My question, how do those of you out there working as solo operators deal with injuries. The reason I ask is I have thrown out my back and the few times I have tried getting any work done has only made matters worse. How do you deal with clients and their expectations vs. taking care of yourself. I am about to have to cancel some work due to this not getting any better and me not be able to do the work. Canceling the jobs is killing me because its over $10k worth of work.
This is why I went back to working for a big company in 2012. I had some lower back issues that just wouldn't heal; there were times I couldn't even sit in the truck long enough to drive to a jobsite, much less do the work.
I figure that some sort of age-related injury will probably be the thing that gets me to retire. So far I've dodged the bullet, with nothing more than a few bouts of golfer's elbow from injudicious stake pounding.
An injury can grab you about any time. Two weeks ago I was on a ten-minute walk to lunch with friends when I failed to notice the only patch of ice on the sidewalk the whole trip, probably not seeing it for what it was because of wet spots elsewhere that weren't shaded like this one.
I landed on my back and the back of my head hit the sidewalk. I have had no outward signs of a concussion, but I don't feel quite right yet, like I was going to get a headache but it doesn't quite happen. I've been resting more than usual, which is the only treatment that I read of when there are no outward symptoms. Various sore muscles from the whiplash have healed.
That's what I am dealing with now. I spent an hour on a job yesterday and just had to leave as I couldn't take the pain anymore.
Holland, could you continue working if you were able to find someone to do the fieldwork while you monitored and mentored them remotely? At times, I've had my teenage daughter work with me, but away from me while I monitor and even control the equipment.
You have to be quick and honest with your clients. Surprisingly they will understand. Only a few will not come back. If you have been there for them, working with their problems, they will extend deadlines, postpone closings and be ok. The second time my back went out, I went beyond my doctor, found a chiropractor and had an MRI done. Now that I know what’s really wrong, I have been able to keep it from getting to total immobilization again. You have to take better care of yourself than other surveyors do. Take supplements, exercise your core, stretch, and learn the signs of pending inflammation. You also need backup equipment, backup computers and stop jumping creeks, just get wet.
Do you have any friends in the business you could reach out to for help?
In terms of loss income, I have short term disability. To keep the premiums lower, there is an 8 week grace period prior to the insurance kicking in. Once it kicks in it will last for 24 months. After 24 months I believe you are eligible for governmental disability.
I'm about 95 percent healed from my bulging disc issue that was pinching my sciatic nerve. In the past 3 months I have spent very little time in the field. I've focused on computer work and telephone activity. Even research work was not possible for over a month as riding in any vehicle hurt and tossing the books was not helping me to heal.
The field work was handed off to a friend. I can still make a little money over that expenditure but not a lot. It's the other work where I've been able to keep my spending habits secure. I have let some offered projects go, partly because the profitability hasn't been there and partly because I simply didn't care to take it on in the first place.
My injury was not attributable to anything specific related to the surveying business. As the big boys like to say: Poop happens, and then you die.
My lower back goes out couple times a year. About only thing helps is lots of walking and doing yoga plank and others to keep up core strength. I swear by this gizmo called ‘Tens 7000’ muscle stimulator (Amazon) along with shots of apple cider vinegar. Won’t fix a bulging disc pinched nerve but will relax muscles enough I can usually walk it out in a few days.
Best way to avoid injury is to keep moving around. Bending, stretching, walking, etc-- with the proper form of course.
Move to the office and hire a field surveyor.
