Basic Stuff
- Name: Bob Graybosch
- Country: United States
- State: Hawaii
- City: Lahaina
- Gender: Male
- Age: 63
- Education: Four Year Degree
- Primary Illness: ME/CFS
- Diagnosis:
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
- Year Illness Began: 2011
Functioning Interrupted
Work Interrupted
- Former Occupation: Resort General Manager
- Job Responsibilities at Former Occupation:
I was responsible for the maintenance and operations of a 189 Condominium Resort on Maui. Also the rental of most of the units. I had 3 Department Heads under me and 30 employees. Reported to Condominium Owners and my Corporate Employer.
- Years of Work Lost: 11
- Current Work Status: On disability
Income Interrupted
- Yearly Income Before Becoming Ill:
$100,000
- Yearly Income From Disability:
$24,000
-
Minimum Current Annual Income Loss:
$110,211
- Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$1,261,443
Other Interruptions
- My parents or other family members have provided financial support
- This illness has severely impacted my ability to financially prepare for retirement
- I left my job or retired early
Most Impactful Loss
Often being able to participate in life is most frustrating. Often I turn down invitations, cancel them, or leave early. I went from a totally reliable person to a completely unreliable one. And since the illness is invisible, no one sees it.
My Story
From about the age of 8 I worked my butt off to get ahead. My family was relatively poor and I knew if I wanted something I had to earn it. I sold seeds, postcards, washed windows, pulled weeds, paper route, you name it.
I formally entered the workforce @ 14 under a special program and became an Assistant to the Greenskeeper at a local golf course in the Summers. I had an interest in Television Production and took one elective class in High School which led to an Senior year Career Center Course and Internship at the local Public Television Station.
After High School my Career Center Teacher highly recommended me to the local ABC Affiliate to be a full time Studio Operator. In that time I set up sets, lighting, microphones and operated Camera for many live and recorded programs. I loved it and I wanted more so I enrolled in College and studied Marketing & Advertising. All the while I was married with a young child to support.
Soon after Graduation I got a Marketing job for a Machine Tool Company and was a one man Department. I used the writing skills I had developed and taught myself Graphic Design because the company had much need for Sales Training and Promotional materials.
I left that for a similar position in a much larger Company which sold lubricants for heavy duty off road equipment. From there I got involved helping a number of restaurants market themselves while also learning bartending and other restaurant duties, then being promoted to Manager.
I then became the Director of Marketing for the largest Sustainable Architecture Firm in Chicago. I was responsible for getting new Accounts and added many Presentation skills to my abilities. I also rekindled my love of photography and used much of my own work in brochures.
A sick and failing Mother In Law caused me to leave that and become an Independent Sales Rep for Aloha shirts, puka shell jewelry, T shirts, hats, sunglasses in the Lake Michigan area. I was able to balance my time between work and the sick parent. I always had loved that stuff, so selling it was easy but the Season was very short.
Another family member eventually took care of her and my wife & I saw a one time opportunity to move to Maui. We had visited there twice and knew we wanted it to be home. We moved into a Condo on Maui by just looking at pictures.
The day after arriving I found a job on a whale watch & Dinner Cruise boat (I love boats) to provide at least some income as we tried to find our place on Maui. That quickly led to Management of the boat. I then saw an ad for a Property Manager and applied. My mix of skills was perfect. Somehow I managed to work two important jobs for about 6 months. Then I went full time in Property Management.
Eventually an opening occurred for a Property General Manager that I knew would fit me well. I got the job of my lifetime managing it and hosting a never ending line of tourists. My ability to juggle many different things had really paid off and I was maxing out bonuses and doing all sorts of things.
Then, one day I came down with a bad case of vertigo. Symptoms would not go away for about a week. I then started noticing almost daily new symptoms. I was getting extremely fatigued as well. My Dr. began treating me then referred me to several specialists and tests. Each checking off the boxes for everything I did not have.
The fatigue became do overwhelming that even with a maxed dose of Modafinal I could not function well. I was known for being the guy who could always do it all and now I couldn’t but nobody could see why? Eventually, even after a very understanding Boss, I could no longer do much of anything. I had to leave or ruin my reputation.
The fight then for Disability was beyond ridiculous. Every imaginable hurdle had to be overcome to get anything. I had people follow and video me, psychiatrists evaluate me, social worker interviews, you name it. Insurance finally gave in and gave me 2 years of Disability after all the reports, a special CPET test in California and a second opinion from the University of Chicago Medical Center. All of this, of course paid for by me. I fought a similar battle with Social Security. It ended up wiping out my retirement fund completely.
That, my friends, is what this Monster can do to a person. As someone with the disease once told me “it won’t kill you, but you’ll wish it would.”
