Does my husband have a case?

[Luckydog62]

the board




Ellencee;
No i absolutely do not mind keeping the posts on the board . I f anyone can benefit beside us from this knowledge that you are helping us acquire., Then I would like to think that maybe my husbands injury might help someone else in determining a confusing condition that sounds like his , then I will at least feel like something good has come out of this. there is some of the personal information that I would like to send you through the email tho. Things that are personal. MRIS .. they gave us a cd of the injuries before surgery that I will send to you..for review..

I hope you dont mind my asking,, you said you were without power and the phone today because of the storm.We also lost power and tv and the phone numerous times, because of the new 10 inches of wet snow that was dropped on us..Im in Upstate NY..So I was also trying to hop online all day.If there are parts of the cd that you would like to use on this board for educational purposes I do not have a problem as long as my husbands identity is not revealed. Will send you a email with my address . Thanks again .Sher

 

[ellencee]

I've only seen 10 inches of snow three times in my life; two of those times were since I moved to North Carolina. The first time, which was the most snow I've ever seen, was in GA when we got 18-24 inches in one day--shut us down for over a week!

I'll be waiting to receive your emails.

Take care,
EC

 

[lealea1005]

EC, would you please post the link to the article by Dr. A? I was unable to find it. Thanks!

Hope your weather improves (you too, OP and Ecmst). We've also had to fire up our generator the last couple of days. I feel like I should be walking around with rocks in my pockets to keep me from blowing away.

 

[ellencee]

EC, would you please post the link to the article by Dr. A? I was unable to find it. Thanks!

Hope your weather improves (you too, OP and Ecmst). We've also had to fire up our generator the last couple of days. I feel like I should be walking around with rocks in my pockets to keep me from blowing away.

I emailed the article's link to you.
The power is on. The wind is calm this morning. The yard is covered in debris but my flower beds are fine, so all is well.

I hope your weather is improving, too!

EC

 

[Luckydog62]

Mris

Ellencee
Just wanted to make sure that you did recieve the mris through the email and everything came through ok. Please let me know. 10 inches is nothing ... last month we got 10 feet in about 1 weeks time.. That was not fun. Have a Great Day!
Luckydog62

 

[ecmst12]

There was supposedly a bona fide blizzard in the areas north of Philly yesterday, I live south of the city though so I didn't see it, just a little slush and a lot of rain. It's supposed to warm up to 60 in the next couple of days so any remaining snow won't last long

If you guys want to keep talking about the medical stuff here, I'll keep reading, I think it's very interesting and educational. I find all medical "stuff", particularly neurological/spinal stuff, totally fascinating. The body is an amazing machine. So I'll never tell anyone to take that kind of conversation off-board

 

[Luckydog62]

LOts of new Insanity

Hello
Its been a while since I have been able to get on here. This whole situation just keeps getting crazier and crazier. Just when I think It cant get any worse . I t does. My husband went to the neuro 2 weeks ago and we were told by him that he needs a lumbar mri and there are none of my husbands in the envelope that we brougth because no lumbar xrays or mris were taken of my husband at any point , the only lumbar xrays or mris we have are the ones that were in the envelope that have someone elses name on them and then
the surgeon makes notes that he would like repeat cervical , thoracic and lumbar mris. Somethings wrong here . then this week we get a certified letter telling my husband his life insurance has been dropped.. Talk about adding insult to injury.Wow. I just cant beleive they can get away with all this. the employer, the drs, who we are to assume should have looked at the xrays . the neuro believes he might also have a l1-l2 injury.
but now why have no health insurance and have to wait for approval from the comp system . what can we do> Hey by the way our snow is almost all gone!!
Luckydog62

 

[lealea1005]

Hello
Its been a while since I have been able to get on here. This whole situation just keeps getting crazier and crazier. Just when I think It cant get any worse . I t does. My husband went to the neuro 2 weeks ago and we were told by him that he needs a lumbar mri and there are none of my husbands in the envelope that we brougth because no lumbar xrays or mris were taken of my husband at any point , the only lumbar xrays or mris we have are the ones that were in the envelope that have someone elses name on them and then
the surgeon makes notes that he would like repeat cervical , thoracic and lumbar mris. Somethings wrong here . then this week we get a certified letter telling my husband his life insurance has been dropped.. Talk about adding insult to injury.Wow. I just cant beleive they can get away with all this. the employer, the drs, who we are to assume should have looked at the xrays . the neuro believes he might also have a l1-l2 injury.
but now why have no health insurance and have to wait for approval from the comp system . what can we do> Hey by the way our snow is almost all gone!!
Luckydog62

Lucky, can you please clarify? Was your husband's life insurance or health insurance dropped? Did they give you a reason?

 

[ellencee]

I don't understand the life insurance part but the rest of what's going on makes sense to me.

The MRI that showed increased T signal in the lower spine's "area" justifies a lumbar MRI as does the continued pain.

I think it's important to remember that injuries do not always completely reveal themselves on film. That's why accurate reporting of physical complaints and thorough patient interview coupled with thorough physical examination are so important; unresolved, continuing, or worsening symptoms indicate a problem that has yet to reveal itself on film or in other tests.

Weather news: after a scorchingly hot week or so (mostly spent at the beach and boating the intracoastal waterway with friends), we are hunkering down for another round of lightening, wind, and rain. We need the rain, so I'll try and be happy about it. I'll just keep my fingers crossed for enough cooler weather to finish my gardens.

