what to expect health wise

[jan behnke]

What to expect health wise being a refrigeration engineer
Well we all start off young fit and healthy in this game hopefully, I am in my mid forty’s know and have been on the tools in the UK for over twenty years, and i am falling to pieces. Here it is, do any of it sound familiar to you.
Bad back.
Right leg shorter than the other caused by carrying my toolbox at the moment it weighs 18kg.
Strained relations with my wife, in the summer I am working too much and in the winter I am not bringing home the money no over time.
Hypo glycaemia caused so the doctor said by irregular hours and eating on the hoof.
At the moment I am on my second hernia, to many compressor changes on my own, the doctor told me to change my occupation ha ha ha.
A constant ringing in my left ear working in noisy plant rooms.
Last but not least, two years ago I took up running to keep fit for the summer months, last august I had to give it up due to very bad pains in my knees, I had them examined by orthopaedic consultant, he told me to give up running completely as my knee joint’s had worn away. Not by the running but this had accelerated the process but by my occupation all the bending down ect, over the years, so I need two knee replacement’s but I am to young to have it dun.
But I am still working, will I last to I retire.
www.on-the-tools.co.uk

[Latte]

Hi Jan,
Had the same conversation ith my doctor the week before last, Totally ****ged up digestive system from eating at weird times and not getting enough sleep and it's only April. Doesn't help that i now also smoke 20 a day.
Traveling a stupid amount of miles now so putting on weight & smoking all day long. Whats worse at least you are in your'e forties, i am only 32 and completly shot to pieces. The is definatly a job for the youngsters, once you have a family forget about it.

Regards

Raymond

[chemi-cool]

hi jan,

it sounds like you are not going to be with us for a long time.

why not sell every thing you have, take your wife for a trip around the world,
and the worst will be, that you come back much happier person,

thats life my friend we all work too many hours every day and very change to another profession.

being a bit older then you in a much worse wheather, 12 hours a day all year round, all I can suggest to you - find an hour a day for a gym workout with weights, will make you a new man.

p.s. loved the story of the split full of insulation foam on your site.

chemi

[baker]

In the good old days, the typical scenario was to become an apprentice at 15, work on the tools as a tradesman until 35, and then work in the office until retirement. It was uncommon to see people over 35 crawling around and getting dirty.

In Australia now, apprentices are less common and you often see 50 and 60 year olds on the tools.

[RogGoetsch]

It doesn't have to be this way (health problems blamed on the trade.)

I consider myself lucky to have an active job. Best thing I ever did was to walk away from an office job and pick up tools. That was 16 years ago on my 40th birthday.

When I'm working on a roof and see office workers in neighboring windows, I know they are probably thankful they don't have to do what I do. But I am glad I don't have to be stuck in an office any more.

When I had a desk job I found it too easy to eat out of boredom: snack machines in the coffee room, lunch every day, sitting on your butt all day, etc. I dropped weight when I started carrying tools and climbing ladders.

I only eat when I'm hungry and then usually salads. I lift carefully, and climb carefully: if I'm injured, I'm out of business. I, too, have tinnitus (ringing in the ears) but everybody has something. Swimming and mountain biking are my sports of choice; I wouldn't run because I want these joints to last.

Most importantly, I think, is that I love what I do: troubleshooting, B.S.ing with customers, most of whom I've known for many years, sitting on a rooftop on a beautiful afternoon putting tubing together on a job I haven't had to bid.

Yeah, I hate getting wet and cold, looking for a leak I can't find, getting bloody knuckles, working 12 hour days when it's 105F, etc. But it ain't so bad. You can keep your bleeping desk!

Rog

[jan behnke]

I took early retirement 7 years ago ha ha, and moved to north Devon as I used to work in London, now I distress with some surfing at the weekends
PS
First day on call Monday weather 22c start 7am finish 10.3pm
It’s a go life

[Big Ed]

now I distress with some surfing at the weekends

There's a world of difference between distress and de-stress! Which one did you mean?

[jan behnke]

De-stress sorry