Keyser

I tried to book a room at the Embassy Suites today and the conference rate is not available for Friday the 15th only Monday 11- Thursday 14th and then for single days either the 16th or 17th. I spent 45 mins + talking with an employee there and ultimately booked at the Comfort Inn for $110/night

So, it doesn't sound like you have any suggestions except keep the oxygen with me? With your FMLA application you can request specific workplace changes (like if you had a sore neck diagnosis and wanted a standing desk or different chair) without having to also submit a ADA app although that is an option some people have to pursue. The protections you receive are provisions of the ADA. No one advertises this and very few HR departments ever tell you about it, but you can write out your accommodation requests with your FMLA app. I appreciate you are trying to be helpful with the other input, but I was hoping to keep this thread to just one topic (yes, I'm on on Verapamil and have Imitrex injections and oxygen and know about D3). Yes, I understand busting. I know exactly why my assessments are triggering the attacks. They are mental health and AODA intakes. The clients are crying, they are emotional and afraid their children are about to be removed or they are going to jail or perhaps an inpatient psych unit. My emotions are up. It's stressful. After the intake is done, when I relax, BAM every time. It doesn't matter if I'm in the client's home or my office or if it's 8am or 4pm. It's the nature of what I do when I'm in a cycle those emotional responses are triggering for me when I come down from them. I know you are are trying to be supportive and helpful. I was just thinking if there were accommodations I should request initially that I haven't thought of yet. removal of fluorescent lights scent free zones at work noise canceling headsets providing sound absorption panels allowing flexible work schedule and non-traditional work hours providing a dark, private area to use oxygen non-glare computer screen work laptop to work from home being allowed to work from home more scheduled breaks

I'm completing FMLA paperwork for chronic cluster and looking for ideas for work accommodations. Others have recommended, "Ask for the moon, and see what gets approved." But besides for working from home and a work laptop to facilitate that, I don't really know what to ask for. I'm a social worker. I meet with clients (at their homes or in my office), do a 2 hour assessment, type it up, and refer them to a treatment agency. It's getting difficult to do. I'm canceling a lot of my meetings. I almost always have a cluster after every intake appt. Usually 1 intake appt a day and then the rest of the day is the follow up referrals. This was my dream job for years, but cluster has made me half an employee for going on 10 months. But even if I stop doing assessments or switch jobs, I want to know what kind of things have been helpful in the workplace for others. Thank you for sharing, Keyser

Does anyone have information on how long after you eat something you can rule it out as a trigger? Are my breakfast foods potential triggers for my afternoon cluster attacks or should I just be looking at my most recent meals? My neurologist told me I'd just drive myself crazy trying to figure this out and to just avoid alcohol. Any info is appreciated!

My chronic pain therapist recently suggested I get an emotional support animal (ESA) and frankly seemed let down that I wasn't into the suggestion. I have two dogs and a cat. One dog is scared of my oxygen and the sounds I make using it. If I'm honest, sometimes I'm so agitated during an attack I don't want them near me because I'm afraid I might hurt them. At times I've questioned if I could even care for them if my partner wasn't in the picture. I don't know what a service animal or ESA could do for someone with cluster. I feel the tingle in my head and I make a beeline to my oxygen. Having a dog with me just seems like it would make that take longer. Does anyone have experience with this? My therapist suggested I get the dog not afraid of my oxygen trained, but my thoughts are more along the lines of it's time for a new therapist that listens to what my condition parameters and life experiences actually are.