

But seriously , what's the_ plan_? , sit around watching Glenn Beck with a bowl of gruel watching our crotch for any sign of activity, because the young bucks have beat us out on our bids? 

~CS~


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

macmikeman said:


> Move from down there , up to N. Smyrna Beach and surf up at the jetty's as often as possible. You will achieve ''flow'' which releases nitrogen oxide into your blood stream which makes your t cell count go up and your immune system gets enough of a boost to help you get over your bad knees in just a few weeks of surfing therapy. Watch out for the sharks though, that place is choke with em.



And here i thought nitro was muscle car talk.....silly me!:no: ~CS~


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

chicken steve said:


> And here i thought nitro was muscle car talk.....silly me!:no: ~CS~


I've told you which are the good medical podcasts to listen to you know............

We are two entities- one is us, and one is the bio flora that lives in us. It affects your personality, your health history, quality of life, and the basic chemical interactions that make up you and your cells.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12119661_Nitric_oxide_and_cellular_respiration


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

chicken steve said:


> May you outlive your doc's Hax ....
> 
> But seriously , what's the_ plan_? , sit around watching Glenn Beck with a bowl of gruel watching our crotch for any sign of activity, because the young bucks have beat us out on our bids?
> 
> ~CS~


I'm just gonna keep chugging along. Every year has gotten progressively better and a bit closer to my goal of taking off the tools for good.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> Move from down there , up to N. Smyrna Beach and surf up at the jetty's as often as possible. You will achieve ''flow'' which releases nitrogen oxide into your blood stream which makes your t cell count go up and your immune system gets enough of a boost to help you get over your bad knees in just a few weeks of surfing therapy. Watch out for the sharks though, that place is choke with em.


I love my skateboard. Surfing as you know here is out of the question due to that little problem we call The Bahamas.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

chicken steve said:


> May you outlive your doc's Hax ....
> 
> ...


Saw an old lady on the news. It was her birthday and I think she was 104. Of course they ask "How do you do it?" and she says "Bacon every morning and 2 Dr. Peppers every afternoon, both of which my doctors have always told me would kill me, but I've outlived all of those doctors so it can't be all that bad."


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Sun Man, How old are you


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

Suncoast Power said:


> I love my skateboard. Surfing as you know here is out of the question due to that little problem we call The Bahamas.


Jranis , Suncoast....you change your advitar quite a bit! Just saying (oh no I used that phrase). 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

brian john said:


> sun man, how old are you


1960,


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> I love my skateboard. Surfing as you know here is out of the question due to that little problem we call The Bahamas.


Eluthera. I used to get there for 35 bucks round trip from Lauderdale airport. It's probably $300 now...


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> Eluthera. I used to get there for 35 bucks round trip from Lauderdale airport. It's probably $300 now...


I've done that but not for surfing.
I'm afraid if I went surfing some fuecker namer Ishmael would harpoon my Lilly white azz.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

im slowly gettin there , j butwhat ive noticed lately is my nerves. whenever im in a box, panel, whatever, even if i KNOW its dead, every noise makes me back off! the other day i was working on a gfi that aws bad. i tried resetting it and it shot sparks at me. i checked to make sure it tripped the breaker and started to remove it when the plastic protection on the cabinet right by my face 'popped' ! bought had a heart attack! and this was right after coming from the doctor that said everything was fine!


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

papaotis said:


> im slowly gettin there , j butwhat ive noticed lately is my nerves. whenever im in a box, panel, whatever, even if i KNOW its dead, every noise makes me back off! the other day i was working on a gfi that aws bad. i tried resetting it and it shot sparks at me. i checked to make sure it tripped the breaker and started to remove it when the plastic protection on the cabinet right by my face 'popped' ! bought had a heart attack! and this was right after coming from the doctor that said everything was fine!


Interesting.
We used to work anything hot. Now I find myself turning off anything I work on.
I'm afraid of that pop too.
I now wear safety glasses 100% of the time and feel lost if I don't have some kind of gloves on me.
I got old and skiddish :laughing:


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## drewsserviceco (Aug 1, 2014)

Maybe this is naive of me, but if you're moving into a paid office position why would you try to collect your pension?

Everybody wants money that they don't have to directly work for (or have already worked for as is the case here), but I would assume that the pay for the office positions would be close to what you make now and that any negative difference could be reconciled with the better quality of life.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Suncoast, you should go into politics. I hear there's an opening.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> Interesting.
> We used to work anything hot. Now I find myself turning off anything I work on.
> I'm afraid of that pop too.
> I now wear safety glasses 100% of the time and feel lost if I don't have some kind of gloves on me.
> I got old and skiddish :laughing:


Or you figure you made it this far, no need to have a little arc cut you short!


