Workers Comp Help
Annular Tear From Work Injury
After reading some of these stories I know now that I am not alone.
I was injured at work and due to not wanting to loose my job, or not knowing how serious the injury was I just informed my supervisor of the incident.
After working another few days I realized something was wrong and went to my private physician. His diagnosis was a Herniated disc with an annular tear. I was then given the third degree and treated so horribly by my supervisors, they were trying to make me feel like it was my fault and I did something wrong. I had been working for them for three years, with several citations and high scores on all my evaluations. This was unreal. I had gone to several Physicians and getting all the same answers.
I have had all the tests imaginable, the painful and the non-painful. One of these gentlemen, had the idea that I could go back to work on a light duty basis, only there isn't much light duty for a nurse. But, they said I could transfer Doctor's orders and take notes for the Doctor's. Only he wanted me to do this and take pain killers every 4 to 6 hours. In good conscious I could not take pain killers and transfer orders under the influence. I worked for 3 days and my physical therapist said I couldn't work because I was making it worse.
Every Doctor I saw, even their Doctor's said I needed surgery, but no one could decide which one, so I got to see more of them. After spending a whole year arguing with them I finally got someone to agree with my surgeon, and I got my surgery. But, in waiting that year I have irreversible nerve damage in my right leg. I still fall occasionally when I overdue it. I want to go back to work, I miss the independence that you have when you are employed. I have two teenage sons, one will be going to college in 2 years, and I don't know how I am going to pay for it. I have lost so much since the injury in Feb. of 2000.
I just wonder that in this system that has been engineered to make us give up and fail, that there might be a way out, and back to the self-supporting, dignified, proud people we were. Good luck and God Bless to all who have to deal with this pain, both physically and mentally.