I am 20 and need help choosing a career path (preferably people with mining experience)

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Hello everyone, to begin I would like to say that I am going to be turning 21 this year, I live in Ontario, and I have had epilepsy ever since I was in grade 7 (mayoclonic brief muscle-jerks and 5 blackouts [put on new meds after last blackout that are promising]). Im afraid to say that already at a young age i feel like i am having difficulty in life and their is a barrier that prevents me from following my true passion in life. When I was in high school I always wanted to practice medicine and studied biology and chemistry for 3 years to find to find that i wouldn't necessarily be barred, but restricted from a range of practices. by this time i was finished highschool and i really did not know what to do because i thought it probably wouldn't be worth pursuing the field in my condition. I am still very and most passionate about science being my favorite subject in school, however in college (which i will mention next) i started to notice my epilepsy taking a different toll, my cognition is worsening (ability to solve problems) and my memory is deteriorating like my 60 year old dads (if not worse). (If it matters academically my gpa seemed to have dropped 0.5-1.0 range on average) As for college, i had to contemplate my career path because i could not pursue what i wanted to without many limitations (medicine), and so my parents told me that it would be best that I get a high paying job that is safe like a desk job, so they told me to go into IT. Probably one of the worst decisions i ever made, i knew nothing about computers and struggled, not to mention it was hard, boring, and i did not enjoy doing it. Sure its a short 3-year undergrad degree promising a solid 70k for beginners, but i felt that income would be the only thing to look forward to and not be depressed. after doing a year of IT (and passing the course) i decided that i needed to do something else, I should go back into science, so i looked into courses and decided to study mental health. It really was not that difficult except for some listing some of the contributions to the field in history, it was kind of like studying for biology which never was a problem. However know presently, my cognition and memory are deteriorating, it is becoming more difficult to solve problems and recall vast amounts of information, and so even my biggest passion (being science) is becoming extremely limited. It is now 2 years since I left highschool, as I said i am turning 21 this year, and am still looking for a career to pursue, i feel bad considering all my other friends are already in their 3rd year of college, I admit I am jealous and wish I didnt have this burden. I still dont know what to do, I pitched some crazy ideas to my parents who say no, its dangerous, they well get rid of you if something happens and the education will go to waste, your friends are almost out of college and your not even done one year, the list goes on. This time around being in Canada I was looking into mining, and I hope this is something I can pursue, it involves arc welding (i was kicked out of a welding class in highschool over liability reasons, however nothing happened to me), operating machinery (i would not drive), and long hours. It generally takes 1-2 years of college education and is very compensating. I chose mining for a variety of reasons that appeal to my interest, as well as being more associated with physical memory (e.g learning to ride a bike). My only concern would be is remote transportation, there may even be small towns dedicated to the resource, although i would still face the problem of driving to work having no public transportation in a place like that. At this point im just experimenting and seeing if i will be able to pursue the career i want to, but you can see how it becomes a big factor that alters your way of life in any situation and I do not have enough money too be throwing around to find out what is my calling, im thinking just stay in the course you paid for, at this point everyone else is finishing and will be working in their career field. This post was mainly aimed at people who had experience extracting resources such as minerals or oil, or welds with epilepsy (im not epileptic to lights or brightness), and telling me your point of view. i know epilepsy effects everyone at a different level of severity, but at this point after all i been through and lost, Im self conscious to open up without the stigma of "not being normal". thank you to anyone who read my super long post, and im sorry if i went a little off topic lol, whether you can relate or not and i welcome everyones feed back, and I pray for all of you as well :).

Comments

What a person with epilepsy

Submitted by just_joe on Sat, 2018-02-17 - 14:36

What a person with epilepsy needs to do is look into the different fields they want o approach and research those areas for any draw backs. Not only around driving or other things like that. But they need to research the fields like welding or working in the oil fields and see the different areas they would be working in and the different dangers they would be around. They have to research the companies files to find out if the company has certain criteria that can keep a person with epilepsy from working in it. I loved working with my hands. But I couldn't take shop in high school.Wood shop was out. Metal shop was out. Both were dangerous because of the machinery. Drafting was there and I started with that. SO I looked at it in a way many people wouldn't. If they won't let me make it I will draw it. Before getting out of my junior year I could take a motor apart and put it back together on paper and in my garage. I had my apartment and worked 40 hours a week. So I took college at night. I went to Mechanical Drafting Engineering and sat on my but for the first 1 1/2 hours when the drawing had to be turned in at the end of the 2 hour course that day. I drew it in about 15 minutes since I was given that same book and course my junior year. One MUST approach things and evaluate what they want to do nd look t all aspects of wht eah field of work can offer and the hinderanes they have to go thruIT is a challaning field and you do need to know a lot. If a company has several things they do then you need o be able to know the systems each part used. If sales you need to know a lot about the product you sell and other proiducts that will go with it or that can be associated with it. If managing you need to know all asoects of the company. How thingsar bought, sold. brought in, the way to price it, the way to sell it.Oh and the way to train your sales people in order to keep the custopmers happy. ways to sell items that can save them money they an use in order to save them time and can cut their labor hours down.You see I have worked in many different fields and been a part owner in a small business. Try being Part owner, Office and Warehouse Manager and everything else and I didn't drive but I did more to keep our profits where they needed to be and keep the bank happy.

