I went to college from 1970 to 1977 studying Biology hoping to advance into oceanography, but to no avail. During President Ford's administration, funding for ocean research was cut so my future was trashed during intersession of my senior year. I switched to business courses in my final semester. My opportunity was starting on the receiving dock at a consumer electronics company. Through 12 years I worked my up to Purchasing Agent. In 1981 I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease Stage 4B. With only a 5% chance of survival I battled it with chemotherapy and radiation until 1982. In the recession of 1984 I was laid off.
With the help of my generous parents, I didn't lose my house as they paid the mortgage while I attended a technical school for computer programming by day, and pumped gas at night. My dinners were in an alley behind a deli after they had thrown out what was not used that day. Graduated with honors and landed a job at a credit union. The pay was small, but what the hell, it was a job.
To make a long story shorter, I kept working through a few jobs until 1996. I was hired as Purchasing Manager for a picture frame company. Worked my way up to Product Development/IT Manager and then to Director of Manufacturing & Operations. At that point, in April 2008, I was downsized without warning and without any severance after 12 years. As we all know, trying to find a job at the time of America's economic collapse, and being 57 years old, was a scary position to be in. Countless resumes were sent out without any responses. My former boss from the picture frame company started up a new business and was nice enough to hire me in March 2009. I was able to keep my house thanks to him and thanks to my 2nd wife who is a pillar of strength. Business didn't go as planned and I saw the writing on the wall. I left in December 2010 and took a new position in January 2011.
July 26, 2011 I'm on my way to work in my car. All of a sudden, I can't catch my breath and begin to hyperventilate. My left arm gets tingly, my left shoulder has pain and the left side of my chest has pain. Then, my left arm goes numb. Of course I think I'm having a heart attack. I do a u-turn and head home. I call my wife who hasn't left for work yet. I begin to drive slower and slower but get to my driveway. I can barely walk into the house. She calls 911 and the EMT's show up and get me on oxygen. The right side of my face goes numb and droops. Now everyone is thinking stroke. I spend the whole day and half the night in the ER going through MRI's, MRA's, X-Rays, and Cat Scans. Every result is negative.
Since that day, I have not been the same.
Needless to say, in the 3 weeks preceding August 15th, I was able to work only 2 1/2 days out of 15. On August 15th I was let go. Now, I am at home again. Out of work and running out of money. No sympathy here people! I am not alone in this predicament.