LD--If you can get a copy of the written MD and treatment notes (your husband's), I'll be glad to take a look at them. If you have a trusted friend or family member who is an RN, he or she could read through the records and see if anything appears to be less than what it should be.

EC

 

[Luckydog62]

Nothing shocks me any more! SSDD

EC & Lea
The employer dropped my husbands health insurance By certified letter on March 20,2007 stating that our health insurance which the employer had been paying for was being terminated due to termination of employent effective March 31,2007. this is the first we had heard of it..In september when my husband was starting to recover we were given a potential return to work 4/1/2007.. which we relayed to the employer at that time.
On March 14, my husbands employer called and left a message inquiring about my husband. At that point, we had a second ortho dr appt 2 days later and knew nothing new on the 14th because the employer had been kept posted throughout all of this.On the 16th he went to the Dr and was told he had some nerve damage and needed to see a neurologist.. It was late Friday afternoon and the boss we know from past history that he was probably two sheets to the wind. My husband doesnt drink and doesnt like dealing with obnoxious drunks, so he decided to call his employer Monday morning , the 19th of March. He informed his employer what he had recently learned and told him he was waiting for a neuro appt to be scheduled.While they were on the phone . the ortho called to give us the appt date..The employer thanked my husband for keeping him posted,
and and said Keep me posted! They hung up. The next day certoified letter arrived in the mail Stating above. Recently my husband was given the opportunity to inquire of his employer why,At first the employer didnt answer but then realized my husband was not letting it go. , and said " I paid for your insurance for 71/2 months XXXXX , how long did you want me to pay for it? then he stated his administrative asst did it. ..When my husband asked him if was phsically capable and he stated my husband would have to put an application in and if there was position my husband was qualified for??????to be cont.

 

[Luckydog62]

I am sorry, the last sentence was about my husband returning to work. Then this week we get a certified letter stating his life insurance paid by the employer , had also been cancelled,

On april 11th he would have been fully vested with the company and would have been eligible for 401k. I think the employers timing is remarkable!!!
I dont know if I should be concerned about the xray situation or not I mean now we are being told he needs a lumbar mri because the doctor suspects the possibility of L1 or L2
radiculopathy vs. ilioinguinal or obturator neuropathy? whatever that means..and he was surprised we had no lumbar ever done. The only lumbar we have are 2 other peoples lumbar spines a couple have screws and hardware in them,, others we have appear to be of a normal lumbar spine, but I am not even close to educated in any of these areas. We were in his surgeons office after the mris
i am not even close to educated in any of these areas. they gave him Baclofen for the spasticity for now.
These symptoms all started back in July, and the not much has changed,, his neck now hurts, when he went to the dr originally it didnt. His leg causes him great discomfort. he is not dragging his leg any longer but still has a hard time staying in any one position for long or walking very far.Aand then we have to fight for SS too, everybody in NY knows you always get turned down the first time. The Dr has mentioned he will not be able to return to his former occupation, or possibly any other, We have been thinking on this and havent figured a new one out ourselves yet.. WE believe my husband contibuted his fair share here at ground zero when he was wading through the debris and body part, and now the entire system is letting him down ..He has had 2 IMEs so far and another one scheduled

 

[Luckydog62]

More

, The first one was two months after his surgery, I mean really
Did they think he might be healed? .Also the employer gave him a considerable raise last year , so that goes to show, that he was a hard worker and good employee.. the employer asked my huswband about a former back injury (note) my husband had never mentioned this too him . so how did he know? after the injury 20 years ago he returned to work with no restrictions and had yearly DOT physicals This employer was trying to find someone else to blame, I feel that considering the fact that the injury was 20 years ago He, has shown perservence. He has worked very hard , since he was 14. His father taught alll his kids to work hard .. Sorry about the typos...i get on a roll and just keep going. and Ive been bottling this up for a few weeks now. .I do have med reports not sure which ones you are talking about ,,, No I dont know any LPNs or Drs. . So any assistance we get helps..
Weather update.. today was beautiful.. sunny.. 60 , Dry.. Tonight we have frost warnings, hoping that my perennials i split survive.. didnt hear the forecast till after. Oh well!!!

 

[Luckydog62]

just a question LEA

Lea , noticed you mentioned SU .. any particular reason?

 

[lealea1005]

Lea , noticed you mentioned SU .. any particular reason?

My daughter is on their women's rugby team ( I usually have my eyes shut during most of the games)....but not the SU you're thinking about in NY.

My advice regarding your husband is to go ahead and send EC the info she offered to go over.

"Potential" return to work dates are obviously not set in stone. They are approximate dates that can be changed at the descretion of the examining Physician.

Ilioinguinal neuropathy can occur after surgery or spontaneously, with imflammation causing pressure to the nerve root.

 

[ecmst12]

I don't know how long your husband has been out of work but per FMLA the most they have to hold his job for him is 12 weeks. After 12 weeks they can legally let him go whenever they want. However if he is on disability at the time of his termination I don't believe they can terminate his disability benefits just because his employment was terminated. They can, as you saw, terminate his health and life insurance, but for the health insurance at least he should be eligible for Cobra. Which is expensive but he should get it anyway; he does not want to have a gap in coverage with his medical problems. They have I think 60 days to send you the Cobra enrollment information, but you/he can contact his HR department about it too.

I was going to say that you could add him to the insurance that you have through your job(if you have any), since him losing his job and insurance counts as a "qualifying life event" allowing you to add him outside of open enrollment, but unfortunately you only have a 30 day window after a qualifying event to add him, and it looks like the 30 days are up.