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Career Ending Operation???

UPDATE: AUGUST 26, 2019

well, the A-TYPICAL insurance company B...S.....!

i was "supposed" to have a follow up appointment in Sept with my surgeon, so BACK IN JULY,...JULY 8th in fact...

the doctors w/c gal faxed over to them a request for several x-rays of my back, BEFORE this appointment, which was NOT scheduled UNTIL the x-rays were done..

up till today's date....no word from the insurance witch.....

so off i go to call the lawyers office, to file a petition, back to court we go, get the JUDGE to ORDER the x-rays..

the who knows, how long this BS will take..

i am also "supposed" to have an operation on my left foot (no connection with w/c for this), and no matter what, when i get word on my ultra sound last week, if the word is good, i will get this foot taken care of..

you know, i have been battling this insipid string of WITCHES at the insurance company since about day 1....

you all KNOW THIS from past postings.....

i have half a mind to STAY ON W/C FOR LIFE rather than to settle, to "show them", i can take thier BS and still HAVE TO PAY ME, EACH AND EVERY WEEK...

the other half of me wants to settle and tell them to ............you know what, and trust me.....i ain't never afraid to tell someone off...

and so it goes, life's journey on this roller-coaster w/c....BULL.S...........
 
UPDATE: AUGUST 27, 2019

that call to the lawyer's office yesterday, must have done the trick.

I got a call from the doctor's office this afternoon, the gal there saying the x-rays were approved...how about that BS....since July 8th, and suddenly they "approve" the x-rays.?

maybe they don't wanna waste time and MONEY going back to court?

maybe not, as we all know how insurance companies work.

however i was also told the additional p/t has been denied.

so i called the lawyers office again, and his assistant was going to call the p/t place for further explanation, rather than to call the doctor's office.


i go for my series of x-rays tomorrow morning....no appointment needed, just walk on in.

i cannot say this enough, if YOU get hurt on the job, or know someone who did, for God's sake, lawyer up, YOU NEED the protection and the tenacity of a workman's comp lawyer to get things done.

sure you CAN handle this all yourself, but take all of my experiences up to now, and re-think that.
 
UPDATE: SEPT. 16, 2019

Had a follow up appointment with my surgeon this morning, to go over my recent x-rays.

he says all looks god right now.

He went on to say that he wanted at least one full year of healing/fusing before he can make a determination about me MMI (maximum medical improvement)

so, my next appointment will be in January (one year since this surgery), and yet some more x-rays.

he's really quite funny, he always asks me if i have gone back to work, i keep telling him, "no, you have to release me first, and that i am on SS disability now"

funny guy.....seriously.

so, starting October 1st, i will be on medicare, with BC/BS gap or supplemental health coverage, as medicare certainly does not cover everything.

there will be a premium to pay for the BC/BS as well as the automatic deduction from my SS check for medicare part B coverage.

i am also scheduled for my foot operation THIS thursday, and as i had mentioned in previous updates, this is not workman's comp related.

i had been practicing how to walk with crutches, that can be fun as well...going up/down stairs looks to be an adventure.
 
well foot operation went down and easy today.

got there just before 9 AM, and got home about 2:45, so only "about" 45 minutes later than i was told for 2 PM

there was a delay at the hospital today, a lot of operations from various surgeons going on. my foot doctor got his first patient about an hour late, then i was next.

i got 3 hammer toes corrected, and they HAVE pins..the big toe, was resection (if that's what it's called, but no pins.

i am right now wearing a "boot" so i can be here typing this, and i need to get back to the recliner and jeep mu foot raised.

when i got home, i was able to climb all the stairs something like m20 in total, and had to "pee" like a race horse..lol...glad i made it..lol

i have only minutes ago, taken one 800 mg of the ibuprofen, and at bedtime, i have to take an oxycodone/tylenol, so i can sleep.

other than that, i feel like.....

giphy.gif


but i won't......i might slip, fall and break my toes, or hurt my back...lol


later..!!!!!!
 
went to the foot doctor for a follow up exam, x-rays and a new walking boot.

doc says the foot is doing terrific. i had asked him if he put plastic or steel pins in me, he said steel.

so that will be fun when it is time to remove them.

he did not take out the stitches today, he said next week when i go back again.

this new walking boot has an air inflation system for more comfort, thank god for that.

i never asked and he never mentioned anything about driving, but i got errands to do, so i think that tomorrow or friday, i will be out and about.

plus it just kills me to be immobile.

otherwise he said that the sharp pains i get every once in a while is normal. after-all, i have LONG pins in 4 of my toes....the "pinky" was spared the injustice...lol

there are nights when i am in bed, and either my big toe or one of the other toes hits me with such a sharp pain, my leg literally flies into the air, and no amount of "shaking it off" seems to quell that incredible sharp pain.

i do now, as a matter of habit, take both my meds (about 1 hour apart) before i go to bed, but in all frankness, they don't seem to help me when those phantom pains strike.

even after i have just told ya'll about this new round of surgery, and the pains, if i had to do it again..??

