Originally Posted by
Johno1967 
The way I see it "we only got our health" to fall back on.
I can empathize with being working class and the lack of quality affordable health care in the states.
Seems to me you have to take some of the blame for your chronic health as well. You admit yourself that you exposed yourself to chemical hazards in the workplace beyond acceptable limits that others would tolerate. Health and safety is everyone responsibility not just your employer. While they have duties to provide PPE and reasonable protection from hazards you also have a duty not to compromise your own safety.
I'm an alcoholic so I did the same for decades, knowingly expose myself to toxic levels of a substance without any rational thought or reason.
Sounds like you have a choice to either start taking responsibility and action to look after yourself or you can choose go to an early grave.
Same with booze, same with all choices we make everyday, every minute of our lives.
The one thing i really regret in life is being a such a loser that i have to do things like this to make my way in the world. I mean, the job i described above is a rather crucial and important one in that field but in the end you have to be all kinds of a damn fool to do it for prolonged periods. Full stop. Another job i had that also involved some nasty chemicals was rather important and i was part of a hand picked team that did the work. We survived layoffs which eliminated our entire department and we were crucial to operations and yet, we were treated like crap. Imagine being in enclosed rooms saturated with enough chemicals that when you go outside for a break people can smell the fumes coming off your uniform at 100 yards. Why? I had to keep a roof over my head. Why? Because i'm a loser. Winners don't have to to those kinds of dirty jobs.
Worked custodial at a convention center and had this one dandy moment. A waste compacter was seriously overloaded and when the driver hooked up the dumpster to pull it, all kinds of trash was going to spill. Guess which idiot had to go clean up the trash? Imagine having to go with a shovel and trash cart wading into garbage that is waist deep that has been roasting in a dumpster at temperatures well over 100 degrees fahrenheit.
Well somebody has to do that job. Bet you anything on what kind of person ends up doing it. Also makes one want to consume alcohol 7 days a week and wish to die.
Spent a whole life on the wrong end of things. Now it's either Win or call time on all this.