Settlement is coming

[red1030]

My husband and I went to see the lawyer today at his request. It seems that the IC wants to settle. While I should be happy about this, I am deeply saddened. Not because of a dollar amount or because I feel we should not settle, but because I am disappointed in the medical field. I finally got to read an MRI that my husband had done right after his accident and found out that he has 3 herniated disc, 2 bulging disc and two of the herniated disc are pressing against his nerve. Then I read his shoulder MRI and was amazed at what was suggested by the radiologist versus what the doctors for the insurance company said. They put him at MMI while his two herniated disc was applying pressure on a nerve. They never gave him PT or pain management. They never paid for or allowed any pain medication. The only thing that they did was send him to doctor to doctor and each time he would say, this doctor is going to find out why I am in so much pain. But that never happened. Instead in his first doctors report (the one who ordered the cervical MRI) states that he should be sent to pain management and to ortho for possible surgery. Then he saw the first ortho who recommended surgery. Then he was sent to another doctor and we never knew why but since being on here, I had come up with my own conclusions, but this ortho also recommended surgery. Then finally he went to another orthopod who told him he only has DJD and that that is not work related. This doctor was very rude and unkind to my husband. I am the one who basically tells them that their behavior is unacceptable, not my husband. However, this doctor put him at MMI even after the other three doctors recommended surgery.

I know my husband and he would not have allowed surgery if there was any thing else that could have been done such as PT or pain management etc. But they didn't even offer that.

For the first 4 months following his injury he was in so much pain that he didn't sleep or really live. During this time, I had my own set of problems also so we were a mess eh? After a while he seemed to work with the pain better and he started moving around more and making things happen again. At this time we decided that he had to have medical care, however, his doctor would not treat him for fear of going to court because he knew it was a work injury. So that left him to look for another doctor. Finnally we found one, but did not tell them that it was a work injury and since he did not have insurance, only what I have through the military, his resources were limited.

During the last year and half we do know that he has a nerve impingment from his elbow to his hands. We also knew that he has a small tear in a ligament in his shoulder. Other than that, his neck never came up with the physician he is using now. Why would it when his pain was always in his shoulder.

I guess I am rattling. I want to be angry and yet I have always felt and still do that anger is a waste of engery and since I do not have that much, I want to save it to solve the problem not concentrate on what I can't do anything about. But in this case, I want to be angry. I want to be disappointed again in our system of health care. I want to say to these doctors who do you think you are that you feel you can leave a man or women in pain and know it but do nothing about it...how can an insurance company do this.

I am or was a member of our medical community. As a nurse or even as the Director of Nursing, I would not leave my building when I knew someone was dying. It didn't matter that my so called shift was over, what mattered was that someone might need me. I can remember crawling into the bed to hold an elderly women as she lay there and took her last breath. I can remember crying with a daughter or son when they said good by to their mother or father for the last time. Isn't that what we are about. A people who cares. I have always believed that for the most part people are good. I know that bad things happen but that is atypical not typical. So how could this have happened. How could my medical community have been so careless and uncaring? I will never have the answer to that question I am sure.

I just felt like I wanted to vent today..I guess maybe it was my turn.

As for the settlement, it looks like it will close by the 31 of this month when the judge ok's everything. Then of course, there is a time frame of one delay after another.... they do play their games. Thank you for listening and thank you for caring...

Red

[jayne]

it comes down to the almighty dollar....the IC pays docs to say nothing wrong...we should be able to sue for malpractice when this is proven....but even our lawyers are ruled by the almighty dollar........

[Bummer Knees]

Red

Has your husband had surgery on his back and will his medical be left open?

You know my story of waiting for surgery and being sent to 9 doctors to date. It the IC dosen't like what one doctor says then they send you to another doctor.

Take care.

Bummer Knees

[Tuffy]

Red, I hear what you are saying, and that is the difference between Drs and Nurses, They prescribe and supossably treat, We take care, administor, and live with it 24/7 Would you ever see a Dr crawling in a bed with or even holding a pts hand untill the last. I don't have to tell you aas you already know the answer to that, You are an Angel of Mercy.