YES, in a heart beat.


as i'd NOT want to live my life in discomfort, for denying myself a corrective surgery.
 
UPDATE: OCTOBER 21, 2019

i start my first of a few injections for the back pain, this week. i only got the one approval so far.

looking forward to this, then again, i'll let you know if the next one, i'll be waiting with as much excitement...lol
 
UPDATE: October 23, 2019

i got to my appointment 1 hour early. i do this many times, just in case the office is moving quickly and the other patients are are herding out faster than normal.

of course a few times, that earlier arrival backfires, and i am waiting PAST my appointment time, into another hour..!!

but it ain't like i had a lot to do today.

so anyway, the doctor's p/a came into the room, and explained the injection to me as well as any "side effects" from the injection location as well as the medicine.

for the life of me, i think she said it was some sort of "lanacane"...??

well anyway, whatever it is called, she sprayed my back with a numbing chemical, then she injected me in 4 locations along the back where the pain concentrates. i thought it was just gonna be one shot, not that many. but the vial was big.

only took a few minutes .

she said that in the morning, i might,wake up in some pain, like when we go to the gym and ain't been to one in years, and we start a workout...?? you know, that kind of pain when you over work yourself in the yard or garden, or shovel a lot of snow, and the next day, you're hunched over in pain, wishing you were dead..???.>??

"the day after pains" many of us old timers get.......

maybe a rash, maybe some sickness to my stomach....

you know, all the "usual" drug effects warnings we hear about.
 
UPDATE: October 29, 2019

just came back from p/t...my first day back since about August.??? i cannot recall my last day there, been THAT long ago.

typical BS from the insurance company, stalling........

well today, the p/t guy took measurements of my back, how far i can bend down to touch my toes, or bend backwards..

very limited range of motion for sure.

i will NOT get any more than what i have now, and i told the guy, "after these next few weeks of p/t, i am done, i don't want to come here no more, i tire of this BS of the stalling from the insurance company to keep things going, and besides, i just ain't gonna get my back...back...."

he knows where i am coming from.

this whole w/c claim has been a learning process for me, too bad (in one way), that i am retired now, nor as young as i used to be, so that in the future, had i been able to go back to work, i'd have even MORE knowledge of the w/c BS.....

my last day of p/t will be in early December now, then i see the surgeon in January for an update and maybe that MMI and his release from him and then onto the real BIG decision......stay on comp for life (taking into account all the insurance company BS), or cashing out.......

to tell you the truth...........i'd like to continue to be a thorn on the insurance company's ass..........


just went back into the posts, August 1st, was my last day of p/t..

here it is, October 29th...

roughly 13 WEEKS before the insurance company acted on the REQUEST of the p/t place...BACK THEN.....!!!!!!
 
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UPDATE: December 19, 2019

had a court date yesterday, it had been rescheduled twice already. this was for the new scar on my back.

well after being in the courtroom for about nearly 2 hours, finally my case was heard. we all went into the judges chambers for me to lift my shirt and show off my new trophy scar.

we went back to the court room, judge said a few things, and off to a conference room the lawyer and i go to.

was told i was going to get x amount.....i was disappointed as it was smaller than the second award. but i accepted it, as that's what the judge determined by the formula they use.

any how, got an email from my lawyer last night, and he said something did not seem right. he did his calculations, and called the insurance lawyer, and he too agreed something was not right.(maybe i sparked him from my disappointment, earlier.?)

wind up is, the judges formula was off, and i WILL be getting MORE for this scar than the last one. like about $xx grand more....

wont say how much i got, but the first scar award was for $5,400, the second was for $9,000.....and now this one at.......

lawyer and i talked about a possible settlement, i told him with all the past BS the insurance put me thru with denials, dropped checks, slow process of approvals, etc, that i'd like to stay on comp for life, to be a thorn in the ass of the insurance company.

of course, some of that, (not all) was said in "jest"...i told my lawyer and he knew it very well, that i was not ever going to give up like they wanted me to, and thank God i did not, because of the need for 2 more operations i needed.

