Career Ending Operation???

Medical Appointment "times" are always different from Court Time until, on the patient's end, an appointment is missed.
Whatever "time" is agreed by the front of office staff, check in clerk(s), it's glaringly obvious the "doctors" and "judges" have little or no knowledge of said "agreement", therefore appearing at "their time".
--some medical offices have missed appointment fees as well "if you need to reschedule your appointment, we need a 48-hour notice."--so be sure to break a leg or have a mishap outside the specified timeline.--
I'm generally EARLY for medical appointments and get a wee bit aggravated and make it public when the appointment time is not honored on their end.

[RANT] That's some pathetic answering service telling people "to get there".
Getting places early isn't always possible as in the case of that woman as well many, many yet to be.
Maybe she was attempting "to get there" and the flat tire stopped such action.
PRO1DRIVER= now, i was told that if i did not show up, that's a $200. charge, that i'd have to pay...
--The cost of and receipt for repair would have proven her case of failing "to get there" which "doctors" and "judges" fail to accept, but when THEY'RE LATE, oh tough shiite--[/RANT]

Hope you don't have to wait for them.
Less on this later......end of line
 
UPDATE: January 17, 2017

ok, so i went to the court ordered IME doctor, back on Dec, 23rd, 2016

this upcoming Thursday, (19th) we go back to court, to get the judge's opinion on that doctor's report, as well as the insurance doctor's report, and he will render his decision.

the court time was supposed to be at 2 PM, but i got a call earlier today, the time was changed to 10 AM..good for me, i have to secure a ride down there, and back.

as i had mentioned in a few posts back, i have a very long, documented paper trail, with documented test results, and am crossing my fingers that this additional operation will take place.
 
UPDATE: January 19, 2017

ok, so here it goes.

went to court this morning.

The court ordered IME doctor said..........

YES, I DO NEED ANOTHER OPERATION.....!!!!!!!!

however..........NOT THE PROCEDURE MY DOCTOR WANTS TO DO...!!


WTF..........????

He agrees, that per the x-ray and MRI, i do indeed have a continued problem, but he feels that a different operation than what my surgeon wants to do, would be better.

so me, the judge, and the 2 lawyers had to go into the judges chambers for a conference.

judge says many times, there is black and white decisions.

mine is gray...

he said when i see my surgeon, if my surgeon agree's to the different procedure, he will ok it.

however, the judge said if my surgeon refuses this different procedure, he may send me yet to another doctor and see what THAT doctor has to say, maybe even to the point of the 3rd doctor, doing the operation.

so now, i wait till Jan. 30th, to see my surgeon for his opinion.

this too still DOES NOT guarantee, the insurance company will pay for ANY OPERATION.....!!!

so there you have it...

"gray matter"..........
 
UPDATE: January 24, 2017

ok, i got in yesterday's mail, a letter from my attorney. It was a copy of the court IME doctor's report.

it does mention that I DO NEED another operation, just NOT the one my doctor wants to do.

but i also got these 4 things as well...

1) Agree's it's work related

2) no more truck driving

3) only a "fair" prognosis

4) sedentary work..????


first, regarding #1..i knew that, it's all documented, no faking it here.

second, (#2) i had figured no more truck driving (been told that nearly from day one)

third, (#3) "fair" prognosis, even if i get this revised operation...to me, that's not so good.......means (in my interpretation), that i am doomed for more back issues in my life.

forth (#4), "sedentary work"....??? like WTF, a desk job..????

i was told by my attorney, that if i were to be "re-trained" to go back to work, they MUST retrain me to get a job that pays CLOSE to my former job...sorry, but i don't see this happening..first, no sedentary job pays as high as a trucker's job, and i am VERY CLOSE to retirement, if i were to be retrained, and at my age..who the hell is gonna hire me, KNOWING I WILL RETIRE in a few months..????

i just had a birthday on the 23rd......i am OLD(er)......I WILL RETIRE no matter what sooner or later.


according to the SS disability "grid rules", and at my "advanced age", i cannot be retrained, also, i only have a HS diploma.....had i had a college degree and even if i were (say 64), they WOULD retrain me to go back to work.

so now, i still have to go see my surgeon on the 30th of this month, (next week), to see if he agree's on the IME doctor recommended revised operation. if he says no, the judge has options..either order the insurance to pay my doctor for the operation, OR, send me to yet another doctor, for another opinion....

all i can do is wait......

sucks though...only a "fair prognosis"........

ain't life grand...........when you live in paradise..??????
 
Last edited:
1) Agrees it's work related
That's been irrevocably confirmed.

2) no more truck driving
Well confirmed considering the diagnosis after injury and incompatibility with heavy truck operations.

3) only a "fair" prognosis
Better than a "bad" or "imminent failure, no need for further treatment" prognosis.

4) sedentary work..????
I am not now nor have I been a Medical Doctor or Physical Therapist or experienced in diagnosis.

My knowledge base is of my own experiences (in gravity checks) as well of Family and close friends.

What options have been offered??
What Skills and Attributes do you posses apart from trucking?
- - - -
WE HOPE You get what YOU NEED when YOU NEED!
 
