I've had a really rough week in this department of quilting with disabilities or should I say life with disability. I've been trying for 2 1/2 years to get insurance clearance for lapband surgery. My weight about 3 years ago aggrevated damaged disks in my back due to a car accident when I was a teen to the point that I can't walk more than a few feet. Also arthritis set in which keeps me in constant pain. I can't browse thru a quilt shop without my cumbersome wheelchair or stand to rotary cut. Anyway I decided to pay for the surgery myself and the doc asked me to lose 30 pounds at Thanksgiving to get ready for surgery. Last Friday doc scales said I'd lost 41. Woohoo time to reschedule the surgery and then by accident I found out the company I was working with is questionable. Another setback/start over and then my company stepped in to squash my taking leave for the surgery (another long story). So again surgery is shelved until a solution comes up. But am thankful that I found out about these folks that many want to sue before I got into it and thankful for being able to lose weight at this time.

Hi Jessima, glad you're doing well. At least with the surgery pain, you know that it's going to get better, and it's easier to deal with. With chronic pain, we tend to think that it's never going away, and that's really hard to cope with, at least it is for me.

You have a new life ahead of you - live it to the fullest!

Have a great day, Sharon in TN

Jessimina, glad to hear your surgery went well and despite the pain caused by the surgery, you are feeling free from the pain in your leg. God bless your recovery.

Hello everyone!! Just thought I'd come in and give you an update. I had my surgery on 1/23. I was up walking that night. I came home the next day. The dr. did 3 disks, one more than what was planned. He also cleaned up some arthritic issues (not sure what that means but I'll talk to him more about it at my check up on Tuesday). But, it needed it, he was in there and so... maybe he saved me a future surgery down the road.

The first weekend was a bit rough, mainly because it was so hard to get in/out of bed and get my self up from the sofa. I just felt like I got hit by a truck. Things have improved since then. I am getting around ok. I can't sit for any longer than 30 minutes at a time, and only 3 times a day so, it's been a challenge finding things to do standing up. Laying down gets so boring, and I feel even more sore after a while. My hips and knees start to hurt!! Can't win huh?

But, the good news is... that horrible pain I've had in my butt and going down my leg for going on 5 years now is GONE!!! AMEN!! I still have a bit of tingling and some calf pain but the doctor said the nerve was pretty compressed and it make a while for things to get back to normal. Truthfully, if I never get any better than I am right now... I've still improved 100%!!!

So, for me the surgery was the right thing to do, and at the right time. Too much more compression on the nerve may have resulted in permanent nerve damage. Thank you all for your prayers.

Hopefully I will be back to quilting real soon. I don't go back to work until March 3rd. It would be great if I could spend some of that time doing something fun, like finishing a project I started well before Christmas!!

Chat later all!!

gone

Oh, right, I forget about that bridge! Glad you're feeling better
Florence

WELL ladys I feel better this morning I did not go to MWH I went to Civista in Md. it is closer to my home

Thanks, Ann.
I had to hire an att'y last fall because I had to go to a hearing. The DIL of a friend works as a paralegal for a WC lawyer, so he went with me and has been receiving all the reports from the doctors since. I emailed him and told him what the doc said. I'll wait until they come to me.
eileenkny

eileen please please please get professional advice before you settle anything with workmen's compensation. Once you have settled there is no going back and getting it changed so you need to evaluate your situation and determine the best course but coming from a lifetime of working with people with disabilities I have never heard anyone claim that they settled too late . You cannot predict the future (unless you are whole lot smarter than most of the professionals)
I know I flunked fortune telling in college and gave up on it early on lol this may sound like a negative cynical attitude but I know from experience that is better to stand your ground in the beginning than try to come back later and have your settlement changed.

Happy I hope you're feeling better... no fun at MWH on a weekend! But DH was in last year w/ kidney stones & they did take good care of him, hope your "visit" went ok, Florence

Yesterday I went to my pain mgmt doctor and she told me that she thinks I've reached an endpoint with my injury and will now be considered chronic. She said that she's putting in her report that I am permanently partially disabled. Now I have to wait and see what the WC board is going to do. It's kind of depressing.
One friend told me that the board will probably try to settle-either by paying me for life or a lump sum.
Has anyone here had to go through anything like this? It's all new territory for my husband and me.
Should I worry about this?
eileenkny

Happy,
Hope you feel better in the morning. Sleep well.
eileenkny

Well lady I got home from one my kids swim meets last night got in to bed and the pain started 2 hours later had to wake my husband to go to the hosptial was their all night with alot of pain meds I had my 2nd round with kindey stones let me tell you this is not something any of you need I have been in bed all day I hope that I will feel more like my self tomorrow but for now I am going back to bed not so Happy

Hi mandy, I have a hoop that my husband put on a base with about 8" 'legs', so I can sit in my recliner with my knees bent and the quilting area is almost at chest level. So I don't have a problem with that part of it. What would help right now is to get in bed!!! It's almost 2:30 am, EST and here I am.

Well, girls, gotta go get some sleep, so I can be on here tomorrow!!

Have a great day/evening/night, Sharon in TN