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

This is why I got back into exercise. I'm a short guy and always expected to cram into tight spaces. Unfortunately my joints aren't anymore flexible than the next guy.


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## mitch65 (Mar 26, 2015)

Suncoast Power said:


> If I sit for a 30 to 40 minutes and get up, my legs want to keep straight for about 10 seconds. Same thing getting up in the morning. Legs wont move much but if I start walking, its just fine.
> 
> Im not so sure what an orthopedic Dr could do and I dont want a chiropractor twisting my neck again. Im very fortunate not to have the pain most people have with spinal issues.
> 
> ...


Fellow I work with started going to old fart yoga (actual name of the class). He has said it has helped immensely with a lot of the stuff you complain about. Stiffness after sitting or driving a while, inflexibility etc. plus you get to look at a cute, fit instructor in yoga pants for an hour a week.


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## mitch65 (Mar 26, 2015)

Suncoast Power said:


> Interesting.
> We used to work anything hot. Now I find myself turning off anything I work on.
> I'm afraid of that pop too.
> I now wear safety glasses 100% of the time and feel lost if I don't have some kind of gloves on me.
> I got old and skiddish :laughing:


I think it's called wisdom.... sometimes comes with age and experience.:laughing:


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

There are old electricians ,and bold electricians , but few old AND bold electricians ......

~CS~


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

drewsserviceco said:


> Maybe this is naive of me, but if you're moving into a paid office position why would you try to collect your pension?
> 
> Everybody wants money that they don't have to directly work for (or have already worked for as is the case here), but I would assume that the pay for the office positions would be close to what you make now and that any negative difference could be reconciled with the better quality of life.


Our local does have disability.
$300 for the first few weeks, $400 a week for the next few months then $500 for the weeks beyond that.
You can't take a paycheck from an electrical contractor during that time.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

TGGT said:


> This is why I got back into exercise. I'm a short guy and always expected to cram into tight spaces. Unfortunately my joints aren't anymore flexible than the next guy.


At just shy of 6'3" there were many times I wanted to be shorter.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> At just shy of 6'3" there were many times I wanted to be shorter.


Just think of all the lamps you have changed at 8' AFF where the rest of us had to drag a ladder around.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> Just think of all the lamps you have changed at 8' AFF where the rest of us had to drag a ladder around.


While that is a positive. It's all perspective, many would think of that as a plus but while I look back on the times I had to walk bent over to avoid hitting my head on rafters or floor joists. Attics, crawlspaces, and basements especially the old ones were made for midgets or something. Going through hatches on ships could be deadly if one doesn't duck fast enough.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

An electrician needs to be a strongman and a contortionist, we should put on a circus!


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

TGGT said:


> An electrician needs to be a strongman and a contortionist, we should put on a circus!


Sounds like many job sites...GCs being the clowns.


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## Tonedeaf (Nov 26, 2012)

The rules pertaining to working and collecting disability depends on the type of disability insurance you are collecting.

For SSI you can usually work 20 hours a week. .

For privately paid and state funded disability insurance and it basically depends on the the policies of each entity. 

BTW there's only a handful of states that do Disability; NJ and Cal for sure, i am not sure about Florida.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Meanwhile macmike goes off to rope a dope an additional living unit studio attached to a nice waterfront pad. I predict red bull in the near future.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Acupuncture seemed to only work for a max of a day before the pain came right back, massage therapy a tad longer. The last chiro I went to had a water jet table to massage your back, that put me to sleep within 10 minutes and let me feel decent for a work week. Haven't tried yoga but stretching twice a day really makes a difference. I bought a TENS unit and used that at home, which relaxes the muscles nicely.
> 
> Believe it or not the honey-cinnamon concoctions do help with all joint pains and arthritis aches. It reduces joint inflammation and provides a natural form of pain relief. To prepare, mix 2 tablespoons local Honey and 1 teaspoon of ceylon cinnamon powder into 1 cup of warm green tea, drink this honey cinnamon drink daily in the morning and evening.


Cinnamon just arrived!


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Suncoast Power said:


> Cinnamon just arrived!


I was wondering if Cinnamon was an exotic dancer coming to give you a rub down until I read the post you cited. :laughing:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Suncoast Power said:


> Cinnamon just arrived!


You should feel an improvement in a couple days, skip a day and you'll know it the next day by lunch time.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

MikeFL said:


> I was wondering if Cinnamon was an exotic dancer coming to give you a rub down until I read the post you cited. :laughing:


That kind of Cinnamon you'd feel the effects of the next day.


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