A word of encouragement - Ex-MModeler

Just about a year ago, I was fired/laid off from M-Modal because I had missed so much work because I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  I had undergone months of chemotherapy after a pelvic exenteration which nearly killed me.  Thus, when I could work, I was not very productive.  Anyway, M-Modal decided to go ahead and fire me me, knowing they could discharge my lawsuit in their bankruptcy (which they did.)

I was pretty scared.  I did not know then whether or not I would really recover and my unemployment was only going to be $135/week.  But I was doing a whole lot better physically at that time; and I am still, as of this day, cancer free.  I knew I had to find another job and I was scared about it because of my age and the state of my health.  

I particularly did not want to go to work for an on-line MTSO because I was really concerned that I would get "bought" again by M-Modal as this has happened to me twice.  I never voluntarily went to work for M-Modal, I just ended up there.  

So I decided that I would look around and see what I could find locally.  And things are going great.  Too good, in fact, I'm overwhelmed with work even though I am charging a pretty hefty line count price, and I am pretty bossy with my clients.   I tell what I will and won't do, and they are welcome to find someone else if they like.  I am just not very accommodating any more after my horrible M-Modal experience.  

For starters, I've told my clients if they don't speak clearly, if they don't hit the pause button or sign off their work and run all their reports into one big long dictation, I will raise my rates, and I mean it.

Despite my new-found dictatorial ways, I have more work than I want to do.

I charge enough money that I can take the time to proof my work exceedingly carefully. I am really mortified if something slips by me, which doesn't often happen.  I can't tell you the feeling of pride I have in being able to take the time to produce the high quality of reports that in my training years, I was taught was paramount.

I am not posting this to gloat, the point that I want to make is that I was in a state of absolute despair, I really thought I would end up as a bag lady, dying on streets of cancer.  But what I found out, is that the because M-Modal experience is so demoralizing, we really can't see the truth, that possibilities are still out there, and that there is hope.  

I don't know if your experiences will be the same as mine, of course, but please be hopeful.   It won't be the end of the world if M-Modal lets you go, in fact it may be just exactly what you need to regain financial stability.  You may very well find work that pays well enough and that will help you again recognize what you once knew.  You are contributing something valuable and that your work is worthwhile; it is far above the hamburger flipping level, and your skills are not of so little value that you deserve a subsistence quality of life.