Jobs while on dialysis?

[gkcoley]

I am 24 and living at home.  I am desperately sick of feeling useless and would like to work.  The problem is im in a wheelchair AND on dialysis.  Any idea what kind of work i could do with physcial and time limitations?

[sullidog]

Perhaps some customer service type job either at home or at a call center, I am a collector for chase bank, it's a sit down job which in my oppinion is the best type of job if you are one of those who feels sick a lot from treatment, some FMLA and you are good to go.

[cattlekid]

I concur with the customer service job.  Another option would be medical transcription.  You can get a certificate as a medical transcriptionist, then the transcription service will set you up at home.  As long as you have some type of fast Internet, you should be good to go. 

A lot of customer service jobs are at home as well.  IIRC, all Southwest call center agents work from home.

[Deanne]

What areas are your skills and interests in? I'm a technical writer. My job could be done easily from home, which is why I chose it. I work for a large corporation and I do some private work on the side, too. If you have good writing and editing skills, there are a variety of ways to use them, such as helping people with resumes, copy editing (especially if you live in a college town and can post flyers at the college), transcribing audio, fact checking, and writing content for online sites like ehow.

[rsudock]

gk do you have any training or education? What about work experience? Also what are you interested in? Then I will be able to give better suggestions!

xo,
R

[RichardMEL]

I have an amazing friend who is also wheelchair bound (she has some kind of muscular thing where she has very little strength below her neck). Anyway this go getter doesn't let that get in her way. She works from home (or wherever she is, as she loves to travel!) as a writer and editor - something she can do wherever she has access to the internet! She's one person who inspires me in that regard.

So think something you could do online like that, or the customer service thing is not a bad idea - I happen to know jetBlue customer service agents all live at home and do their work from home ! I think they're all in Utah (LOL) but they are all plugged in so they can do that stuff from home - so it's not like there's not a precident for that kind of thing.

If that's not your go, then perhaps you could find other ways to reach out. What about volunteer on a counselling/help line of some sort? or act as a co-ordinator or tresurer for a charity or other organisation you may be associated with - you could do all that kind of stuff from home with a computer and a phone I would think.

Or, some kind of business thing - if you're a creative sort say designing gift cards, or writing newsletters, or heck running a porn site!!!  I think there are many opportunities

good luck!

[SugarBear]

This topic is dear to my heart as I have been longing to earn money for a while now.  I even went back to school to get my bachelors degree while on dialysis so I could make myself an attractive candidate for potential jobs. 

I have to agree with RichardMel, volunteering is a great way to network with people.  Many kidney organizations love to have volunteers to help them with day to day operations.  IPRO ESRD Network also welcomes PAC (Patient Advisory Committee) Representatives who can be their liaisons in the dialysis centers.

[gkcoley]

Thanks for all the responses, lets see if i can respond to some stuff.  Yes, i have a high school diploma and an associates in business administration.  I love to write, ive written poems and short stories but it is nearly impossible to get published in this day and age.  I have no work experience given the fact ive been on dialysis sicne i was 8 and been in a wheelchair sicne i was 12.  I live in a small town in east Texas so there arent really any places to volunterr except ranches and farms lol.

[RichardMEL]

mate, you have a phone, you have internet. In that respect whjat I was trying to say is that while you're obviously isolated in a small rural community that doesn't have to be the confines of your world - you converse with all of us here - I'm on the other side of the world, people are eveyrwhere. And, you can do the same - the main issue I can see is getting connected(no pun intended) to the right people/organisations to get going.

Kudos to you for getting your diploma and the business admin degree - that's absolutely fantastic. So, think of ways you can leverege those skills but in a way that doesn't require you to be there in person. For example, you could work on business plans, cost/benefit studies, projections, project management etc etc etc as long as you're connected to others by phone and net.

I think the Internet is your best tool here - but don't get lured in by those pyramid or other scams involving online marketing and the like - but I do think there must be ways you can find things you can do online. Like I said, my friend in Seattle who is also wheelchair bound does editing and writing from her home, or wherever she is. I understand it's difficult to get into, but perhaps the foot in is to offer services on a voluntary basis first - build up a portfolio of stuff that you can then use to find paid work of some form ot other.

Don't get me wrong it's not easy.. of that I'm sure, but you've clearly shown you have a strong drive to improve yourself and do what you need to - that's a real asset right there that you probably don't even see as one you have.