What to do?

[Andy Collins]

As a few of you know, I have recently undergone major surgery, well 2 ops actually, and then had to rush back in hospital with kidney failure. I'm now home and hopefully in the clear this time, my minimum recovery time is expected to be around 3months, but to get back to work fit anything up to a year. Now I have been active in arb work for the past 15/16 years, on the tools side rather than anything else. I can't see myself changing career drastically at 47, but do wonder what I can do in this trade that is going to be physically possible while I recover. I have thought of Maybe sitting down and doing some more learning while I have the time, but it's only going to put me in the same position at best as many others who are struggling to find work. Im lucky, I do have a fairly loyal customer base at the minute, but I can't expect them to wait for ever for me. I could adopt a supervisory role, but at he moment I need a snooze every couple of hours, so hardly acceptable, and the other problem is that if I were on site the frustration of my limitations would tempt me to do something daft like work!! I don't really wish to be employed, no t that at the moment Im employable anyway, but it's important for my recovery to have some achievable goals. Ideas please, and if you've been in the same boat, what did you do? Cheers

[Johny Walker]

andy, have you got some 1, you trust to do the work for you ie a subby ,so no need to get physical ,just the paper work ,

johny

[Andy Collins]

I do have a couple of people in mind, but I feel I should be on site, which currently is an issue, plus I want to be on site. I know I can't run before I can walk, literally, and I can only stand for very short periods of time, let alone do much at all. I know I need proper recovery time, and to rush in may well be detrimental to my overall recovery, so I have to really sensible for the first time in my life!!

[David Humphries]

Mid to long term goal - Tree inspection?

 

You know trees, you have the time to take on education. (PTI, report writing etc.....)

 

Will keep you in the industry, and will deliver some form of keeping fit pounding roadsides & property perimeters.

 

 

 

.

[Dak]

Maybe you could go to site at start and end of the day to make sure alls squared away.

 

How ever you do it I wish you a speedy recovery!

 

All the best!

Dak

[geoff]

Advice above sounds good,get a decent subby in for your booked work,& look to any good 'study from home' courses to get your teeth into.

Wishing you a speedy & full recovery.

[treemeup]

can you manage to stay away from site and just pop out from time to time (round tea breaks!)

maybe make some stuff on a lathe in the meantime and do some reading up like you say.

I had a lay off for a while year before last and got into doing some carving, it's not like work but keeps you going.

wish you a speedy recovery

[Mason48]

Sorry to hear about your situation hope things improve for you.

 

I would take it as an opportunity to work on your business rather than in it. As long as you have someone to trust on site to run things then use other subbies or employ staff depending on your work load even offer a short term managerial role so you can concertrate on getting better. I appreciate there are financial implications of doing this and only you know if it's possible but even if it keeps things tickin over till you are fit and well then surely that's a good thing and you never know it may end up putting you in a better position for the future?

 

All the best.....

[Husqvarna King]

Wish you a speedy recovery mate - I was away from work from sept 2010 till March 2011 with illness. Was the most fraustrating thing ever and took a while to get back to speed and strength when i eventually went back. The main thing you should concentrate on is getting back to normal - try and forget work if you can - It would be best to go back in a year than try and rush back and put yourself out of work for two years or permantly. I know thats not what you want to hear!

 

Good luck:thumbup1:

[hazzygawa]

Take a rest for a couple of months, then get the subby you trust with his mate to do the work. If you trust him you should bbe happy with their work standard; therefore no need to check the work unless there is a complaint.

Try to take easy. Hope you get better and better each day.