Possible future career choices?

[BIGMAN131307]

I'm looking towards a future without seizures. So I am thinking of possible careers.
Some I have wanted to do for years, but couldn't. While others have peeked my interests
in recent years. So what do you think? Which career(s) would be right for me?
Have any of you have experience in any of these careers? Do you have any tips or suggestions, how I should get started?

 

[arnie]

I'm sorry, but I can't help myself here. I immediately decided that you should become a pole dancer! Sound like a plan?

Seriously, though, I think you would have to be seizure-free, and possibly even med free for a long time before you would be qualified for any of the emergency sorts of jobs. A diagnosis of epilepsy at any point might permanently disqualify you. As we know, stress can be a precipitating factor in szs, and those jobs are high stress and people's lives depend on responders being 100% fit.

That said, teacher, probably nurse, possibly corrections officer could be in the cards.

. . . or pole dancing!

 

[Nakamova]

Having had an epilepsy nurse who had epilepsy herself (as did her son), I think it would be terrific if you ended up in that line of work. Personal experience with a disorder such as epilepsy can potentially equip someone with empathy and insight that are sorely lacking in many of the teaching/helping professions. Whatever career path you follow, those qualities should be a plus.

 

[qtowngirl]

I think you would have to be seizure-free, and possibly even med free for a long time before you would be qualified for any of the emergency sorts of jobs.
That said, teacher, probably nurse, possibly corrections officer could be in the cards. ...or pole dancing!

:agree: re: emergency-related fields. sz and med free for a considerable amount of time, esp. driving emerg vehicles.

and TOTALLY agree with nak and arn re: neuro nurse. couldn't be more fitting and helping others after you've been helped with the same issues for so many years...... not many jobs would be that self-satisfying.

oh and just ignore arn with this pole dancing thing he's always trying to recruit.

 

[arnie]

oh and just ignore arn with this pole dancing thing he's always trying to recruit.

I recruited YOU didn't I? Oh, wait. That was supposed to be our little secret, wasn't it? A surprise for the orgy!

 

[BIGMAN131307]

Having had an epilepsy nurse who had epilepsy herself (as did her son), I think it would be terrific if you ended up in that line of work. Personal experience with a disorder such as epilepsy can potentially equip someone with empathy and insight that are sorely lacking in many of the teaching/helping professions. Whatever career path you follow, those qualities should be a plus.

I've seen that "lack of insight" when I was in the EMU. One of my nurses didn't realize I was having a Complex Partial Seizure. A family member had to explain what was happening, how long it usually lasted, etc. This was a good nurse but needed more training in the different types of seizures.

Having to deal with epilepsy for so long, makes my desire to help someone else with it greater. Besides that I've had previous training before. In college I was able to receive my CPR certification. I wanted to take the EMT course, but I didn't have time for it.
Unfortunately I let my CPR certification expire, but I'm positive I could get it again. I've family members who also where/are in the medical field. My aunt used to work as nurses aid in a nursing home. For about twenty years my mother was a home health aid. One of my cousins is currently a health aid in a nursing home. While another cousin is an LPN in another hospital. So it seems the medical field is a family trait.

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Does anyone have suggestions how to get a good start at any career?

Any other career suggestions?

 

[Janus]

I think that ART is the only way to go. It may be the only TRUE language for any of us.. the truth that can not be spoken in our very limited 'language'. we are bound by what we use as words.

 

[arnie]

Sounds like nursing is what you're interested in. Do you have a degree in a related sort of field that would help you be admitted to a nursing school? Do you have a nursing program near whee you live, or could you relocate? My sister and one of my daughters are nurses so I know it can be a pretty tough row to hoe to get an RN, but if that's your dream, go for it! I think that a health care person with first hand experience at szs is great. When I was a hospital social worker there were a number of occasions when I would be in the room with a patient and they would start having a seizure. The family, and many times the nurses, would get all flustered and anxious, and I would be the only calm person in the room. When the patient "came back" he would see all these scared faces around and then would turn to me cuz I was the only one who wasn't upset. It's good to be able to relate to someone that way.
One caveat: the healthcare field is not what it used to be. both my sister and my daughter have gotten out of acute care work because of the added workload, increased expectations, cutbacks in staff, etc. There are also fewer hospital social workers which leaves more of that kind of work to the RNs. It's my understanding that they are using LPNs less and less, and you pretty much need an RN to get a job. At least around here they seem to use mostly either nurses aides or RNs, not LPNs.
Anyhow, nursing can still be a great field, so if you want to go for it, find a nursing school, see what the requirements for admission are, and get to work!

