Hi there, I am a police officer, though I work in department so big I might never get to meet the Chief let alone be considered for anything other than being an officer. I have 22 years on and was planing on going to 30 until this thing in my head became to much. I want to last 3 more years if I can and then call it day, fingers crossed.
Most of the folks here on the department have been understanding, though they don't really understand what it is that I have. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "Trigem what?"
Anyway, when I have to describe it I tell people to look back and remember when they had a tooth drilled and the dentist struck the nerve. Most of the time they grab their face and say that sucked. I smile and say, "Yeah it does, and that's what I have in my head 4, 5, 6 times a week, sometimes just for a little while, sometimes all day long."
Most people can relate to the pain description. Those who can't, I can't help them. Its not that I don't care, but I don't have time for fools like the people you had to deal with. I'm really sorry for everything you had to go through on top of being sick. Bump me anytime if you want to talk...Houston Man
Othellocop said:
I was a police officer with 23 years in an ready to retire in two more. We changed The Chief of Police and had a man in the interim taking stock of things. He trusted me and I would tell him straight forward of any issues. During this time. He started preparing me to be a Lieut. This perturbed the other Sgt who then started a campaign of character assassination with the jr. Officers. He was very good at it and started making me a pariah.
It was during this time that my pains started and over a couple months I ended up on a cocktail of medications. This in turn caused some serious bi-polar problems for me. Never had it before but my heart goes out to those that do.
Suddenly our interim chief left and the city hired a man who they did not want but felt that they could not go through the hiring process again. He started to interview the officers and found they really liked the other Sgt. But, me not so much. He became embittered towards me and thought I was faking Tri-Geminal to get out of work. He didn't believe a cadre of specialist Neurologists and Surgeons who were very familiar with the disorder. He figured I must be fooling them.
Life finally became unbearable between the pain, his animosity and the medications side effects. I retired and tried to explain to him, do you want me to be in a pursuit when a pain hits? How about having a gun drawn down on somebody? If they don't see the malady or don't hear a familiar word like Cancer some people become skeptical.
But even with all that life is good. I've cut down my meds and just sucked it up for some extra pains but I recovered clarity of thought and realize it could be much worse.....it could have been cancer....