Hi, my name is photojim!

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photojim
photojim Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
in Start here and say hello!
Hi, I'm middle aged, have spinal nerve damage. Learning to come to terms with it.

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  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Hi and welcome to the community Feel free to join in or ask any questions 
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,468 Championing
    Welcome to the community @photojim :) How are you doing today? 

    Thank you for joining, and for introducing yourself. Have you had a chance to take a look around the community yet? Please do let us know if you need any support finding your way around. 

    Coming to terms with a new diagnosis or condition can be a long process. How have you been finding it so far?
  • photojim
    photojim Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
    I'm looking forward to having a look around and finding things.
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,123 Championing
    Hi @photojim sorry to read about your diagnosis, do you have support at home?
  • photojim
    photojim Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
    To an extent yes. But still new to it all
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,123 Championing
    It can take time to process it all. I have spine problems too, a lot of people on the site do, so your not alone with it. What do you find has changed for you the most?
  • photojim
    photojim Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
    A few things have changed. I used to be a runner, can't do that anymore. My job involves a lot of walking, I'm finding that hard. I find most things hard. I've lost my self confidence to.
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,123 Championing
    Yeah I can't run either. Have you had adjustments at work through oc health? I had to give work up, but that was years after diagnosis. 
  • photojim
    photojim Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
    Work have been ok about it , but they aren't fully aware of how bad it is, I haven't officially told them yet. My last employer did what ever they could to make life as hard as possible, accused me of lying about how bad it was, and wouldn't do anything to help 
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,123 Championing
    That's not great from your last employer, did they ask you to leave? 
  • photojim
    photojim Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
    No I left for a better job. My new employer is totally different. It has knocked my confidence though, wondering how people will react and if they believe me
  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 63,123 Championing
    Thing is, doesn't matter what they believe, there are regulations and laws in place and proceedures to follow. 
    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/7-8/10/enacted
    Link above is disabled employment act 1944, have a peek in your spare time. 
    Sounds like you got a better employer now and it's your old ones loss. 
  • photojim
    photojim Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
    Thank you, I'll have a read of it. Most people are ok about it, but you always get the odd one. 
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    edited September 2022
    Hi @photojim, something which might help with talking about your spinal nerve damage is Scope's advice on talking about disability, as it can be a tricky thing to navigate.

    I know that sometimes people's reactions might be negative or feel uncomfortable, and we might be worried about not being believed. It's important to only share what you're comfortable with. 

    I occasionally feel surprised when people I don't know accept my disability from the off, and hopefully people's attitudes are changing as time goes on. I like to think we are becoming more open minded, and accepting of difference and diversity as a whole, but there's usually always one as you say!

    Let us know if we can help with anything further, as you certainly aren't alone in experiencing this :)

    Alex

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