N
Nahanni
Guest
What is the name of your state?
Iowa
Situation: extremely desperate
One year and four months ago I had a back injury for which I am still taking pain medication. The work environment did not provide a lift and it was necessary to lift large awkward material from floor level which doctors afterward told me was almost a guarantee of back injury. I took this job out of desperation to begin with, and because its associated with a small University it only paid about 500 hundred a month with meals and a few other minor perks which is one of the reasons my situation is so desperate right now. I'm also 52 years old.
After the hospital Workmens Comp put me with a doctor of their choice (nobody else was acceptable) who said it was a muscle injury, and proceeded with a physical therapy program for the muscles which the first part was with a therapist and the second part was working out on my own. It was all very strenuous, exhausting and I hurt throughout. I was told my back pain would disappear if I continued doing the program on my own which I did completely and without variation. Also my physical therapist wanted to see my work place to ascertain what might be damaging or not to me, but the University refused to let her in. When I still hurt after this program the WC insurance company said they couldn't ascertain if I might have hurt myself elsewhere and refused to help me. I did manage another visit to the doctor , but it might have been paid discretely by the University which has problems with their carriers. The doctor said to continue with prescription pain medication and continue my activity which included considerable heavy lifting. Last November I wrote letters to the University that I couldn't find WC forms and I was in such pain - not only in my back, but I could hardly open and shut my jaw and other things - that I needed medical attention and they ignored me. Just recently - this April- somebody higher up in the University said I should get some medical attention and it was arranged for me to see a chiropracter who feels absolutely certain that I have a herniated disk. He called the University and to date they haven't returned his calls, and I called and dropped a letter off which so far has not been answered. I can't afford my own MRI and I know everybody wishes I would just disappear.
My current situation is financially desperate and I don't know my way around in this particular world. I also want to move out of this area to an area that provides decent jobs, but I'm afraid I won't get hired with this injury on record, and the injury itself is very resticting because of pain and also energy level. Somebody told me they thought the University might have closed this case with the WC carrier and just be handling it entirely on their own.
My gratitude for any help here will be immense as I feel very much on the edge. Thank you.
Iowa
Situation: extremely desperate
One year and four months ago I had a back injury for which I am still taking pain medication. The work environment did not provide a lift and it was necessary to lift large awkward material from floor level which doctors afterward told me was almost a guarantee of back injury. I took this job out of desperation to begin with, and because its associated with a small University it only paid about 500 hundred a month with meals and a few other minor perks which is one of the reasons my situation is so desperate right now. I'm also 52 years old.
After the hospital Workmens Comp put me with a doctor of their choice (nobody else was acceptable) who said it was a muscle injury, and proceeded with a physical therapy program for the muscles which the first part was with a therapist and the second part was working out on my own. It was all very strenuous, exhausting and I hurt throughout. I was told my back pain would disappear if I continued doing the program on my own which I did completely and without variation. Also my physical therapist wanted to see my work place to ascertain what might be damaging or not to me, but the University refused to let her in. When I still hurt after this program the WC insurance company said they couldn't ascertain if I might have hurt myself elsewhere and refused to help me. I did manage another visit to the doctor , but it might have been paid discretely by the University which has problems with their carriers. The doctor said to continue with prescription pain medication and continue my activity which included considerable heavy lifting. Last November I wrote letters to the University that I couldn't find WC forms and I was in such pain - not only in my back, but I could hardly open and shut my jaw and other things - that I needed medical attention and they ignored me. Just recently - this April- somebody higher up in the University said I should get some medical attention and it was arranged for me to see a chiropracter who feels absolutely certain that I have a herniated disk. He called the University and to date they haven't returned his calls, and I called and dropped a letter off which so far has not been answered. I can't afford my own MRI and I know everybody wishes I would just disappear.
My current situation is financially desperate and I don't know my way around in this particular world. I also want to move out of this area to an area that provides decent jobs, but I'm afraid I won't get hired with this injury on record, and the injury itself is very resticting because of pain and also energy level. Somebody told me they thought the University might have closed this case with the WC carrier and just be handling it entirely on their own.
My gratitude for any help here will be immense as I feel very much on the edge. Thank you.