So I don't need a cane?

[Guest guest]

Early last week, I had to stop at work on one of my off days, to

arrange for a day off for this week, and since I wasn't working I had

my cane with me. My boss decides I needed to get a release from my

doctor (Indy VA medical center, in my case) that it's okay for me to

be working in my job (die maintenance, aluminum extrusion dies), as

well as proof of days I've had to swap with a co-worker so that I

could make my VA appointments.

When I called the Indy VA medical center about this, and talked to a nurse in my

health clinic there, she said that the soonest that I'd be able to see regular

GP would be in May. I had to go the route of going to my clinic (on

Tuesday...one of my off days), to be seen by *A* GP, and not necessarily my

regular GP.

As it turned out, it was a different GP, and I'd explained to him that

I'd started using the cane early last month, after I'd started getting

chronic pains in my left ankle and knee, as well as chronic swelling

in my right ankle (which I got under control with a compression brace

under my stabilizing brace).

Having looked at my charts, he tells me that the Physical Therapist I'd seen had

indicated that I don't need to use a cane because there's no real instability in

my right ankle, and I don't have any problems with balance. He even told me that

I could actually do more damage in my right ankle, from how one tends to walk

with a cane.

Now due to a miscommunication that I'd mentioned in a post after my last VA

clinic visit, it won't be until April that I go back to see the foot and ankle

specialist. Instead of sometime last month which would've been 90 days after I

first saw him, and that was the time frame he'd given for the burn on my foot to

heal.

Of course I'm somewhat baffled by what the doctor was telling me, on

Tuesday, but not too terribly baffled. just that some things aren't

adding up, as to my decision to start using a cane, when I'm not

working, and they're reasoning that I shouldn't be using a cane.

Granted this *IS* VA medical care that I'm talking about, so I guess

it'd be logical, in that way of thinking. The x-rays ordered by the

foot and ankle specialist, as well as the range of motion

manipulations by the physical therapist both indicate that the lateral

ligament in my right ankle is damaged to the point that I have *zero*

inversion resistance, and the arthritis (which also shows quite well

on x-rays) is bad enough that my ankle sometimes locks during flexion.

But they're telling me that I don't really need to use a cane because

there's no instability in my right ankle? My ankle is stable because I

use a stirrup brace with plastic stabilizers, and always wear high top

shoes/boots as suggested by the one prosthetist/orthotist.

I guess starting to get chronic pains in my left ankle and knee, from tending to

favor that side when my right side acts up, is not enough of a reason to be

using a cane? I'll continue to use my cane outside of work, and will relate all

issues with my right ankle that I've

encountered to the specialist, since my last visit with him.

The last time I'd seen my regular GP, he didn't think my ankle and knee joints

were bad enough, yet, to warrant qualifying me for a DAV plate, or increasing my

VA Disability rating beyond 10%, but it seems like they're missing the big

picture, somewhere along the line.

My right ankle problems are having a direct effect on my right knee (with only

1/3 of the medial meniscus left, since September 2002), and they'd gone long

enough to start effecting my left ankle and knee, but

apparently I'm not supposed to be doing anything that would alieviate

any of this? Maybe I'm missing something about their big picture?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!

Matt

[Guest guest]

--- Lawrence

wrote:

I'm missing something about their big picture?

No Matt, I think they are missing the big picture.

Didn't they bother to look at the physical therpist's

notes?

First, does using the cane help alleviate the pain in

your unaffected leg?

Second, anytime one leg is hurting, a person is

automatically going to put more weight on the other

leg/foot. This is just common sense.

Third, anytime one leg/foot is painful, and you

automatically put more weight on the unaffected leg,

it throws off your hips, and back eventually.

Fourth, try to deal with one group as much as

possible. The VA is slow, but can be very thorough,

and affective.

I would still continue to use the cane too. It boggles

my mind that your physician, doesn't think it's a good

idea to use a cane, to support your affected foot/leg.

It also doesn't make sense for you to be denied a

handi-cap parking permit. Your time would be easier,

if you could spend the time walking in the store,

instead of the parking lot.

Kaylene

Moderator

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