I am 32yr. old with robpi. Recently lost job(was told you have to be able to do job). Worked for the school system(cafeteria staff)so no unemployment benefits. Lost my insurance as well.
This all started Nov. 04 when I noticed a lump about the size of a quarter on my right lower back --with terrible pain and numbness in my affected side.
Have been to GP,chiropractor,and neuro.---they all have different diagnosis.
Have been on several different meds.---none have helped with the pain.the latest is gabapentin--which has made my unaffected arm weaker.
I finally called ss office today. I have a phone interview the 18th of July.
I have heard it is hard to prove disability for this birth injury..if anyone has suggestions please let me know.
Thanks.
Tracy in Tennessee
any suggestions for disability?
-
Angela Butterfly
- Posts: 483
- Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2003 4:24 pm
Re: any suggestions for disability?
Michelle: Posted by Tracy at another thread 06-30-05
great idea--better get a patent on that. Maybe we should all get together and invent things that would help us in everyday tasks? Anyway, the pain started about 6 months ago, I was putting away stock at work--when I bent over I guess I twisted the wrong way--felt a pinch with a burning sensation--thought I just pulled back muscle--a couple weeks later had a knot form in right lower back--went GP-meds./work restrictions he referred me to chiro-e-stim/adjustments(got major headaches)told GP he then referred me to neuro.-meds./work restrictions-says chronic pain rest of life. Going back July 6th--going to demand PT and have lots of questions for him after finding this site.
The pain is getting worse in affected side(arm,neck,shoulder seems to be drawing up--shooting pain in heel up leg to mid thigh--hip/lower back has burning sensation).
I think my body is just tired and saying "whoa-slow down".I'm sure getting older has lots to do with it,too--years of overcompensating(have done physical labor last 16 years---I guess it is time to start using brains rather than body. I never knew about the whole compensation thing until recently---no doctor ever mentioned it.
I am hoping PT will help with ROM-have not had PT since I was 2. I'd say i'm a little over due.
It could be worse I suppose--could be alone dealing with it---but have support from my WONDERFUL family.
Take care..
Tracy in Tennessee
****************************************
Dear Tracy, I moved this over to respond on your post, so as not change thought of original thread I read it on.
I used to own a Business for over 10 years.....
Sounds like you had a VALID Workers Compensation Claim....
Did you file that injury with your employer at the time of the incident?
Your employer should have filed out a Form and sent it into his insurer. It sounds to me, that all of your medical treatment should have been covered under Work Comp. If you believe you were not treated fairly you then report it to the Industrial Commission for your State.
I believe there is a time frame for reporting injuries....can't remember what that time frame is right now.
great idea--better get a patent on that. Maybe we should all get together and invent things that would help us in everyday tasks? Anyway, the pain started about 6 months ago, I was putting away stock at work--when I bent over I guess I twisted the wrong way--felt a pinch with a burning sensation--thought I just pulled back muscle--a couple weeks later had a knot form in right lower back--went GP-meds./work restrictions he referred me to chiro-e-stim/adjustments(got major headaches)told GP he then referred me to neuro.-meds./work restrictions-says chronic pain rest of life. Going back July 6th--going to demand PT and have lots of questions for him after finding this site.
The pain is getting worse in affected side(arm,neck,shoulder seems to be drawing up--shooting pain in heel up leg to mid thigh--hip/lower back has burning sensation).
I think my body is just tired and saying "whoa-slow down".I'm sure getting older has lots to do with it,too--years of overcompensating(have done physical labor last 16 years---I guess it is time to start using brains rather than body. I never knew about the whole compensation thing until recently---no doctor ever mentioned it.
I am hoping PT will help with ROM-have not had PT since I was 2. I'd say i'm a little over due.
It could be worse I suppose--could be alone dealing with it---but have support from my WONDERFUL family.
Take care..
Tracy in Tennessee
****************************************
Dear Tracy, I moved this over to respond on your post, so as not change thought of original thread I read it on.
I used to own a Business for over 10 years.....
Sounds like you had a VALID Workers Compensation Claim....
Did you file that injury with your employer at the time of the incident?
Your employer should have filed out a Form and sent it into his insurer. It sounds to me, that all of your medical treatment should have been covered under Work Comp. If you believe you were not treated fairly you then report it to the Industrial Commission for your State.
I believe there is a time frame for reporting injuries....can't remember what that time frame is right now.
Re: any suggestions for disability?
This is a long story!!!
