affecting self employment

dogxtc

Hi
I am a self employed carpet and upholstery cleaner and I also work a late shift as a mail sorter. I have certified arthristis in my hand and I am seeing a specialist on friday regarding hip problems etc. My concern is I have to use my hands continually for heavy manual work and my working day consists of me feeling on the verge of tears all the time because of the pain. I have to use a scrubbing brush and pull triggers in my cleaning work and lifting and opening mail bags in the evenings makes it worse after a morning cleaning. Also I began to get very severe cramp in my calf muscles. On two occasions it felt that the muscle was imploding and it squeezed in so tight i could feel what felt like a couple of ping pong balls along the muscle line, and it felt floppy afterwards, almost like it had been torn in a sports accident. I read on site that someone is having muscle spasms related to arthritis and wondered if it may be connected in my case. I broke my legs eighteen months ago and assumed it may be as a result of that as I am awaiting a further operation for the bolts to be removed from the leg which is suffering that cramp. I have pains in my elbow, hands, fingers and hips and the doctors just smile pityingly. I don't want pity I want to be able to work as pain free as possible. |I went to the job centre to see if I could get any financial help if I had to give up my cleaning work and the result was an emphatic no because I am termed to work full time in my mail job but I bring home less than 190 a week and I can't survive on the top up the working tax credit pay. they have reduced my current payment probably because they are claiming an overpayment from a previous claim so I have to go to work 6 days a week and sleep about 2 hours a night before I wake with pains and can't get back again. I have had several helpful replies on this forum, so I just thought I would ask about further things as I'm not getting anywhere on my own other than to go to citizens advice but I work mornings and afternoons/ evenings mon to sat and can't get to see them because of their opening hours. I am deaf and can't just telephone people and most government departments do not respond to questions via email. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Mags