I got through university

Submitted by Tadzio on Sat, 2018-02-17 - 15:39

I got through university before my epilepsy hit me hard. I already had FCC licenses for commercial broadcasting technologies, and I got degrees with honors both in psychology and business accounting. Epilepsy stopped my career plans flat; I think it was mainly prejudice, as how does epilepsy preclude even routine desk jobs? The courts didn't agree with me, so I got lifetime disability and now spend most of my time reading literature and studying whichever subjects pique my interests at any given time. Looking back, the best seems to be to try to do what you like best and hope it works out financially too. I might even read another cure-all book for self-employment like Adam Fletcher's The Freedom Factor, as technology is putting a larger & larger number out of traditional work (his e-book is supposedly free on his website through his link on his author's page on Amazon for his VIP newsletter, but I'm skeptical, though I bought his more recent non-free book through Kindle, with the title "Don't Go There!").

My parents were self-employed

Submitted by birdman on Sat, 2018-02-17 - 21:00

My parents were self-employed with a sawmill right there on the property we lived. The mill often served as a day care facility where we kids could stack wooden blocks or carry slats that were used to build pallets. And oh yes I had seizures.By the age of ten I was taught to use a bandsaw to cut blocks and by the time I was sixteen I was doing most everything else including using the bigger bandsaw with its 1 1/2 inch blade, the 18 inch "cut-off saw", and pneumatic nailers. About that time I also was learning to use the chainsaw and started to cut logs on the mill with its 52 inch blade. And since we were self employed we didn't need to (nor could we afford to) follow safety laws of the government's Operational Safety Health Organization so all these saws and flywheels had no guards around them to protect your flesh. The job I really enjoyed most was logging where I learned to drop trees very well.Of course because of the seizures my doctors told me I should not be working near these machines. The equipment and lumber were so available how could I avoid helping out. The greatest thing I gained from all of my experience was that I learned to enjoy working.But in school I had social problems including uncontrollable anger. I wanted to drop out at 16 but teachers told me I could not get a decent job without a high school and college education. I graduated from HS and took some college classes while I still had uncontrolled seizures. I wasn't sure what to do. My poor social skills left me unfit for office work or many of the other "safer" jobs my doctors would approve of.To control the seizures I had brain surgery. That didn't stop them. By the time VNS was approved I had already tried a dozen medications. VNS made a difference! My seizures didn't stop for several months but I did recover more quickly. I knew it was working and I knew this was my chance to go on to a safer and more profitable job. My skills with machines left me sure that a Tool and Die apprenticeship was right for me. Just before I went to my first interview I had my first seizure in months but I had to go on. Long story short I lost two separate jobs after the employer found out I had epilepsy. The would not accept the fact that I had so much experience in a more dangerous work environment and that I could feel my seizures coming on. My doctor's restrictions (no power machinery, no sharp objects, no heights, no driving) held strictly. My employer and I were not allowed to use our judgment. Today I am on Social Security Disability Income while I still do some sawing at the mill and woodwork at home. In summer I work full time on a fruit farm climbing ladders frequently and driving a tractor once in a while. The farmer know about my epilepsy but values hard workers that he can trust more that he fears liability. I'm glad we still have some people who aren't afraid to ignore the rules, but able to use good judgement.The doctor and many other people would say that my work threatens my safety. But the way I see it--if I would let those epilepsy restrictions and the fear of seizures control my life I would have killed myself long time ago. The work I do although risky has saved my life.