That's been irrevocably confirmed.


Well confirmed considering the diagnosis after injury and incompatibility with heavy truck operations.


Better than a "bad" or "imminent failure, no need for further treatment" prognosis.


I am not now nor have I been a Medical Doctor or Physical Therapist or experienced in diagnosis.

My knowledge base is of my own experiences (in gravity checks) as well of Family and close friends.

What options have been offered??
What Skills and Attributes do you posses apart from trucking?
- - - -
WE HOPE You get what YOU NEED when YOU NEED!
what skills do i posses..???

nothing that meets the near same pay as a driver.

as an example, IF i had to be retrained, they MUST retrain me in a job nearly identical to my former pay.

what jobs pay that, to a high school educated person..??

none, gotta be college.

i will not be able to work a physical job such as mechanic.

no options have been offered yet, still have to see my surgeon MOnday the 30th, to see if he agree's to the IME's revised surgery.

if not, back to court, (we gotta go anyways) in Feb, and if my surgeon does not want to do the revised surgery, another surgeon may be called upon for me to visit, for yet his opinion.

hell, another surgeon may have to work on me.

i want no part of retraining. again..i am nearly due now to fully retire. i wish not to work anymore.

makes no sense to be retrained, (in whatever time frame from now)......then put in for my retirement.

it's a lost cause for retraining....

let me put it this way...

if anyone here, was a close to (say) one inch from full retirement.......would you take it...?????

that's me.....this surgery back and forth bickering can easily carry me another year..???

why consider working for (then) about 1 to 3 months, then retire..?????

it will not add much to my overall SS payments.

as long as i have all the proof, and documentation of my continuing problem, can anyone here see a quick resolution..?????

it's been now (in up coming April) going to be 3 full years of stalling, bickering, delaying.........
 
UPDATE: January 30th, 2017

ok, so i had an appointment with MY surgeon this afternoon.

he told me, his operation is LESS invasive than what the court ordered doctor recommends. the court doctor, recommends that the surgeon go into my back, remove all the hardware, to get at the 5/6 lower to decompress the disk. this addresses the numb right leg issue. this will result in longer recovery time.

my doctor wants to go into my left side, to take care of the 3/4 lower, jack it up, insert a bone, put a steel plate on to hold it...this will result in faster recovery time.

the bottom line here..??

I NEED 2 MORE OPERATIONS...

one to address the numb leg

one to address the back pain....


oy vey....

frankly, I KNEW from my visit with MY doctor several weeks after his first operation, i was told ONE more, if not 2 MORE operations...

EMG, x-ray, MRI...proved him right....

now back to court in February, to hear what the judge has to say........
 
UPDATE: February 8, 2017

we go to court this morning, for 10 AM. ...it is now 8 AM sharp. we leave nearly an hour early, so i can wait in line, for the all important metal detectors.....sometimes i wish, they'd do a body cavity search, it'll make going to court, all the more fun sometimes.....

not too sure if the judge will let me explain what the doctor told me, that i need 2 different operations for 2 different ongoing problems.

or if my attorney does my talking for me.

all either one of us can tell the judge, is the difference between the 2 operations, which address each problem, and severity of need.

then we wait to hear his judgement, whether he approves one over the other as "first important", or refers me to seek yet a 3rd professional opinion on what needs are more important, the back pain, or the numb leg.

i'd prefer the back pain be taken care of first, the numb leg, second, as that's MORE invasive, and requires MORE recovery times...


so that's it for now, i'll update this again, later today.
 
UPDATE: Feb 8, 2017

Jesus, can it get any worse..???

my doctor did not answer the question(s) from my attorney properly, regarding his operation, and the IME's suggested operation.

so back to court for us, in March, a week after I see either my doctor or his P/A that month.

doctor has to render his opinion and sign it. they will not accept the P/A's opinion, which i can understand....

but christ, i was there, i explained it to him, he got the report himself, he explained it all to me......

was that so fricking hard to do..?????

at this rate, i'll be near the end of my 6 year claim (in 3 more years), before more work gets done.
 
UPDATE: March 6, 2017

ok, just came back from my surgeon's office. we went over the court doctor's recommended operation, which addresses the numb leg problem.

the we went over my doctors procedure, which addresses the back pains...

basically to get things rolling, my doctor said he'd be happy to do whatever the court decides, but warns that one operation may still not be done and gone....

he feels confident that BOTH operations will have to be performed on me, and frankly, i knew this from oh about 2.5 years ago now, when we first went thru this merry-go-round.......

next step now is, we go to court on the 20th of this month, to hear what the judge thinks is best for me.....uh, judge.?? be sure to remember, it's my back, not your's.....ok......?????
 
UPDATE: march 17, 2017

well we go to court this coming Monday, to hear what the judge decides on what operation is best for me.

like i have said in my previous posting, it's my back, he should let ME DECIDE which one i want.

but then too, i have every confidence in my surgeon's opinion, that whatever operation the judge says i should have...i'll only need yet another one. bringing (in total) 4 back surgeries since the early spring of 2001 with what was then, the first major fusion.

either way too, the insurance company is on the hook for all of this. they know they cannot get out of it, as the old saying of.."the proof is in the pudding"......or, all the tests proved my continued problems.
 
