work options
TE, I mentioned to my HR person, I'm having some trouble breathing at work. They want to meet with me tomorrow (knee jerk reaction) and discuss bringing up to the main office (artificial air summer and winter), much longer commute 1 hour each way, and I will never adapt to that type of office environment. They think its a dust thing. Noone understands and I'll never be able to explain how the congestion is an issue.... I am moving into a new trailer next week on another project and will have my own office and if I were to get an air filter/humidifier, I would probably be better off staying in the field, weaing a dust mask as needed. What do you think? Hoosemec

I'm not following. What is your question?

Stick to the facts and don't worry that ENS is an unknown disorder. It is real, and you must believe that and defend yourself. Be confident and know that ANY of us would be forced to face the same situation if we worked in adverse conditions that affected our breathing due to ENS. I have to irrigate during the day in the bathroom and tell others what I am doing - at first I did not even know if I had ENS and thought I was a freak, so I acted ashamed and blamed myself only. Just tell your office what ENS is, don't be defensive because you don't have to be! ENS is real and if you need to ask for permission to move offices, have a humidifier, do irrigations, etc., you have every right. IF HR laughs or rolls their eyes, stay calm and firm and factual, knowing that you just know something that they do not, and they are oblivious because they are unknowingly lucky not to be in your and our predicament. Don't feel or act like you are making a fuss, because you aren't, and you aren't bothering anyone. You are being proactive about your health and you should be proud. I personally applaud you for speaking about ENS to others who may not understand. I am sure others who hide their health issues secretly admire you, even if they feel they must roll their eyes to fit in and avoid any turbulence at work. You know it is your right to approach HR about health related work issues, and if they penalize you, you will be able to hire a lawyer and possibly retire soon as a very rich person.

THey cannpt force you to move offices because you brought up a health issue, and they assumed it was dust. Stand firm - you cannot be forced into a post because of a health issue!! If they penalize you, ask everyone you know about "employment lawyers" and please consult the general counsel or legal department of your company about your options first. This should scared them into rethinking an enforced hour long commute because you brought up an issue..... Sheesh!

very well put erikavs. Sorry hoosemec, I didn't initially understand what you were talking about. Please remind me - how much of your inferior and middle turbinates where resected and what are your main symptoms and do they include chronic shortness of breath no matter how deep you inhale Or is your main problem just dryness and or regular congestion?

erikavs, TE I had the electric cautery/outfracture (TE, you mentioned before it looked like conservative anterior work. However, I was not blocked before the surgery, it was done as part of the nose job to set my previously broken nose, the Doctor never explained he was going inside the nose, ........and nothing but problems ever since. Still hoping for a recovery. I do experience some shortness of breath, at times, as a result, along with dryness/pain/loss of smell. I can however take a deep breath. Met with HR today, convinced them I "ok" to stay in the field as a construction manager. Lesson learned, I shouldn't have opened my mouth (unless, I absolutely was going to go out on disablility) because a. they will never understand, b. now they want a letter from my PC doctor saying I'm ok work in the field, how's that going to look when I am attempting to get lawyer/sue for medical malpractice? Hoosemec

You're right. If you are planing to sue it may be a problem. You can work around it if you go to a doctor privately and pay from your own pocket. That way there won't be any track of that. Although the party sued can always get your work place to reveal your medical/personal record there. If I were you I would ask that HR guy out to coffee (you buy) and they to have a heart to heart talk with him (of course only if you sense that he is a decent guy). Explain the situation, explain that you're OK for the field but that a letter from the GP will be used against you in the future if your situation God forbids deteriorates, and you will need to sue. Assure him that for the meantime you're managing with the symptoms and that the doctor has told you that there is a very good chance that things will improve in time, but in case they don't and it deteriorates you to not want to decrease your chances in a law suit against the doctor who did this to you. If he is a decent guy he will become your ally on this. If he has reservations you might want to point out that you are performing your job well and that everybody is satisfied by your results. Back to your symptoms: Do you feel constantly anxious and have a hard time concentrating: Yes, no, occasionally, and on a scale from 1-5 how bad is it? The same question goes to do you experience poor quality of sleep or sleep apnea since the surgery and how bad is it?

TE, on a scale of 1-5, 5 being best 1 being worst: Concentration, I can concentrate, however, when I become distressed with the symptoms it can affect this (say if I'm in an hour + long meeting talking construction, the conversations usually all over the place with many people talking, I'm doing alot less of the talking currently than I used to). I'd give myself a 3 on this down from a 4 1/2 prior to surgery. Anxiety, I'm not sure on this, it doesn't feel like anxiety, say if your going to give a presentation to a large crowd. More like worrying, how am I going to keep up with my 3 year old son who is now bursting with energy, struggling to keep up with work, and when will I be able to again enjoy life, softball, golf, gym, outdoors, ect. like before. Sleep, previous to surgery 4 1/2 would be out like a light 10-15 minutes with my head down. Now, about a 3, no longer can nap lightly. Also, taking Lunesta every night now. With the help of Lunesta, I'm getting decent sleep 7 hours +/- a night. Hoosemec

I hope you can talk your employers out of needing a doctor's letter, since you are contemplating a suit. Remember, lawsuits like these have such a short statute of limitations. Either way, that is pretty crazy that your employers took your complaint as a sort of threat to themselves, but maybe you can just say that you were hoping to explain why you need a humidifier, or some time off for doctor's visits - not that your work was compromised in any way. To get out of the dr. letter, maybe say that a general doc cannot evaluate your breathing and that you have already been cleared as totally healthy in a general exam. Don't get anything on record about ENS or your nose from the doc - just get a general checkup and hand it in. That way, nothing related to your nose will be on there - and you can defend yourself by saying that only superspecialists like Dr Houser can evaluate how this affects your health, anyway.

I have a letter from the doctor who operated on me saying I'm "well healed". This was written recently to dispute a memo I sent him regarding my current condition. I may use this for the work file, as none of the other ENT doctors or my PC seems to want to "clear" me otherwise.

Your PCP does not want to clear you (bc he believes the ENS?) That is unusual, since most don't know much about ENS. Can't he just clear you on general health? IF work demands it beyond the letter from your surgeon - hope that is good enough.