My parents were self-employed with a sawmill right there on the property we lived.  The mill often served as a day care facility where we kids could stack wooden blocks or carry slats that were used to build pallets.  And oh yes I had seizures.By the age of ten I was taught to use a bandsaw to cut blocks and by the time I was sixteen I was doing most everything else including using the bigger bandsaw with its 1 1/2 inch blade, the 18 inch "cut-off saw", and pneumatic nailers.  About that time I also was learning to use the chainsaw and started to cut logs on the mill with its 52 inch blade.  And since we were self employed we didn't need to (nor could we afford to) follow safety laws of the government's Operational Safety Health Organization so all these saws and flywheels had no guards around them to protect your flesh.  The job I really enjoyed most was logging where I learned to drop trees very well.Of course because of the seizures my doctors told me I should not be working near these machines.  The equipment and lumber were so available how could I avoid helping out.  The greatest thing I gained from all of my experience was that I learned to enjoy working.But in school I had social problems including uncontrollable anger.  I wanted to drop out at 16 but teachers told me I could not get a decent job without a high school and college education.  I graduated from HS and took some college classes while I still had uncontrolled seizures.  I wasn't sure what to do.  My poor social skills left me unfit for office work or many of the other "safer" jobs my doctors would approve of.To control the seizures I had brain surgery.  That didn't stop them.  By the time VNS was approved I had already tried a dozen medications.  VNS made a difference!  My seizures didn't stop for several months but I did recover more quickly.  I knew it was working and I knew this was my chance to go on to a safer and more profitable job.  My skills with machines left me sure that a Tool and Die apprenticeship was right for me.  Just before I went to my first interview I had my first seizure in months but I had to go on.  Long story short I lost two separate jobs after the employer found out I had epilepsy.  The would not accept the fact that I had so much experience in a more dangerous work environment and that I could feel my seizures coming on.  My doctor's restrictions (no power machinery, no sharp objects, no heights, no driving) held strictly.  My employer and I were not allowed to use our judgment.  Today I am on Social Security Disability Income while I still do some sawing at the mill and woodwork at home.  In summer I work full time on a fruit farm climbing ladders frequently and driving a tractor once in a while.  The farmer know about my epilepsy but values hard workers that he can trust more that he fears liability.  I'm glad we still have some people who aren't afraid to ignore the rules, but able to use good judgement.The doctor and many other people would say that my work threatens my safety.  But the way I see it--if I would let those epilepsy restrictions and the fear of seizures control my life I would have killed myself long time ago.  The work I do although risky has saved my life. 

My parents were self-employed with a sawmill right there on the property we lived. The mill often served as a day care facility where we kids could stack wooden blocks or carry slats that were used to build pallets. And oh yes I had seizures.By the age of ten I was taught to use a bandsaw to cut blocks and by the time I was sixteen I was doing most everything else including using the bigger bandsaw with its 1 1/2 inch blade, the 18 inch "cut-off saw", and pneumatic nailers. About that time I also was learning to use the chainsaw and started to cut logs on the mill with its 52 inch blade. And since we were self employed we didn't need to (nor could we afford to) follow safety laws of the government's Operational Safety Health Organization so all these saws and flywheels had no guards around them to protect your flesh. The job I really enjoyed most was logging where I learned to drop trees very well.Of course because of the seizures my doctors told me I should not be working near these machines. The equipment and lumber were so available how could I avoid helping out. The greatest thing I gained from all of my experience was that I learned to enjoy working.But in school I had social problems including uncontrollable anger. I wanted to drop out at 16 but teachers told me I could not get a decent job without a high school and college education. I graduated from HS and took some college classes while I still had uncontrolled seizures. I wasn't sure what to do. My poor social skills left me unfit for office work or many of the other "safer" jobs my doctors would approve of.To control the seizures I had brain surgery. That didn't stop them. By the time VNS was approved I had already tried a dozen medications. VNS made a difference! My seizures didn't stop for several months but I did recover more quickly. I knew it was working and I knew this was my chance to go on to a safer and more profitable job. My skills with machines left me sure that a Tool and Die apprenticeship was right for me. Just before I went to my first interview I had my first seizure in months but I had to go on. Long story short I lost two separate jobs after the employer found out I had epilepsy. The would not accept the fact that I had so much experience in a more dangerous work environment and that I could feel my seizures coming on. My doctor's restrictions (no power machinery, no sharp objects, no heights, no driving) held strictly. My employer and I were not allowed to use our judgment. Today I am on Social Security Disability Income while I still do some sawing at the mill and woodwork at home. In summer I work full time on a fruit farm climbing ladders frequently and driving a tractor once in a while. The farmer know about my epilepsy but values hard workers that he can trust more that he fears liability. I'm glad we still have some people who aren't afraid to ignore the rules, but able to use good judgement.The doctor and many other people would say that my work threatens my safety. But the way I see it--if I would let those epilepsy restrictions and the fear of seizures control my life I would have killed myself long time ago. The work I do although risky has saved my life.