Introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My name is Norah. My husband and I live in Burlington, Ontario Canada. I'm

a 47 years old and currently not able to work. I used to be a AS/400

Computer Operations Analyst, but now the only things I analyze are my pets

(5 insane cats and 1 dog). I've had Osteoarthris in both knees since I was

around 15 years of age. I've always been a little on the heavy side but not

too bad. I had a wreck with my Pick Up truck in 1998 and suffered whiplash,

lower back trauma, and other soft tissue injuries. I have never completely

recovered from the accident. I will try to make this story as short as I

can, but so many developments arose just after the accident.

While going for physio-therapy, massage therapy, and chiropractic

services... my motor vehicle insurance company decided that I was taking too

long to recover and sent me on " so-called " un-biased 3rd party medical

assessment. I'm not sure how they can call it un-biased when the insurance

company is paying the tab. But anyway, they sent me on 2 of these and they

deduced that I was fit to go back to work, even though I had a massive

painful lump on my neck. So I saw my family doctor and told her what they

said and she was completely against it. It's pretty hard to fight an

insurance company in Canada unless you have big bucks. My family doctor

wrote a note to my employer that I could come back to work on a limited

schedule and part-time until I recover. They said fine and made an

appointment in 2 weeks to see how they could rearrange my work schedule.

I wasn't very happy with my employer and was hoping to find a better job

anyway, so I took a peak on the internet to see what was out there. Lo and

behold I saw an ad from my employer for my job. I thought that a little

strange when I was still on long term disability. When I went in for our

appointment, they laid me off work and said: " This is a fast paced company

and we don't feel that you can keep up with the pace. " After 5 years of

work with them, I was in a complete state of shock. Then came the long

legal battle between my lawyer and them. They eventually settled out of

court as they knew they had committed a " Wrongful Dismissal " . I probably

could have gotten better satisfaction had I taken this to the federal

government, as all telecommunications companies are governed by a different

set of rules from the general public. The body is called the " Canadian

Radio Telecommunications Commission " , and they would have loved this case,

but I needed the money so I went the other route.

Once this battle was over, I fell into a very deep, dark pit of depression.

After being treated with drugs and therapy, 6 months later I was back to

myself... an even better self. Then the Fibro hit. I had no idea what it

was and the doctors didn't diagnose it until summer of 2003. My medical

situation is pretty complicated right now. Seems the years of arthritic

drugs and all the weight I have put on since my accident.... is causing my

kidneys to leak protein, so I can no longer take any pain medication other

than Tylenol #3's. Now I also have cholesterol problems and my blood sugar

is on the high end of normal. I'm told if I don't lose weight, I'm looking

at kidney disease, diabetes, knee and hip replacements, and heart problems.

Of course depression set back in again. I'm also taking Amitriptyline

100mg. every night. That's pretty much it for any oral medication that I

get.

I said to my doctor... ok.. .we know what the problems are... how do I fix

it? All he could tell me was lose weight. Sheesh... I thought I told him I

needed help to achieve that. I insisted on see a Rheumatologist and a

Nutritionist. It was clear this new family doctor wasn't going to do me any

favors. I took it upon myself to start acupuncture treatments. I'm in my

3rd week and I'm starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. This has

been the only doctor that I've seen that is giving me the help and advice I

need. I've lost 2 pounds this past week, my pain level is easing up a bit,

and my mood is definitely picking up.

I'm hoping I can get the support I need from this group. And I hope to give

back to the group as much as I can.

Thanks for reading this long-winded introduction. I just didn't know how to

explain all the variables any other way. Thanks again for your patience.

Norah Bleazard

[Guest guest]

