Workers Comp Help
Herniated Discs While Helping A Rehab Patient
I am a Nursing Administrator in a Rehab Facility. While doing rounds, a patient needed assistance using the bathroom, there was no one but me around, so I called another RN to assist me in transferring the patient to the bathroom. While doing so, the patient's knees buckled; we blocked her fall, automatically. (she weighed approx. 350 pounds.)
I immediately felt pain, but continued what I was doing. for three more days I came to work, in pain, and did my job; an incident report was filled out. On the third day, I said I needed to go to the hospital for assessment, something was very wrong.
Ultimately, I first had a disctectomy. It was unsuccessful. For a number of months, I tried to get the docs to do another set of diagnostic studies, because I was in constant, severe pain. I did everything that was recommended, but the Ins Co. did not want to do anything more. Ultimately, after my atty. got involved, another set of tests was done, and lo and behold....a fusion was done 13 months after the original surgery. (Complete with bone growth stimulator implant)... Still in pain...10 months after the second surgery, the implant was removed....(they figured maybe that was what was causing the pain). NOT!!!!
Now, at every turn of events...the insurance company was giving us a hard time. It was like pulling teeth. I was in pain, aggravated, and had to deal ON A DAILY BASIS with a person on the other end of the phone that really could care less...(or so it seemed)
I ,in the meantime, and in the middle of all of this, had a very serious problem with my hands...from lying in bed, using my hands to turn, reposition, etc, I got Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The insurance company DENIED surgery on both hands..(which I had anyway)..stating tht they did not agree with the docs that it was related!
Here it is, 4 months after the bone growth stimulator was removed, and the pain is just as bad as it was in the beginning. I demanded yet another set of diagnostic studies, and after months of "phone tag", they are in the process of being done. I had an MRI, an EMG, and am scheduled for a Myelogram in mid-February. It appears that a "Piece" of the original damaged disc has migrated, and is pressing on the nerve root. So...yet another surgery is probably going to be necessary.
I have done my homework. If the disc was removed in the beginning....I would be back to work months ago. As it is, to date, I have been out of work for 30 months.
Now. Here is the problem. Temporary benefits do not take into consideration raises, promotions, nor cost of living. So, I am getting the same amount that I was getting almost three years ago...and it was capped. It is not enough to live on.
There is a good chance that I will never go back to work in the same capacity...a career that I worked hard and long to get where I was. I love my work, and became a nurse as a second career, because I WANTED TO. The system that is supposed to help me get back to work...is keeping me in the system. What is really scary, is that I AM EDUCATED, KNOW THE "ROPES", AND AM STILL GETTING THE RUN AROUND. What happens to those poor people that do not know any better...and just take what they say as "gospel".
This has been a long, frustrating experience...if someone can benefit from my story...great.
Thank you for the "forum" and the chance to vent!