Keith Browning Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 No doubt this is a rough business in many many ways but what about you? How has this business and career choice affected you personally? Do you have any job related injuries with lasting affects? Do you have pain? Treatments, surgeries or just plain ol wear and tear? Anxiety and mental issues are also problematic for a lot of people too. I have had bouts of anxiety myself that have had an effect on my performance at work... some of it caused by work! So I am just curious and this is something we have never really brought up. I turned 50 last year and I have been a tech for 31 years and counting. I had early bouts of back pain in my 20's from over exertion and lifting the wrong things the wrong way. I have learned to NOT do those things. Injuries for me are extremely rare but I am now starting to feel the wear and tear of 30+ years of pulling wenches, jumping up and off of trucks, moving heavy parts, using air tools and so on. I stiffen up on the ride home from work. I have a trigger finger caused by smacking a wrench with my palm. My feet hurt. After 12 hour days my ass is grinding the floor. I am beginning to wonder how much time I have before I develop serious limitations or problems and retirement is nowhere in sight. I can't be alone. Please share your stories, experience and thoughts - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeR Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 I'm 53. Don't wrench full time any more, but still do on weekends, and any time I'm not travelling. 17 or 18 years ago I cut my right index finger off. Dropped a transmission pump on it. That aluminum is sharp! Had it reattached. The infection in the bone gave me arthritis in all the neighboring joints. The finger works, and there is some feeling back in it, but it was a lasting injury. I also had an air chisel bit shatter. I had one metal sliver travel clean through the webbing between my thumb and index finger. One embedded into the bone in the same finger I severed. Had 5 pieces in my chest, but not deep. I could pluck them out. The Doc had to dig out the one in my finger. That sucked. Add some hearing loss and varicose veins in my legs and that's what I can attribute to my trade. It still pales in comparison to what farmers and plenty of others do to themselves. I've done worse things to myself on motorcycles to bitch too much about work anyway. Joe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 I turn 59 in a few days. I sold the shop 15 years ago to teach full time, the best thing I ever did. I got healthier- my back felt better, my feet felt better, and my mental attitude improved. Fortunately I don't have any direct job related injuries even though I've been wrenching since age 17, I still wrench part time in my hobby shop because I enjoy it. My back is bad not only from wrenching but a car accident as a kid. The heavy parts in truck repair take their toll. Overall I consider myself very fortunate as many of my tech buddies have permanent injuries. I think the biggest problem at my shop was stress- keeping 3 techs pointed in the right direction, handling the customers and parts was about all I could handle. I didn't have a writer but did have a secretary. I sympathize with you guys- it's a tough job and mostly unappreciated, especially in a FMC store. If you're doing 12 hour days I'd suggest you cut down and pay attention to your body more. Good luck, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredsvt Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 50, 51 in September. 11 blown discs, C7/C8 worst, has spinal cord bend 90 degrees upward. Loss of feeling in primarily my right hand, last 3 fingers. Ulnar nerve affected in both arms, impeded in shoulders and elbows. Carpal tunnel, severe. All of the above are inoperable, or as my spinal surgeon told me "you really DON'T want to do this surgery", which goes in from the front, they'd have to remove my thyroid (nodules), then give me a vertebrectomy, removing most of the cervical spine, and replacing it with a titanium "spinal column" but, it's not flexible. I'd be wearing a halo for 6 months, as the bone grows onto the titanium. I've been told the carpal and ulnar tunnel issues, there's no point since the nerves are impeded at the neck. Some disc damages are from work, others a minor motorcycle crash and 3 bad road bike crashes. The nerve damage/interference often causes false pain in my shoulder blades, mid and lower back. Left knee screwed up from years of kneeling on it setting up lifts. Now using pads, or thick cardboard to lean on. I'm already limited to how long I can stay bent over doing under hood work. I always tend to set any car on a lift and raise it so I don't ever have to bend over, no matter what I'm doing. I have real problems with 19.5 wheels and tires and the 20'+ aluminum rims on trucks. I've been tested by an audiologist, luckily I have no hearing loss, but I have bad tinnitus, not caused by work. Vision, well, when I hit 49, forget it. I'm still getting used to having to wear glasses. Since all of us where I work are 50+, we're known as the "geriatric mechanics" by some customers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted July 27, 2018 Author Share Posted July 27, 2018 Gheeze Fred! I feel like a pussy after reading that! And you still turn wrenches... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 Yeah I chipped a nail today, guess I'll keep it to myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddieseldoctor Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 2 hours ago, Fredsvt said: 50, 51 in September. 