UPDATE: March 23, 2017

i actually thought i had updated this, but in any event, court was cancelled this week (Monday) as my attorney was sick.

the new court date is this upcoming Monday, March 27th.

then the very next day, the 28th, i go to my surgeons office. but they won't get any news from the law offices (or the insurance company, especially) that quick. only from what i can tell the doctor's P/A.

then MORE waiting for the set up of the possible operation......if one was approved by the judge.
 
UPDATE: March 27, 2017

ok, had court this afternoon.

judge said my situation is complicated, and wanted me to know that he is not a doctor, and that he depends on what reports he gets.

i told him i have the highest confidence in my surgeons decision to proceed with the court doctors recommended procedure, not his procedure.

but the judge was told, another operation may still be needed. this is all on record now, as it was before, and before, and before.......

so basically, he approved the court IME doctors suggested operation, of a disc decompression which is more invasive than what my doctor wanted to do. which was to go into my left side and take care of the disc problem.......

now in fact, i go see my doctor tomorrow (the 28th) to inform him (or his PA) that they will get the approval whenever the insurance company sends it.

i am hoping for maybe a second week in May to get it done. if not, maybe second week in June, which might be tougher on me for reasons i cannot elaborate on.

got way too many reasons for this time frame.
 
added stuff......

all 3 of us, me, my attorney and the insurance attorney, were standing before the judge, rather than sitting at the tables. after the talking about all of this, he said he is now signing the payment for the court appearances for the lawyers. now mind you,, i am standing in the middle of these 2 attorneys.

being the nosey SOB that i am....i took a look at my attorneys fee for this what....10 minutes of court time..??

to be a whopping........



$2,000........................


hoooolee crap............

what if i had to pay ANY money to my attorney for his representation of me..>?????


good thing.....NO, GREAT THING........workkman's comp pays for EVERYTHING........!!!!!!!
 
UPDATE: March 30, 2017

just got a letter in this morning's mail from the court.

seems i have to go back in April....

like WTF..is the insurance company now denying the operation the judge approved of, and the insurance attorney AGREED to..????

talk about a possible curve ball.......

I got not only a call to the lawyers office in, and his assistant was supposed to text thim, but i also sent him an email as well..

the lawyers gal told me they too got a court date, but no reason why.....

oh well, if they (the insurance company) is going to deny this operation, it'll most likely be until Christmas when i get it..>??

then how long before the next operation..>??????

i got the time, i got the beer....


full disability retirement is not too far off for me each sunrise.
 
Got an email from the attorney, here is what he said:


the other attorney and I both appealed the Judge’s order on the Judge’s advice, just to keep the issue alive. It does not affect the order…you can still have the surgery. By keeping it alive, we can revisit the issue of the other surgery if we need to.


and he said i do not have to be there, he will be there on my behalf.......

good, whew....that's a load off....
 
UPDATE: April 21, 2017

still waiting for the approval of the doctor ordered MRI.

i called the MRI place, the gals there "know me" very well now...lol

she said they still did not get the approval.

i called the doctors office, the surgery HAS BEEN approved for early June, and she sent yet another request for the MRI to the comp ass'es.....

of course, my attorney had told me, that April 19th was the "last day" for the comp ass'es to have approved the MRI, since they did not, he filed a petition for it.

how ironic, when i went to the comp ass'es, ass of an IME quack, last year, he asked, "did you get an updated MRI"..??

i said no, they did not approve a post op MRI....(it took MONTHS to GET THAT ONE APPROVED, due to my constant griping about the pains)

seems to me, that for proof of the continued problem, just pay the hell up....

this irks me to no end, which is why when you get hurt on the job, GET AN ATTORNEY, as you as an individual, may have NO CHANCE IN HELL to get things done....

then too, as irksome as all this crap is..??

THEY GOTTA KEEP PAYING ME..........
 
UPDATE: April 28, 2017

well finally after nearly 5 weeks now, my MRI has been approved.

i go for that next week. i need an "open" MRI, as if i am in the closed bore, i will FREAK OUT MAN...!!!!!!


and as noted in an earlier posting, the operation had already been approved.
 
UPDATE: April 28, 2017

well finally after nearly 5 weeks now, my MRI has been approved.

i go for that next week. i need an "open" MRI, as if i am in the closed bore, i will FREAK OUT MAN...!!!!!!


and as noted in an earlier posting, the operation had already been approved.

I use to be comfortable with a closed MRI but I suddenly became scared of them.
I got anxiety attacks...doctor prescribed me a pill to take 30 minutes prior to the MRI.
It didn't help..I got inserted into the damn tube and started freaking out. I pressed that buzzer right away.
Turns out...the doctor was okay with an open MRI too. All that freaking out and wasted time for nothing.

Good luck and hopefully that adventure filled road with massive potholes your still on gets smoother.
 
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