i was gonna be dammed to settle, then need more surgery? who pays for those other operations?

no way, i got hurt on that job. the insurance company as my lawyer had told me, "owned it".

so anyway, he and i ran through "some possibilities" for a settlement, each to be considered after hearing any offer the insurance company presents.

can't say when any talk will take place, as the lawyer told me a certain sum of money, MUST BE set aside for future back issues, so that Medicare does not get hit with a bill, but after that money is used up, THEN Medicare takes over. but i cannot touch that money for anything else, and MUST account to Medicare each year of the monies.

he also said, "Sometimes" the insurance company hires a vendor that takes care of the money, so no worries on my part...what ever they decide, it's out of my hands.

that money set aside for future back issues, DOES NOT come out of my settlement monies i was told, it is separate money the insurance company has to pony up.

that's about all for now, more when the need arises.

i cannot stress this enough, but if you or anyone you know, gets hurt on the job, seek out a comp lawyer, to protect you, and to make sure the insurance company does not walk all over you.
 
UPDATE: January 6, 2020

i was supposed to have an appointment this morning, for shots and a viewing of an x-ray.

the approval for both, never came in. the shots were requested back in November, and the x-ray was requested back in December.

so now, i have to wait till March, and too, the doctor is giving up his company/office, and going with a big office with many more neurosurgeons. many of his staff are going with him as well. so to avoid the moving nonsense, the gal gave me a March appointment.

in real terms, it's "across the street, down the block"..lol

i kinda wish at least the approval for the shots came in, i could have used those shots today, in fact, i been in need of them for a while now.

of course, i made a call and sent an email to the lawyer's office. they can get onto a petition ASAP for the shots, they have to wait till friday to petition the x-rays. the "usual" waiting period has to come before any petitions can be filed.

i am not sure if i can get the shots any sooner when the approval comes in, due to a possible court appearance and the judge's orders. may just as well take me to March.

just same ole, same ole B.S. rhetoric.

come April 10th 2020, it'll be 6 years since i got hurt

a real LOOONG road.....it's been
 
UPDATE: Feb. 2, 2020

i was supposed to go to the doctor's new building this Tuesday for my pain shots. (the approval for the shots and x-rays finally came in) Got a call Friday saying that they had to cancel that since in the moving, still many things are not at the new building yet, and no one that can give the shots, will be at the old building.

Seems to me like hurried or poor planning on thier part.

they will call me in 2-3 weeks for another appointment, but i also go see the doctor in March, so maybe they will just combine the 2 visits.


in the meantime, i emailed the lawyer asking if the other side made any offer to settle.

he said the other lawyer was "hopeful" that'll be soon.
 
UPDATE: March 17, 2020

was supposed to have a surgeons appointment this morning, to go over my x-rays from a few weeks ago.

well, as we all know there is this virus going around, so they called me and rescheduled till late April.

no big deal, it is what it is in this time of national emergency.
 
Yeah Mate, it's a spooky time to be going to medical appointments.
Last week i cancelled a Dental Appt. for a Cavity Filling.
Today I cancelled an appt. at me Periodontist for a cleaning 4/09.
There's a Oral Surgeon appt. (for what, I've NO idea) on 5/04 which I'll most likely cancel, depending upon Infestation activities of April.

Hang In There pro1, It'll work out.
CHEERS!!
 
UPDATE: APRIL 24, 2020

ok, so earlier this morning, i had a phone visit from the doctor's PA. since all offices are closed, many of you know, this is what our doctors are doing, till they re-open.

well i got a full set of x-rays of my back, this past January.

the Dr.s PA told me, it looks like the 2 last screws, that go from my pelvic bone to the hip bone are loose. they can "see" some shadowing, of the screws, much like before this last operation i had back in January of 2019..

something about "maybe" the bone has deteriorated? or it just is taking too long to heal up?

i dunno, once i heard of loose screws AGAIN...i was like in a world of disappointment and started feeling depressed.

oh frigging great i tell her...what now another damned operation?

she said no, maybe not. i will have to go thru another set of x-rays in a few months, to be checked again. she said that the screw above seem to be holding very well, and if these 2 last bottom screws do anything at all, i might be in some slight pain....

oh frigging joy..

i went on to tell her that this nonsense of a phone call visit is pure BS, i wanted to be IN the office to view the x-rays with the doctor.

but like i said, cuz of this virus BS, all offices are closed.

i went to also say how i am sick and tired of this whole situation, one operation after another, and she said she understood...but does she really understand the way i feel..?

