Workers' Compensation Discussion Forums

Hi all, even though I was a nurse and did work with rehab while in the Navy, I think I don't have enough applilcation experience to answer the questions I am going to ask. So where would I go, but to all of my great friends who have experienced these types of issues.

As you k now my husband Del injured his neck when someone threw a 50lb bag of ice salt from a truck to him and it hit him in his head. that was all w/c ...and it is over. He refused to have a surgery.

What you may not know is that my husband rode and a raced motorcyles most of his young life. He experienced 3 major accidents of which only one was his fault as he was the only involved. He had this accident when he was about 25 and we lived way out in the country....if you have been to the castle..out on roads more curvy that followed a river. One night when he was coming home from his job, he had to move off of the road to miss a couple of deer, unfortuantly he hit a large douglas fir. Totaled the bic, and knocked him out. I was at home waiting waiting ..and it got later and later, so I call his dad who went looking for him and found him in a ditch along side the road still knocked out. We took him to the hospital and found out that his 2,3, & 4 lumbar was herniated, misplaced and fractured. They are still fractured today. He went through al ot fo paint control and has not been on any narcotic to speak of. They wanted to do surgery in 1983, but he refused. However, now, his body has dropped, and the s123 are now affected. Consequently the docts are saying he may have no choice..he must do this surgery. Of course he is going to have it done at the VA since that is our insurance system. We trust them. We have excellent docs here. Anyway... here are my questions:

When he comes home what kind of care will he need from me. I asked of course becasue it is just me, both our children live else where work multiple hours a day. We have two sets of stairs ways in our home, but we are having stair glides put in.

1. The day he comes home will he be able to use the chair to get up to his bed upstairs?
2. What kind of bed will he need to help him?
3. In terms of a shower, what will he need?
4. When do the bandages typically come off. And do they typically use staples or sealed stitiches.
5. How long before he will he typical? He is a diabetic and so this is an issue where food is concerned.
6. What kind of medications for pain will come home with him? Did they help you when you came home?
7. Will a recliner be ok for sitting up in the day? Should he lay on his back, side, or sit up the most?
8. What about bowel habits...was this an issue...
9. What about getting dressed? How did you all get your shirts on? Did you use button up shirts versus pull over shirts?
10. What about pants? Should I buy some stretch top pants versus his typical levis with buttons before he comes home?
11. Is there anything else th at I should consider. I asked this becasue we need to do it before he has the surgery as I don't drive and we do not have a lot of support here to run out for last minute ites. I am planner and want this all planned out well to keep him as comfortable as possible and yet active....
12. how much walking was recommended and on what time frames following surgery.
13. How long will he be in the hospital?
14. How long before he could drive...short distances and how long before he could drive all the way to Oregon again?


I know ..I have a lot of questions...if you could help me, I would really appreciate it. We find out on Thursday of this week if and when... thanks Carol

I do not know the answer to any of them....but I do know this you and Del will go to the top of my prayer list and I will as a matter of course put him on the church chain...if you need me I am a phone call away

Red, I don't know, as I had the cervical fused and refused. I would think Lumbar will be way different.

I'm not sure of what all they would be doing, fusing, cages and rods, etc... I do know that when my L4 herniated disc was fixed, they opened(widened) the foramin so that the L4 nerve would have more room, they also did a laminectomy. My foramin space filled with scar tissue surrounding the nerve.

I had staples for my surgery. I was able to drive short periods after they removed the staples, I believe it was about 2 weeks after surgery. I was allowed to drive to the castle the month after surgery as long as I stopped every hour and walked around.

When I came home from the hospital I had to use a walker for the first few weeks. I also used a shower chair when I took my showers. The recliner was my best friend, I spent many nights sleeping in it.

I'm sorry my memory is'nt very good right now, hope this will help you Red. Please take these questions with you when y'all go Thursday to the Dr. By the way I forget to mention that the scar tissue was found during a 6 month post op. MRI. You may also find out if they plan on doing follow up MRI"S or other imaging.

Love
Vickie

red dear everybody does different i hear , mine was a rough time on the whole household

Thanks all of you..of course I want to plan well because Del is the strength in our home. When he had surgery 2 days before we moved, I truly thought I was going to stop living..it was so hard on me..I am not very strong.. I have been working out at the gyn with a personal trainer however..and she is working small muscle groups..and I am doing swim aquatic 3 times a week. I believe it is really helping me to regain some strength. Love you all and thanks Red

RED1030, I am thinking back to when I had L5-S1 fused. The worst part was when they took me off the morphine. I has in the hospital for 5 days and the morning of the fourth day is when they stopped it. It felt like hell. On the fifth day my neuro sureon showed up and we spoke. He wanted x-rays done (that he did himself) and everything was correct.

They released me from the hospital on the fifth day. They gave me meds for the pain, sleep, and muscel spasms. For a day or two, I sat on the couch with a pillow behind my lower back. I was able to walk and take care of myself. Don't get me wrong, my wife was catering to me, but I was able to get up and fix something to eat, get something to drink and use the restroom myself. My wife had to change the bandages on my back because I cound not see or reach the area.

I recall the day I got out that Iwalked down the street, four houses to speak with a friend. I was walking slow and when I got to his house I had to alternate between standing and sitting.

The dr. tols me that I needed to do alot of walking. If you ever walk aound and feel the lower part of the back you will feel the lower back muscels moving.


Take Care

Red I can't help as I haven't had my needed surgeries. Please take the list with you to the docs office so that you can put your mind at ease. I would think stairs would be out of the question for awhile but I am only guessing.

Can you get outside help to come in for a bit through the VA possibly? This would help you immensely especially if that person could drive and pick up any needed items at the store, etc.

I had no idea this was going on, as always you guys are in my prayers but much more so now.

Love ya,
monster

AQA - sweetie, take your number off of this public forum and send Red a PM with that info. You don't want to put that kind of info on a public site like this. Only trying to help, not be bossy

Hugs,
monster

I completely uderstand Monster. I was to wrapped up in wanting to help anyway I could and was not thinking about the down side of posting a number.

Take Care my friend.

PS. I thought I was the only one that stayed up all night. I hope the reason you are up late is not the same as mine????? Thank You for looking out for me Mother Monster.

You are in my prayers RED1030