11 blown discs, C7/C8 worst, has spinal cord bend 90 degrees upward. Loss of feeling in primarily my right hand, last 3 fingers. Ulnar nerve affected in both arms, impeded in shoulders and elbows. Carpal tunnel, severe. All of the above are inoperable, or as my spinal surgeon told me "you really DON'T want to do this surgery", which goes in from the front, they'd have to remove my thyroid (nodules), then give me a vertebrectomy, removing most of the cervical spine, and replacing it with a titanium "spinal column" but, it's not flexible. I'd be wearing a halo for 6 months, as the bone grows onto the titanium. I've been told the carpal and ulnar tunnel issues, there's no point since the nerves are impeded at the neck. Some disc damages are from work, others a minor motorcycle crash and 3 bad road bike crashes. The nerve damage/interference often causes false pain in my shoulder blades, mid and lower back. Left knee screwed up from years of kneeling on it setting up lifts. Now using pads, or thick cardboard to lean on. I'm already limited to how long I can stay bent over doing under hood work. I always tend to set any car on a lift and raise it so I don't ever have to bend over, no matter what I'm doing. I have real problems with 19.5 wheels and tires and the 20'+ aluminum rims on trucks. I've been tested by an audiologist, luckily I have no hearing loss, but I have bad tinnitus, not caused by work. Vision, well, when I hit 49, forget it. I'm still getting used to having to wear glasses. Since all of us where I work are 50+, we're known as the "geriatric mechanics" by some customers. My hat is off to you. But I do kneel on a square of carpet instead of the concrete. Especially since bad knees run pretty strong in my dad’s family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredsvt Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 At home, I was given a kneeling pad that came from Griot's garage catalog, I like it, but I see it being destroyed quickly at work. I like the idea of a carpet piece or carpeted padded piece of wood. Maybe I'll make one. I have to push through the pain. Can't afford to stop working. Most days are tolerable. 1 circumin pill, 2 ibuprofen in the a.m. before I go to work. If I need more, I'll take 2 more during the day. At night, if only moderate pain 3 ibuprofen before bed. If nerves have triggered muscle contraction pain, 1 Formula 303 pill. They work great, take 2, and you're out for 8 hours guaranteed. I will not take any opioid pain pills, they make me sick to start and really don't work well. On another subject I did research: I have a friend who's a disability lawyer, now an administrative law judge for the SSA. He saw my MRI report and said it was the absolute worst he's ever seen. I could qualify for disability, however, here's their requirements for SSI disabilty (permanent). Not working for a minimum of 5 months. Starting the process, that's when you stop working, taking temporary disability. Which is only partial of what you'd end up getting. The whole process, before you see a judge, can be up to 2 years. So in that time you can have zero money coming in. As part of the requirements, you must divest yourself of: all cars, save one, preferably old, spend all money saved, you can't have a 401k or pension plan, you can't have any stocks/bonds, IRA's or annuities. You're allowed to keep your home if you own one. After working 30+ years now, I'm not selling out for that crap which wouldn't pay enough to keep me afloat here in NJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddieseldoctor Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 The best kneeling pad I’ve ever used was one of those square flotation seat style life preserver things. I need to get one for at work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8WA Sman Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 On 7/27/2018 at 9:40 PM, forddieseldoctor said: The best kneeling pad I’ve ever used was one of those square flotation seat style life preserver things. I need to get one for at work. Great idea, I just picked 1 up over the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 10, 2018 Author Share Posted August 10, 2018 I have decided to have my feet, my spine and my shoulders removed. I should feel fine after that... or do I need to go for the lobotomy as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredsvt Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 After the past two weeks I wish I could have built-in body air conditioning. I truly despise humidity.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 The constant rain pattern we have been enjoying is also despicable. I hate these mid-day thunder storms that afterward the sun returns and there is steam coming off of the parking lot. Yeah, I just love wading in this shit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddieseldoctor Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Rain? Wtf is that? It’s so freaking dry here that all the marshes are drying up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredsvt Posted August 13, 2018 Share Posted August 13, 2018 Rain? Come have some. Today, nearly 10 inches in 5 hours. Needless to say, down by where I work, it was an absolute mess. Very localized. GSP washed away at exit 91, tons of local roads and highways closed. Amazingly, we kept power all day. Test driving through flooded roads on our usual test drive loop. Stopping at an intersection on my way back, across is an office park, out comes a UPS truck, water as deep as its headlights. And the rain was still coming down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
66glide Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 I'm 52 years old. I just sold my shop to my employee. I have a sore back, sore hips, sore shoulders, sore knees. Pretty much constantly. The nice thing now is no stress. I intend to work toward teaching as a "semi-retirement" job, and keep tinkering with and riding my old Harleys. Keith, I feel you. At your age, I'd be looking at trying to get out and do something different within the next few years. Best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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