so now i gotta wait a few more months, maybe the bone will close up around the screws. frankly, i saw nothing in the x-rays like the other set of x-rays LAST year that plainly showed the loose screws that had to be replaced.

to make matters worse, IF and i say IF i need another operation..?? my doctor does not have his practice anymore, he merged with a group, and they are at a different hospital, and that hospital was where my very first operation took place, in the spring of 2001, and the nurse that was there, sucked BIG time and didn't seem to know how to care for a patient that just had major back surgery.

not much i can do about any of this, just waiting it out now.

christ, this sh!t will just never come to an end....will it...???
 
pro1driver said:
UPDATE: APRIL 24, 2020

ok, so earlier this morning, i had a phone visit from the doctor's PA. since all offices are closed, many of you know, this is what our doctors are doing, till they re-open.

well i got a full set of x-rays of my back, this past January.

the Dr.s PA told me, it looks like the 2 last screws, that go from my pelvic bone to the hip bone are loose. they can "see" some shadowing, of the screws, much like before this last operation i had back in January of 2019..

oh frigging great i tell her...what now another damned operation?

she said no, maybe not. i will have to go thru another set of x-rays in a few months, to be checked again. she said that the screw above seem to be holding very well, and if these 2 last bottom screws do anything at all, i might be in some slight pain....

oh frigging joy..

i went on to tell her that this nonsense of a phone call visit is pure BS, i wanted to be IN the office to view the x-rays with the doctor.

but like i said, cuz of this virus BS, all offices are closed.

i went to also say how i am sick and tired of this whole situation, one operation after another, and she said she understood...but does she really understand the way i feel..?

so now i gotta wait a few more months, maybe the bone will close up around the screws. frankly, i saw nothing in the x-rays like the other set of x-rays LAST year that plainly showed the loose screws that had to be replaced.

to make matters worse, IF and i say IF i need another operation..?? my doctor does not have his practice anymore, he merged with a group, and they are at a different hospital, and that hospital was where my very first operation took place, in the spring of 2001, and the nurse that was there, sucked BIG time and didn't seem to know how to care for a patient that just had major back surgery.

not much i can do about any of this, just waiting it out now.

christ, this sh!t will just never come to an end....will it...???
Click to expand...
Oh man..I feel for ya.
 
kboomarang said:
Oh man..I feel for ya.
Click to expand...
yeah, thanks, i had to add something, 4th line down, about deterioration of the bone?

it sickens me, it really does. i am as careful as i can be, i do not do any heavy lifting, i do not climb ladders, i dunno...i just don't know.
 
pro1driver said:
UPDATE: APRIL 24, 2020

ok, so earlier this morning, i had a phone visit from the doctor's PA. since all offices are closed, many of you know, this is what our doctors are doing, till they re-open.

well i got a full set of x-rays of my back, this past January.

the Dr.s PA told me, it looks like the 2 last screws, that go from my pelvic bone to the hip bone are loose. they can "see" some shadowing, of the screws, much like before this last operation i had back in January of 2019..

something about "maybe" the bone has deteriorated? or it just is taking too long to heal up?

i dunno, once i heard of loose screws AGAIN...i was like in a world of disappointment and started feeling depressed.

oh frigging great i tell her...what now another damned operation?

she said no, maybe not. i will have to go thru another set of x-rays in a few months, to be checked again. she said that the screw above seem to be holding very well, and if these 2 last bottom screws do anything at all, i might be in some slight pain....

oh frigging joy..

i went on to tell her that this nonsense of a phone call visit is pure BS, i wanted to be IN the office to view the x-rays with the doctor.

but like i said, cuz of this virus BS, all offices are closed.

i went to also say how i am sick and tired of this whole situation, one operation after another, and she said she understood...but does she really understand the way i feel..?

so now i gotta wait a few more months, maybe the bone will close up around the screws. frankly, i saw nothing in the x-rays like the other set of x-rays LAST year that plainly showed the loose screws that had to be replaced.

to make matters worse, IF and i say IF i need another operation..?? my doctor does not have his practice anymore, he merged with a group, and they are at a different hospital, and that hospital was where my very first operation took place, in the spring of 2001, and the nurse that was there, sucked BIG time and didn't seem to know how to care for a patient that just had major back surgery.

not much i can do about any of this, just waiting it out now.

christ, this sh!t will just never come to an end....will it...???
Click to expand...
OUCH !!!!! Man I hate this for you. As my older cousin used to say. Take another toke for the old folk.
 
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