Cornell Witte
Active member
A few weeks ago I injured my lower back during my full-time job shift. It wasn't a serious injury, but just a strain; the thing is lower back strains can be surprisingly severe.
I had trouble walking; sitting down was painful and I actually needed help standing up because the pain was so sharp. I had to fill out some paperwork and needed to go to the clinic. The pain was so sharp that I didn't feel like I could safely drive to the clinic... actually, I don't think I could drive. They asked if I could have someone come and pick me up, but I said I didn't have anyone available. Neither my supervisor, head manager, nor safety manager offered to give me a ride but instead offered to call a taxi. I told them I didn't have any cash (not sure if Taxis take credit card) and they somewhat ignored me and simply repeated that I needed to get checked out at the clinic and come right back to work ASAP.
I have felt down and depressed for probably many months before this injury, and I do a good job of hiding it, but when I went out to the parking lot and leaned against my car (too much pain to actually get in my car and sit down :0 ) I just started crying and shaking. Eventually I calmed myself down enough to call a Uber ride (they take credit card... yay).
After coming back from the clinic with a limited duty chit, they sent me home for the rest of the day. At home I was alone, and the back pain was to sever to lay down; I had to sleep sitting up in a chair. I couldn't cook so thank goodness for Donatos delivery. I don't have any family or close friends so my loneliness skyrocketed. I just emotionally lost it but somehow managed to return to work the next few days (not by choice).
I have been working two jobs, 7 days a week. My second job is a part-time weekend job, but it is standing in one spot for the 12 hour shift Sat/Sun; with my injury at the time standing was actually more painful than limp walking, so I decided to call in that weekend. That Weekend night, 5 days after my injury, I actually had enough strength to drive down to a large lake in southern Indiana. At around 1AM I took a Kayak out into the middle of the lack with the intention of "never being found". For whatever reason, I simply sat in the Kayak in tears. Maybe it was the tranquility of the lake, no one was out there except a hooting owl in the distance. Maybe I just simply haven't given up yet.
Today my back is back to normal, but the holidays are coming and they can be hard for me to cope with. I just can't help and wonder what I would do if something "bad" actually happened to me.
Thanks for reading this, I have been wanting to write something for a couple days.
Please do not quote this text, since it feels personal to me and I might want to delete it.
I had trouble walking; sitting down was painful and I actually needed help standing up because the pain was so sharp. I had to fill out some paperwork and needed to go to the clinic. The pain was so sharp that I didn't feel like I could safely drive to the clinic... actually, I don't think I could drive. They asked if I could have someone come and pick me up, but I said I didn't have anyone available. Neither my supervisor, head manager, nor safety manager offered to give me a ride but instead offered to call a taxi. I told them I didn't have any cash (not sure if Taxis take credit card) and they somewhat ignored me and simply repeated that I needed to get checked out at the clinic and come right back to work ASAP.
I have felt down and depressed for probably many months before this injury, and I do a good job of hiding it, but when I went out to the parking lot and leaned against my car (too much pain to actually get in my car and sit down :0 ) I just started crying and shaking. Eventually I calmed myself down enough to call a Uber ride (they take credit card... yay).
After coming back from the clinic with a limited duty chit, they sent me home for the rest of the day. At home I was alone, and the back pain was to sever to lay down; I had to sleep sitting up in a chair. I couldn't cook so thank goodness for Donatos delivery. I don't have any family or close friends so my loneliness skyrocketed. I just emotionally lost it but somehow managed to return to work the next few days (not by choice).
I have been working two jobs, 7 days a week. My second job is a part-time weekend job, but it is standing in one spot for the 12 hour shift Sat/Sun; with my injury at the time standing was actually more painful than limp walking, so I decided to call in that weekend. That Weekend night, 5 days after my injury, I actually had enough strength to drive down to a large lake in southern Indiana. At around 1AM I took a Kayak out into the middle of the lack with the intention of "never being found". For whatever reason, I simply sat in the Kayak in tears. Maybe it was the tranquility of the lake, no one was out there except a hooting owl in the distance. Maybe I just simply haven't given up yet.
Today my back is back to normal, but the holidays are coming and they can be hard for me to cope with. I just can't help and wonder what I would do if something "bad" actually happened to me.
Thanks for reading this, I have been wanting to write something for a couple days.
Please do not quote this text, since it feels personal to me and I might want to delete it.