No, I did not file a report with my employer. In the past, there were times I would just move a certain way or to fast(like a sudden jerk) and would have a pinch and/or burning sensation feeling in many different parts of my body and just ACCEPTED it was "normal" because of my "bad" arm(what I USED to call it)I LIKE "AFFECTED" ARM SOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!! So glad I found this site--I have learned so much(and STILL learning). Anyway, I just kept on working and pushing myself thinking I would work it out(muscle tension,aches, pains).I took ibuprofen, soak in epsom salts, wear back brace and laid on heating pad. The pain/numbess/coldness of my arm/neck/shouler kept worse and my heel started having pain shooting up calf(affected side). Also, pain started in the small of my back--like burning/shooting pain. Well, that kinda freaked me out because that was a "NEW" pain. But my mother has a saying "GET UP AND MOVE AROUND AND YOU'LL FEEL BETTER!!!!" So, I just kept pushing myself and then I discovered a knot the size of a quarter in lower right(affected side) back(1st thing I thought of was cancer-my grandma died from lung cancer). I made appt. with GP-he told me I probably pulled a muscle. Gave me Flexaril/told me to come back 2 weeks. Same day went to chiro(had seen him 2002 because of affected arm waking me up freezing/pain)--my mom had pulled a muscle in her shoulder and was his patient--told him about the erb's palsy(was the only name I had ever known--laugh everytime I say or type it now!! I think of Kath saying it sounds like something you would put on a salad!! "Lettuce" Laugh! haha
The chiro. did help in 2002 pain went away arm was back to "normal"-told me I had alot of scar tissue over affected scapula. Told me I should use an above type pulley to keep affected area moving. So my husband made a pulley attached to the ceiling in our bedroom. Recently, my cousin from Australia came to visit. The look on his face was priceless when he seen this contraption..wonder where his mind was. haha
I went to him thinking he could work out this knot I found that adjustments,e-stim,ultrasound was bringing on terrible headaches this time and was not helping with pain. He also told me after taking x-rays I had the beginnings of degenerative disc disease and my right leg was shorter. He put me on work restrictions of no lifting over 15 lbs. Told me to go back to GP. When I told my Manager about work resrtictions she was less than happy-but agreed to work with me. And at this piont it was about a month after picking up the case of green beans and feeling the pinch. The policy from the BOE-Nutrition Program states that if any employee and/or manager does not report injury to off-site supervisor at the time it occured you will be terminated. So not wanting to lose my employment I did not file an injury report and kept working.
I went back to GP. Told him what chiro had said about x-rays. He had x-rays done says no sign of disease. Tell him pain getting worse in heel/calf and back. Gives me more Flexaril. No lifting at all. Come back in two weeks. My manager is really getting ticked. But again agrees to work with me.
I guess it was about a week later. New problems!!! Part of my job required me to wash and prepare servings of fruits and vegatables. I noticed when affected arm was in cold water it would turn a red bluish-purple color in splotches and would be extremely painful to the touch. I called the GP. Told me to come the next day.
It happened to be really cold outside and my arm did the samething as before. He seen what I was talking about. Said could be Raynuad's Syndrome-gave me different meds.(had allergic reaction to them). Says pain in heel/calf could be sciatia. Refers me to neuro.
New work restritions-no mopping/no exposure to cold.
Manager tells me I all I can do is cashier position (2hours) and I could only do that for 12 weeks or I would lose insurance.
Neuro.does mri(lower back only), emg. Says everything looks normal. However he continues work restriction for 3 months and gives me gabapentin(now up to 1800mg./day) and said to lose weight. Come back in 3 months. This was Feb. 25th. Gave restriction slip to manager. She asks if I plan on coming back start of next school year-my response was if I am able.
April 11, 2005 I received a certified letter from my supervisor stating I would not be rehired for the 2005-2006 school year and my Insurance Benefits would be terminated May 2005.I was furious!!! I asked her why?
She had the nerve to tell me that Tennessee is a right to work state and she DID NOT have to give me a reason. So I just flat out asked her if it was because of my arm. Her response was well you have to be able to work. I continued to work and bumped up neuro. visit a few weeks early so insurance would cover it.
Went back to neuro. May 2nd. I told him no change in heel/leg pain and I wasn't sure if the meds. or the restrictions was helping back pain. Back seemed to be a little better. He told me I would have chronic pain the rest of my life and I would have to deal with it(pain)..yes and this is the kicker he told me I had brachial plexopathy. What a diagnosis same thing as erb's palsy just a different name!!!
I have an appt. July 6th-I think the med. is affecting my "good" arm it is sooo much weaker than it has ever been and I am so tired all the time. There are no bpi specialists in Tennessee. I have a phone interview for disability on July 18th. Hopefully, if I get that I can find a good PT and try to make sense of all the pain.
Thanks for your suggestion!
I am open to any and all suggestions at this point in time.
