Double Dippers

This is not about rude party guests who stick their chip into the guacamole twice, and the subsequent flogging they should receive.

What this is about is people who retire on Friday, get the gold watch and big send off, and are back at work on Monday, doing the same job.

And the subsequent flogging they should receive.

The Toronto Star published an article in June covering the plight of new and substitute teachers getting a foothold in the world of DD's. They also contend, however erroneously, that theirs is the only profession in which this occurs.

My Darling Bride and I both work in the public sector where this practice is commonplace, if not rampant.

One of the few 'perks' of working for a government is that the pension plans generally have a 'magic number' of combined age and years of service to strive for. After you have reached your magic number, you may retire with full pension and benefits.

In my case, my magic number is unreachable, as I got on board too late. I will have to work until 2 years after I am dead to reach it. I currently work with two people that are retired from our department and working 'on contract' or as 'consultants' or more commonly, double dipping. Don't get me wrong, I like these guys and I value their years of experience, but they are taking slots that could be filled with other staff, and allow people to move up or realize other career goals.

M.D.B.'s magic number is also unreachable as she is part time. Has been for eight years. There are DD's (double dippers) on her job that are filling spots part time. To my mind, two part time jobs equals one full time job.

Now, you might say that the DD has specific skills that are hard to replace. I say that twelve pages did not suddenly fall off the calendar. They could have trained their replacement long before they retired. They are also preventing staff with less experience from moving up.

From an employers perspective, it is good value. They generally pay these staff at a lower rate, and do not have to contribute to their benefit fund. From a DD's point of view, lets look at the numbers. Let's say that their hourly wage before retirement was $30/hr, and their pension is 66% or $20/hr. If they make more than $10/hr they are making more than when they were working, doing the same job, for the same employer.

In my opinion, if you want to stay working, then defer your retirement. Or retire and find something else to do.

My Brother-in-law did it right. He achieved his 'magic number' in his late 40's, took his retirement package, then got a paper route. He still had a reason to get up in the morning, and made extra income. I worked in the taxi industry with many retired persons supplementing their income by driving a few hours a day. There are plenty of opportunities for Retired Persons for part time work or even a second career.

Double dipping, be it chips or work, is just plain greedy.

DJW

Chronic Pain

A chronic pain is what some would call me but that is not what this is about. This about treatments and strategies for dealing with ongoing chronic pain. I am not a medical professional, a Pharmacist or Physiotherapist; I am a chronic pain sufferer who has developed strategies for coping.

In fact, I have suffered from chronic pain for twenty odd years now. It started when I was a welder in a school bus factory while in my twenties. The repetitive heavy lifting and deep bending took its toll, and eventually the pain stopped going away. On my last day there I had taken eight Tylenol 2's before noon and was still in enough pain to be distracted.

I won't go into the diagnosis but it took one Doctor two pages to describe. I was on a steady diet of codeine, anti-inflammatories and stomach medications (to combat the side effects of the AI's).

I was taking over $300 a month of prescriptions, and it wasn't working well, in fact it was hurting me. One Doctor ordered blood tests before treating me, and then refused to help me until I got treatment for alcoholism. This was a surprise, as I was a social drinker, but by no means a problem drinker. I couldn't afford booze and medications at the same time.

This is when a light went on. I was in pain, the drugs weren't helping, my stomach and liver were being wiped out, and I couldn't concentrate or remember the simplest of lists.

I had to do something.

I started reading.

Turns out Codeine has the same effect on your liver as alcohol. Hence the false blood tests indicating alcohol abuse. The part of the liver that is attacked is the part that processes vitamin B12, which in turn fuels short term memory. Which is why chronic alcoholics can't remember the night before, and why I couldn't remember a 4 item grocery list from My Darling Bride. This part of the liver also doesn't regenerate, so I now must take B12 supplements for the rest of my life.

So then I had to find something to replace the Tylenol. Something that wouldn't screw me up worse than I was. Anything OTC was ineffective. Anything prescribed was expensive and included anti-inflammatories, which were hard on my stomach.

Pot was illegal.

Then I found natural remedies. This was many years ago, before you could get St. John's Wort at Shopper's or Shark Cartilage at Zehrs.

After much research, I came across combination of compounds that actually worked.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a natural sulfur compound. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is also a muscle elasticizer. I also believe that MSM cleared up the Tinea Versicolor that had affected me since I was a lad. What most data won't tell you, and what I stumbled on through discussion and more research, is that you need equal doses of vitamin C to metabolize MSM if you have liver damage.

Chondroitin and glucosamine are usually sold and used in conjunction and are often combined in one capsule.

Chondroitin is a critical component of cartilage, and normally breaks down with age. It is the part of cartilage that help it resist compression. (hence, creaky grinding joints). Those who over work thier joints will suffer cartlige breakdown sooner than others.

Glucosamine is another part of cartilage make up, and acts as a lubricant of the joints.

Celadrin is newer to the scene, and promises to have all the effects of the other three combined. It is available in a capsule and as a topical cream.

What I must stress is the following:

• None of this works like taking asprin for a headache. You must take them regularly, in large enough doses, and wait 4-6 weeks before you feel any noticable gains.
• This will NOT make you completely pain free. For me it makes the pain manageble so I can get on with my day.

I have been using this treatment for over fifteen years now and I am happy to report that I can move pretty well on most days, I can think pretty clearly, and my stomach is intact.

As with any kind of treatment, consult your Doctor, do some resarch, and give it time.

DJW