Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Good morning. It's Thursday already; can you believe that there's only 5 days till the end of the month, too? Hmmph!

So, where are you all? No-one dropped by yesterday's thread except the Bird: what the heck's going on?

Didn't spend much time on the puter yesterday. I was doing stuff outside and studying that big bright yellow thing in the sky- really weird!

Now for the best and the worst of sugical LOA

Yesterday, after three weeks in review, I learned that I can resume PT and that yes, further treatment IS indicated. Really? No kidding? At my last eval, I had about 60 degrees outward rotation and couldn't reach my arm across and touch the other shoulder or raise my arm to level. Each of the three times (every Monday) that I called to inquire, I found that the ball had been dropped. Good thing I didn't sit around doing nothing all that time or my claim would be collecting dust on the floor under some desk and I'd never get my shoulder back. I have my next doctor appointment on July 2nd and will hopefully get a work release. I feel ready now thanks to my regular gym sessions and own brand of PT.

On a different front, today I call the company who carries the disability insurance on my auto loan and ask why they failed to make the last payment. Good thing I still have money going into that account, eh?

In summary, I have hated having to case manage my own recovery. Medical office staff do not follow up with patients or track accounts. Insurance office staff do not either. It's a good thing I'm NOT working because this is a full time job with the largest part of the day being spent waiting on hold. And you DO wait, DO NOT hang up and lose your place in the answering cue or you will never speak to a person. Calling back later keeps you last in line. It really helps to have a speakerphone in this case because I get a lot of other things done while listening to crappy hold muzak.

Once over the worst part of recovery which due to complications, took about 10 weeks, I enjoyed the time home. I will miss so much leisure time with my family and being able to get a lot of things done around the house in short order. I'm really not looking foreward to returning to the hospital politics but I am looking foreward to returning to work.

That said, I must get on the phone.

Ciao,

R

cougarnurse wrote:What if disability frowns on the work you're doing to the house? Just a thought.

While it sounds like I've been engaged in major construction- or destruction in some cases, nothing has required significant strength. It's been more of an endurance challenge and I'm not doing anything alone. Besides, other than personal gratification, I haven't collected any pay which is all they care about. In fact, I've spent money.

Thanks for watching my back, Cat.

R

BTW- I was only on the phone for ten minutes this morning and they promise to make payment. Okay. Let's see if I need to call on Monday after checking my account balance...