Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#61

Post by lumost » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:26 PM UTC

twawaaay wrote: post #40

The question is "Can you program"? If the answer is "Yes", then stop watching TV, playing video games and lurking on the internet. Honestly, this will sound heartless, but if you can play video games you can also work. The problem is more in your head and you need to shed the victim thinking and start focusing on what valuable you can do. Even if your output is less than it was before, you can probably pay for a reas…

This advice is not particularly effective. Getting hired into a backend firm is tough as all of them want the same things, if you don’t have those things - then getting a company to “yes” is hard.

People watch tv and play video games because they do not have a high mental demand. If you are on pain medication, or going without - your “free” mental cycles may be non existent

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#62

Post by mohas » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:26 PM UTC

where do you experience the pain? does it get worst or better on certain occasions?

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#63

Post by londons_explore » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:26 PM UTC

Consider moving to a cheaper country.

By selling everything you own in the USA, you might end up with many many years of living expenses in say Thailand.

In todays world of remote work, even getting a tiny number of consulting jobs, at US rates because you have (presumably) a US education/work history, will then pay the bills.

Many countries have small populations of American/British people you could join. Check visa eligibility first - some countries are far easier to get into than others.

Obviously this probably depends on the whole family wanting to move - and thats a big decision for you to all make together.

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#64

Post by sejo » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:26 PM UTC

Do 1 task a day, no matter how small it is, do it consistently for a week or two. Then every other day you do 2 tasks for a month, and you start working up to a point where you feel you do what you can within your limits and get joy from that 1 (or 2) items you can scrap off.

If you live with family focus your tasks maybe on easing their life, pull out 10 weeds out of the garden, take out the trash, fix a squeaking door. Small but attainable things.

Chronical pain is a mess, it's relentless and it's always there, it doesn't go away, but you learn to deal with it. Focus on the pain initially, learn what pain you have and focus on it. I learned to focus on it and make a mental note (do not know how else to say) that it's not worth paying attention to, and I get by without medication. It's not always easy and there are days where you want to cry and cry and just fall asleep so you do not have to feel it. It's normal and accept that not all days will be the same and successful.

It's a tough hill you are up against, but all shall pass and all will be well in the end. It's unbelievable sometimes, but all shall pass. Remember that.

Good luck, don't falter, reaching out is the first step!

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#65

Post by Neil44 » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:27 PM UTC

Is there something you could do on fiverr or upwork? As these abstract you from the customer a little more, and good comms and service will get you a long way.

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#66

Post by haskellandchill » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:28 PM UTC

I had bad RSI and lost the ability to work like I used so I adapted, can't force anything. I was homeless and worked at McDonalds and Taco Bell before getting a car and delivering pizza. Now I'm back at a startup and can work again. If I push myself too hard my hands will hurt so I don't. Only advice is fight with everything you have but don't push yourself harder than will allow you to rebuild and recover your health. America sucks. So does most of the world. There is no country to go to and be free in. Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#67

Post by twawaaay » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:30 PM UTC

lumost wrote: post #61

twawaaay wrote: post #40

The question is "Can you program"? If the answer is "Yes", then stop watching TV, playing video games and lurking on the internet. Honestly, this will sound heartless, but if you can play video games you can also work. The problem is more in your head and you need to shed the victim thinking and start focusing on what valuable you can do. Even if your output is less than it was before, you can probably pay for a reas…

This advice is not particularly effective. Getting hired into a backend firm is tough as all of them want the same things, if you don’t have those things - then getting a company to “yes” is hard. People watch tv and play video games because they do not have a high mental demand. If you are on pain medication, or going without - your “free” mental cycles may be non existent

When I was burned out I got hired into a large bank (think Citi, Credit Suisse, maybe not necessarily Goldman Sachs which has high standards).

They have huge amount of backend. Super slow development filled with people who do not have large ambitions and only express them so that they are not labeled as waste. My principal developer was a woman from India who could not write a loop. She worked there for 6 years. Deadlines are not deadlines, only suggestions (just make sure you are not working for a team that has regulatory deadlines).

Perfect place for a person that wants to just get by with as little effort as possible. You don't even have to think bad about it -- as long as you know how to code and are doing slow, steady, honest progress you probably are doing more than most of people working there.

As to playing video games -- yes, they have high mental demand. The only difference between solving problems while playing the game and solving problems in IDE is your will power. Games are fun and work not necessarily.

When I was burned out I would not do anything. I would lie still and do nothing because I had no willingness to. I think if you can play games you can also sit by the computer and do other things.

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#68

Post by bragr » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:31 PM UTC

londons_explore wrote: post #63

Consider moving to a cheaper country. By selling everything you own in the USA, you might end up with many many years of living expenses in say Thailand. In todays world of remote work, even getting a tiny number of consulting jobs, at US rates because you have (presumably) a US education/work history, will then pay the bills. Many countries have small populations of American/British people you could join. Check visa…

I'm sorry but if he's selling personal possessions to fund a car payment he's already behind on, he doesn't have the money to move to another country, even a cheap one.

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#69

Post by labrador » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:31 PM UTC

If you are in California and/or you are a veteran, then you have two avenues to explore. Both those things being true for me made it possible for me to stay off the street.

Re: Ask HN: I'm disabled and out of money. Now what?

#70

Post by ClumsyPilot » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:32 PM UTC

londons_explore wrote: post #63

Consider moving to a cheaper country. By selling everything you own in the USA, you might end up with many many years of living expenses in say Thailand. In todays world of remote work, even getting a tiny number of consulting jobs, at US rates because you have (presumably) a US education/work history, will then pay the bills. Many countries have small populations of American/British people you could join. Check visa…

be carefull with this, if something goes wrong in a country with weak rule of law, and customs you dont understand... A vulnerable person might not be in the best position to travel