[Spinal Disorders Support]

June 23, 2003

I missed a few things in there, shoud be isnt coming back not is coming back to

employer. I think you all will figure out what I meant I sure hope so. I did try

to edit it but missed them. sorry folks chris

I don't know whether I have told my story or not about how I became involved

with this group. I was injured at work in 2000. Previously I had a cervical

laminectomy diskectomy done in 1997 for C5-6. It went well postoperatively and I

returned to work and no more pain or nothing. Then doing the same thing at work

hanging my headover the desk and computer for 12hrs. this day it finally gave

again. C6-7 was herniated this time. I went for therapy and an mri was ordered.

Found was c6-7 herniated and impingement. I had a cernical fusion with no

hardware(my neck is very short and fat) and from the moment I awoke from the

surgery I had a different pain, stabbing and burning between the should blades.

I would lay in bed for hours, days and not be able to get up. I cried all the

time. No one would listen to me. I had a workman's comp nurse (has anyone had

one?) if so you'll know what I am talking about here. Well, this nurse was male,

and she really took to cecil and I and was very friendly and little did I know

what was going to happen to me and not to trust him. He had done so much to help

me, I thought he was helping me, ya sure and then sure by good luck. Well, he

did get me in to see a pain clinic doc, Dr. Bez who is wonderful as far as

I am concerned. He said to the nurse that I probably was suffering from

radiculopathy pain and my own gp/internist and him decided that they would put

me on long term oxycontin to at least take some of the pain away, by then I was

extremely depressed and didn't do anything but stay in bed(worse thing for me

but didn't know that) and I was evaluated by a psychologist and he said

basically my depression was due to the chronic pain and since we were dealing

with that with oxycontin then close my case there is nothing more that can be

done. My neurosurgeon was one of these kind that did not want to get involved

and said if you are fusing then you are ok and I do not treat work worry about

anyother pain or pains you may have. What a you know what. Well, once the

workmans comp nurse closed my case, I had no insurance, no job to go back to,

because this has gone on over 1 1/2hrs. time and paid me up until then when

nothing could be done anymore. So no health insurance, no help with meds, etc. I

finally got my social security approved and got my medicare so I could go see

another neurosurgeon this past month. He feels that there is something in there

casue this pain, and that yes it was work related all doctors said so from day

one, even their doc, and they found a doc they sent me to and I wonder how much

they paid him to say she could return to work, ya right!!!! I could've have

slapped him in his face and the wc nurse too. O so looking out for me ya right.

Well, I know am seeing the top of neurosurgeons and am getting a better picture

of things and he hopes this myleogram will prove and show that there is somekind

of damage or something going on in there. After awhile you beging to think its

all in your head and then you get someone who knows how you feel and relates and

knows and says no its not in your head, its real, we'll find it. I really don't

want any more surgery, afraid I'll be worse off lthan I am right now, but if I'm

told a good percentage of help then I'll go for it. I am awaiting to see him

this week and hope I have something to take to court. I have been putting off

all court trials till I had a neurosurgeon who would stick up for me, but of

course if nothing found on this myleogram I don't know how much he will stick up

for me or not yet. But he truly feels it is work related and the insurance

company is just trying to get out of paying me, I havnt had any income since

Dec. 2001. My neurosurgeon said they knew I didn't have the neurosurgeon who did

the operation to stick up for me so they figured just stop paying her and she'll

give up and try to find a job. Mind you, I had lost my job where I got hurt,

because I was out for more than 6 months, I worked there 22yrs. Its not like I

was trying to not work, I loved my job, and as you get older you settle in more

and begin to know the ins and outs of the job and it is much easier for me to do

back then when I first began on the job 22yrs. ago. I worked in the health

industry. Its funny how they want good patient care, take away employees for

money purposes, cant afford so many, then chit on you when you get hurt and said

its alright we'll find another sucker, when that one gets hurt that's alright

we'll get another and on and on it goes. They want us to care for their patients

but they don't give a hoot about their employees when they get hurt. As you can

see I have a grudge on my shoulders but after all I have been through, some day

when I get my court hearing I hope to let it go once they get what's coming to

them. My attorney now feels we have a very good case and I surely hope to stick

it to the insurance company, its not my employer at this point, they are out of

the picture, and even my supervisor where I worked doesn't believe the crap I

have had to endure. Your employer really does not know what goes on after

awhile, especially when they know you are coming back, they don't see the chit

the insurancee company really gives to their employee's. Sorry I needed to

vent. Take care all and I'm lurking around. Chris

June 23, 2003

I hear ya and when I was put off work and only was able to get medicaid

b/c I have a daughter, I wanted to strangle someone. I was not able to work b/c

of pain, and at the time not knowing I'd never be able to go back, but having

someone tell me you're only getting insurance (medicaid) b/c you have a child is

crap. I needed insurance so I could go back to work and if I hadn't had Kaylee,

I'd have had to pay for it myself, what a crock! I did have cobra avail to me,

and I paid for that with child support money till it ran out, realizing this was

not going to be just a couple weeks off work, I had NO idea what I was in for

back then... then again you're talking to someone who also thought she was

having cramps for the first time in her life, funny how it turned out to be a

ruptured disk. Anyhow, you can't work b/c of medical problems and w/o a job,

cobra smacks ya in the pocket for, in my case, $300/mo for medical insurance,

but that was better than what I could have bee

n facing with doctor bills, tests, etc. If I had added Kaylee to the insurance,

it would have been $525. My child support was only $425/mo. I just didnt think

about going and applying for medicaid at the time b/c like I said, never knew it

would be more than a short time b4 I'd be back to work. Anyhow, during that time

I wanted to be an atty who went back and nailed ins. companies for screwing the

average person, you and me, I hate what they do to those who just need help to

get back to work, not like we're sitting home sponging off the system b/c we're

lazy. Ugh

Connie

> I don't know whether I have told my story or not about how I became involved