Tracy in Tennessee
No, I did not file a report with my employer. In the past, there were times I would just move a certain way or to fast(like a sudden jerk) and would have a pinch and/or burning sensation feeling in many different parts of my body and just ACCEPTED it was "normal" because of my "bad" arm(what I USED to call it)I LIKE "AFFECTED" ARM SOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!! So glad I found this site--I have learned so much(and STILL learning). Anyway, I just kept on working and pushing myself thinking I would work it out(muscle tension,aches, pains).I took ibuprofen, soak in epsom salts, wear back brace and laid on heating pad. The pain/numbess/coldness of my arm/neck/shouler kept worse and my heel started having pain shooting up calf(affected side). Also, pain started in the small of my back--like burning/shooting pain. Well, that kinda freaked me out because that was a "NEW" pain. But my mother has a saying "GET UP AND MOVE AROUND AND YOU'LL FEEL BETTER!!!!" So, I just kept pushing myself and then I discovered a knot the size of a quarter in lower right(affected side) back(1st thing I thought of was cancer-my grandma died from lung cancer). I made appt. with GP-he told me I probably pulled a muscle. Gave me Flexaril/told me to come back 2 weeks. Same day went to chiro(had seen him 2002 because of affected arm waking me up freezing/pain)--my mom had pulled a muscle in her shoulder and was his patient--told him about the erb's palsy(was the only name I had ever known--laugh everytime I say or type it now!! I think of Kath saying it sounds like something you would put on a salad!! "Lettuce" Laugh! haha
The chiro. did help in 2002 pain went away arm was back to "normal"-told me I had alot of scar tissue over affected scapula. Told me I should use an above type pulley to keep affected area moving. So my husband made a pulley attached to the ceiling in our bedroom. Recently, my cousin from Australia came to visit. The look on his face was priceless when he seen this contraption..wonder where his mind was. haha
I went to him thinking he could work out this knot I found that adjustments,e-stim,ultrasound was bringing on terrible headaches this time and was not helping with pain. He also told me after taking x-rays I had the beginnings of degenerative disc disease and my right leg was shorter. He put me on work restrictions of no lifting over 15 lbs. Told me to go back to GP. When I told my Manager about work resrtictions she was less than happy-but agreed to work with me. And at this piont it was about a month after picking up the case of green beans and feeling the pinch. The policy from the BOE-Nutrition Program states that if any employee and/or manager does not report injury to off-site supervisor at the time it occured you will be terminated. So not wanting to lose my employment I did not file an injury report and kept working.
I went back to GP. Told him what chiro had said about x-rays. He had x-rays done says no sign of disease. Tell him pain getting worse in heel/calf and back. Gives me more Flexaril. No lifting at all. Come back in two weeks. My manager is really getting ticked. But again agrees to work with me.
I guess it was about a week later. New problems!!! Part of my job required me to wash and prepare servings of fruits and vegatables. I noticed when affected arm was in cold water it would turn a red bluish-purple color in splotches and would be extremely painful to the touch. I called the GP. Told me to come the next day.
It happened to be really cold outside and my arm did the samething as before. He seen what I was talking about. Said could be Raynuad's Syndrome-gave me different meds.(had allergic reaction to them). Says pain in heel/calf could be sciatia. Refers me to neuro.
New work restritions-no mopping/no exposure to cold.
Manager tells me I all I can do is cashier position (2hours) and I could only do that for 12 weeks or I would lose insurance.
Neuro.does mri(lower back only), emg. Says everything looks normal. However he continues work restriction for 3 months and gives me gabapentin(now up to 1800mg./day) and said to lose weight. Come back in 3 months. This was Feb. 25th. Gave restriction slip to manager. She asks if I plan on coming back start of next school year-my response was if I am able.
April 11, 2005 I received a certified letter from my supervisor stating I would not be rehired for the 2005-2006 school year and my Insurance Benefits would be terminated May 2005.I was furious!!! I asked her why?
She had the nerve to tell me that Tennessee is a right to work state and she DID NOT have to give me a reason. So I just flat out asked her if it was because of my arm. Her response was well you have to be able to work. I continued to work and bumped up neuro. visit a few weeks early so insurance would cover it.
Went back to neuro. May 2nd. I told him no change in heel/leg pain and I wasn't sure if the meds. or the restrictions was helping back pain. Back seemed to be a little better. He told me I would have chronic pain the rest of my life and I would have to deal with it(pain)..yes and this is the kicker he told me I had brachial plexopathy. What a diagnosis same thing as erb's palsy just a different name!!!
I have an appt. July 6th-I think the med. is affecting my "good" arm it is sooo much weaker than it has ever been and I am so tired all the time. There are no bpi specialists in Tennessee. I have a phone interview for disability on July 18th. Hopefully, if I get that I can find a good PT and try to make sense of all the pain.
Thanks for your suggestion!
I am open to any and all suggestions at this point in time.
Tracy in Tennessee
-
Angela Butterfly
- Posts: 483
- Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2003 4:24 pm
Re: any suggestions for disability?
Hi Tracy, from your previous post, I thought you probably Pinched a Nerve, or a slipped disk or something, which can frequently happen, when picking something up.
I have a 21 year old daughter, born severe LOBPI.....and it wasn't until I found this site in 2003, that I learned she would have pain issues in the future, because of her BPI.
Of course when you think about it....and all the compensation.....and how I can already see how mishapen her back is already. SIGH
Can't help with anything SSI.....never did it. Wish you all the best. It is my understanding MANY get turned down the first time.
I did post earlier about a place to check into for free legal services....should you need to appeal the SSI.
I have a 21 year old daughter, born severe LOBPI.....and it wasn't until I found this site in 2003, that I learned she would have pain issues in the future, because of her BPI.
Of course when you think about it....and all the compensation.....and how I can already see how mishapen her back is already. SIGH
Can't help with anything SSI.....never did it. Wish you all the best. It is my understanding MANY get turned down the first time.
I did post earlier about a place to check into for free legal services....should you need to appeal the SSI.