Norah,

Hi from Iowa. I'm a 53 disabled LPN who hasn't been able to work for

over 20 years after a job incurred injury...Boy I wish I'd known or

had a lawyer who knew how to protect the inured when I had to file

for disability..Would you believe I recieved nothing in compensation

for the loss of one leg funtion and chronic back pain? Can't believe

the settlements some of my friends have gotten..but put that aside

all the money in the world won't give us back the life we had...and

there in lies the rub as Hamlet would say...thank Heavens for Social

Security is all I can say..as my long term disability pays me $119 a

month......Have I been able to work at all in the past 20

years....Nope..zilch...zero. Not even babysitting. My daughter had

30+ hospitalizations that I as a nurse couldn't care for...Talk

about loww esteem...And my so called disability company still tries

to get rid of me from time to time..once told me after I filled out

their yearly guestioner that according to their definiation of

disabled I wasn't......I was getting a measly $50 a month from them

then...and the amount was about to go up beings my youngest was

about to graduate from HS..Talk about cheap....So I called them and

laid the biggest lie on them I've ever told...Something about my

lawyer/Doctors had laughed at their evaluation and I looked forward

to refiling my 'claim' with them at a time when they wasn't going to

get a chance to brow beat me in my own home with out having anyone

to be with me.....they showed up in my home shortly after I had

informed them I'd filed for SSI and black balled me into signing

away my and my childrens SSI !!! I had to repay them all but $199 a

month from the time they started paying me thru my disability claim.

If I didn't sign the form that day I was informed my monthly

payments of some $580 might be stopped until things could

be 'figured out'....so I signed..and when SS ruled in my favor some

2 years later this 'company' started demanding their money before I

even recieved it...even talking law suit.....I had to repay them

over $9,000.00 Boy was I had...so I wait every year to see if they

decide to rule me able to work under their guide lines for my

revenge.....but it won't happen. Like you so much has happened since

the initial injury date. Including a 50 pound weight gain this year

alone..add a couple of strokes, even tho I have hypotension, and

COPD..and broken bones from my right leg collapsing on me causing me

to fall...severe degenerative joint and disc

disease..osteoarthritis.....and finally fibromyalgia.

Mediciene wise I'm alittle better off tho I can't take morphine

or demeral..Codiene was my 'crutch' for almost 18 years.Including a

session of addiction to it..That a pian clinic helped me regulate

with various technigues..the biggest convincing me I wasn't going to

end up paralized from pain.....a 'secret' fear I'd been nursing for

several years. I too had gone all the routes you mentioned including

a TENS unit and I'd love to try accupuncture but my insurance thru

my husband's work old B/C-B/S doesn't cover it. I worked for the

state of Iowa..which had nothing to do with my claim as it was a

separate ins. and open enrollment. The Vet's Home stuck by me

leaving my job open for almost 3 years hoping I'd be back..plus no

one had the qualifications I did to fill my slot.They had bent over

back wards to keep me working..creating an LPN3 unit co-ordinator

job that required no physical contact with patient at all...which I

hated..The only reason I didn't take the offer to continue into the

RN program is I loved working with patients hands on..could never

seen my self doing my work thru aides and LPN's and a patient's

file. Sorry if I offend any RN's but I worked as an aide for 6 years

in nursing homes and the RN's I 'worked' with didn't leave a good

impression.

Anyway..as you can see this group allows you to VENT and offers

a large amount of support. Please tell me more about accupuncture as

the theory sounds facinating and I'd really like to know how it

works for you. Do you get instant relief as in a block while the

needles are in place?? Right now I'm on heavy duty pain

meds...oxycontin 80 mg. TID along with neurontin 300 mg. endocet 1-2

tabs up to 4 times a day. for depression I take zoloft during the

day and doxipan at night to sleep. Plus 2 cholestrol meds and a

blood clot preventor. When the fibro fog hits I use a med despensor

to keep track of what and when I take things. And lately it doesn't

take much to confuse me... soooo welcome to the group.

Just Me... K

> is on the high end of normal. I'm told if I don't lose weight,

I'm looking

> at kidney disease, diabetes, knee and hip replacements, and heart

problems.

> Of course depression set back in again. I'm also taking

Amitriptyline

> 100mg. every night. That's pretty much it for any oral medication

that I

> get.

>

> I said to my doctor... ok.. .we know what the problems are... how

do I fix

> it? All he could tell me was lose weight. Sheesh... I thought I

told him I

> needed help to achieve that. I insisted on see a Rheumatologist

and a

> Nutritionist. It was clear this new family doctor wasn't going to

do me any

> favors. I took it upon myself to start acupuncture treatments.

I'm in my

[Guest guest]

Welcome, Ardiana and Adolfo! Best wishes for a successful launch! ---Sharlene

>

> Hi everyone, my name is Ardiana and I'm a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and my

husband, Adolfo ,who is a family doc recently opened our small, solo, family and

peds practice in central Florida called Orange Doc Family Medicine. Its just the

two of us and I'm sure i'll have lots of questions soon.  I just wanted to say,

I appreciate all the information that i've learned from this amazing yahoo

group.

>