[red1030]

Hi Bummer, No they have not done any surgery and no it doesn't look like medical will be left open. I think my husband just wants this over with. We are are not exactly in agreement on this, however, it is his injury. He and the lawyer have come up with what they feel is fair, I however, do not feel that it is fair, because of the medical part. Neither my husband or I ever wanted any money from this, we wanted his past wage, but nothing more. I wanted him to get medical care. He feels he is ok, as things stand now. I hope he feels this way a few years from now when he has to have surgery done on this injury. We will see... Red

[Wink]

Red, it's sad that we live in a time when money and idiocy trumps the Hippocratic Oath, sworn to by those who were probably air-heads to begin with. It's hard...but it's up to us to recognize and stand our ground against them.

The Hippocratic Oath
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant: I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow. I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism. I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug. I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery. I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God. I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick. I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure. I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm. If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

[ksgirl]

Winks post should say it all. A Dr should never forget that thier patients health and welbeing is most important. I am sorry to say that tha isn't necesarily so. I can't imagine letting someones health go because of what an insurance company wants. I guess some Drs really just want to pay of school loans. It is a very sad state of affairs.
Red, I hope your husband can overcome his medical problems. I truly hope and pray that the two of you will be able to find some comfort, happiness and ease of pain in your lives. My prayers are with the both of you.

[Still in Limbo]

Red, I am in agreement with you, I never knew the Human Condition was so Bad until I was injured. I grew up as you did, one Helping another, and in the last 10 Years or so, and certainly since I've been injured the uncaring and undereducated People I've met is amazing. When I say uneducated, I don't necessarily mean intelligence, I mean Manners, Loyalty, Courteousness, Kindness, and all the things I was taught to be a good and caring Human Being seems to be dwindling out there in Society. People just want to put in their 8, make their Buck, and hide in a shell from others, the Day of Neighbor Helping Neighbor is dying fast, in my Opinion. If the Computer says it isn't so, it isn't so, no more trying to take that extra step and be Proud you did a Good Days Work anymore! I can guarantee the Peoples Hands you Held in their time of need will never forget that caring Nurse that was their that Day for Them, your name may fade from their Minds, but your Compassion never will, and that's what makes you stand out in a crowd Red, your Compassion. This World we live in needs to slow down, and start learning some of the old ways of Grace and Pride in their work, Dr,'s and Professionals included. Sorry to go on, but just watch the News, they look for the Bad Every Single Day, and rarely do they search for something good, to raise Peoples Spirits! There is always exceptions to every situation, but what Today is the exceptional Human Being used to be the Normal Human Being, not the other way around! You know I wish You and Hubby the Best, and I Hope Everything turns out O.K.!!

[dipweed23]

if they are saying that their is a torn ligament in his sholder, HOW can he be at MMI?
That torn ligament should be causing what they call "sholder instability" where it pops and feels like it wants to slip out of socket. If he is having these symptoms, a doctor who is specially trained in sholder surgery, can make 3 1inch incisions and sew it back together...
Granted recovery from the surgery is about a month in a sling, and almost another year of additional PT and pain management...
I know, because that was part of what the dr did in my surgery, was repair torn ligaments, and also reattached them to the bone (the super long healing time part).

[Pooh]

Red

Talk to the attorney about writing up the agreement so that in say 2 years if your hubby needs to have surgery on the shoulder that it can be covered under your health insurance. It's all about the way they word it. Even if it was to go to court - it's all about the wording of the decisions. This will also help if for some reason your hubby has to apply for ssdi because of his injuries. Talk to the attorney about the language carefully and tell your hubby not to sign anything unless the language is correct because even with a C&R sometimes the SSDI can require a set a side fund or that you use those funds for your medical treatment. Not sure how it all works just going by what my attorney told me. They made sure my decision from the judge stated no further treatment was needed for the back spasms - yeah right so I could get the treatment I needed under my health insurance which was something I was already doing. And even though I have bulging disks - without nerve compression - it's still something we keep an eye on so that it doesn't get worse.