 

[BIGMAN131307]

Sounds like nursing is what you're interested in. Do you have a degree in a related sort of field that would help you be admitted to a nursing school? Do you have a nursing program near whee you live, or could you relocate?

The only degree I have now is in business administration. There are several nursing programs near me. But choosing the best one could be a problem. A couple local hospitals, and area colleges offer them.

 

[C0urt]

I have a meeting with a vocational worker next month to see about getting my mcse and a few other certs, to see about getting some sort of technical support work that pays worth something.

 

[BIGMAN131307]

I hope that meeting goes well.

A few years ago I tried going for A+ cert. But I couldn't grasp the information too well. Give me the parts, and I can build a PC in minutes. But ask me how specific parts work, and we'll be there a while. If I could learn and remember those "specific details", I'd be working a tech job right now. I might have been working for......gag "Geek Squad".

I'm also planning on getting some job help: Vocational Training, College, OTJ Training, etc. But that's when I'm ready. I'm just trying to narrow down my choices now.

 

[C0urt]

the state might pay for the certs since i have epilepsy,

I used to be a mis and a network engineer before all this, and did a few other things, worked in a few call centers to, but that is the last thing you need is to a have a seizure while on the phone with someone and they think you have hung up on them. i need jobs i can do on my own pace. and I need quiet jobs.

 

[BIGMAN131307]

You should check to see if you have a program like VESID / ACCESS or EOC.

They help people with disabilities get jobs, training, etc. As soon as I'm ready that's who I'm going to see. When I was still in college the Career Center had a nice job lined up for me. The location and pay were great. But the job itself I was going to hate: answering phones. So I passed on it. Since I did graduate the two-year school, I can go back for some career help to.

 

[Cint]

I'm also planning on getting some job help: Vocational Training, College, OTJ Training, etc. But that's when I'm ready. I'm just trying to narrow down my choices now.

I went to Vocational Rehab several years after my brain surgery, but it didn't really work for me 'cause my memory is really, really bad. I'm like Court, I need quiet jobs and jobs where I can work at my own pace.

But I do hope you can find something in time.

 

[BIGMAN131307]

Thx,

I understand memory problems can be a real pita. My short term memory is flaky at best. Most of the time it's 60/40 I may remember stuff. Quiet jobs sound nice, but not mandatory. If I could work at my own pace, great. I'd have no problem working in a warehouse or manufacturer building PCs, if I could set my own daily production amount.
For me, I need to be in a cool place. So having an air conditioned work place is most.

 

[masterjen]

You could inquire about taking a job/career aptitude test through your local college, or perhaps there is a vocational training center near you that offers courses that include the aptitude test. I took the exam in university, and found it very enlightening - it gave me ideas of appropriate careers based on personality, interests and skills, and also gave me ideas of careers I hadn't even considered.

 

[BIGMAN131307]

I plan on going through a local program called Access/Vesid. They should be able to help get me on the right path. Whether it's back to college or job training we will see. I just want to get a sense of some options for me to consider.

The one thing I diffinately want to take is an aptitude test. I know things I like to do. But I need to know what things I could do well, and make good money doing it.

Some of my options (plus a few others) may be out of reach for me. Not because of
health or training, but because of age. Some have a *age cutoff at 35yrs. When I'm truly ready I'll be 37yrs.

*Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO)
*Fire Fighter
*EMT / Paramedic
Corrections Officer (CO)
State Trooper / County Sheriff
Neurology Nurse
Medical Testing Tech
Security Guard
USCG Civilian Worker
U.S.P.S.
Teacher
Pharmacy Tech
Computer Tech
Clerical / Library
Electrician / HVAC Technician

While some might not fit my personality. I'm willing to adapt to the right career if possible.

 

[C0urt]

can you pass the phsyical for these two ?

*Fire Fighter
*EMT / Paramedic

I thought epilepsy was a no for these

 

[BIGMAN131307]

I could pass the physical, just need to loose some more weight. (I've lost over 20lbs since my RTLS).

But unfortunately those have a maximum age cutoff at 35yrs. Once you hit 35yrs
they wont take you. A couple exceptions are military veterans, previous fire fighter
service, etc. Which wouldn't apply to me.

As long as I'm seizure free for # years with meds. or # years without, it's possible.

 

[C0urt]

cool, good luck