Oh , good grief , Betty.  I know what you are saying.  Take Care , Hugs,
Kathy
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----- Original Message -----
From: Betty B <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2000 11:08 AM
Subject: Re: Retirement


> It's not starting a flame war to ask a legitimate question. I did write a
> long piece so you may have missed the part that indicated that I was fired
> from that job.  I held onto my Navy job longer than I should have too.  I
> just couldn't bring myself to apply for disability retirement.  I fought
it,
> and they fought me.  The one thing that feels good about the Navy job is
that
> I didn't really let them push me out.  I waited until I knew I couldn't do
> the work anymore.  When I finally did leave, it was long before my
disability
> retirement was straightened out.  In fact, I had to go out on sick leave.
I
> had never abused it before and that was a blessing.  But I went a year
> without that retirement.  Social Security approved my disability claim
right
> away, but my federal retirement just kicked in this month.  I was without
> health insurance from June 5 to just last week, and didn't even have the
> medications I was supposed to be taking.
>
> I have a different disability from you and my disability is progressive.
I
> was no longer able to do the work Chester.
>
> In fairness to my part time job, I have to say that they kept me on as
long
> as they possibly could -- a lot longer really.  They knew I loved it there
> and loved them, and they tried their best to accommodate me.  I know it
was
> tough for them to tell me I couldn't work there anymore.  I knew I
couldn't
> too, but I loved them too much to make the decision myself.  I was killing
> myself trying to stay and do even the little things that they whittled my
job
> duties down to.  It's a very small business though, and they need every
> employee to be able to do everything.
>
> I didn't eat for a month over that.  I wanted to die, I tell you, and I
made
> myself very sick by not eating.  It wasn't my choice to stop working.  It
> wasn't my choice to get thrown off the face of the planet.  That's how it
> felt at the time.  It doesn't quite feel that way now, but it did then.
> There's no anger in these statements.  I'm just telling you how it felt at
> that time.  I love all those people.  That's the only thing I can do.
> Resentment would be like eating rat poison and waiting for the rat to die.
>
> Now I just do what I can do.  Sometimes I can just feed my animals and
that's
> it for the day.  This week is pretty good though, and I seem to be able to
> get more done.
>
> Next week I might be in bed much of the time.  That might go on for
several
> weeks That's why you guys are so important to me.  I have friends in the
> neighborhood who help me if I can't get to the store and stuff, but you
guys
> are my lifeline.  You are the people who really get what this whole thing
is
> about.  We have a pretty good situation here though, and the fact that we
all
> have disabilities is sometimes just a coincidence.
>
> Betty
>
> In a message dated 11/22/2000 7:37:56 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> > Betty,
> >
> >       I don't mean to be a problem or to start a flame
> >  war or anything like that, but if the store job was a
> >  fun job for you with the way you described it, then
> >  why give it up.  If I find a job that I really like
> >  doing, then they're going to have to literally kick me
> >  out to stop me.
> >
>
>
> Betty
> aut viam inveniam aut faciam
> "I will either find a way or make one."
>