This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I am absolutely positive it would ruin my career. I have 4 years left, then I dont care who knows but until then, I will push it, fake it, whatever it takes. Of course if I got to the point where if I was to 94 someone and doubted myself, I would hang it up immediately. In this line of business its tough. The physical abilities test and gun qualifications are TOUGH. But so far I am doing ok. Were you able to get medical retirement based on your MS?

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w/m 44
The problem comes with the decision of weighing the unknown with the unknown.

Blessedly I was. The state where I worked handled retirement for local police officers. You were vested after 5 years, with disability(not SS disability) equalling almost 50% of the average of your highest four years salary. At ten years of service you qualified for medical too(for yourself only, though spousal and or family could be added for $$$). The kicker is that there is a limit on how much you can earn in addition before they start to limit or remove the disability benefit. Myself, I had 15 years on the job when I left. At the proper age the medical gets dropped for the ability to get medicare(oh joy).

I live in Fla and have 22 yrs on the job. But our state says to qualify you have to be permenantly or totally disabled. If there is a lower paing job that I can do then I have to take that. Dont get me wrong, I dont need disability but if the time comes??????

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w/m 44
The problem comes with the decision of weighing the unknown with the unknown.

I told my boss because I trusted him well enough not to share it. I did not tell even one of my co-workers. Who wants to be second guessed every time you just make a stupid mistake. Right?

The reason I did this was a MS friend of mine shared a story where at his place of employment HR started an investigation and complete drug use work up because co-workers reported he was 'acting funny' and 'tripping a lot'. If my boss knew hopefully he would be consulted before something like that ever happened.

My 1st sx (11/2009) and eventual dx coincided with a herniated disc and spinal cyst, so for a while I just told everyone I had a bad back mixed up with "some neurological issues," with a very small circle knowing about the possibility of MS (my sx are still 95% paresthesias).

When the 2nd opinion confirmed the dx in 5/2011, I thought about it for a couple of weeks and couldn't see any upside to being secretive. So I told my mom, sibs, close friends, bosses & immediate co-workers, always being careful to say that so far it was only about weird sensations. And now it never comes up unless I mention it, but I won't have to surprise people with it when I eventually do need some consideration...

On the other hand, my walking is just starting to get a little 'sloppy' and I don't know what I'm going to think when I start feeling a need to explain...

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RRMS dx 3/3/11; Copaxone since 12/1/11