Knee injury nightmare

[cherokeegal]

Hi, AQA.

When I said "if W/C allows me to have it", I meant if they allow me to have the 2nd MRI the PA wants me to have. Not the results. I have a copy of the results of the first MRI. It's up in the air whether or not the IC will approve another MRI "this soon." The NCM there yesterday told the PA she didn't think they will approve it.

[hurt back]

It took a/b 4 months on my second MRI... So its hard to say... But I would just keep track of all the dr's recommendations for future reference... And yes get all your medical records, AQA was the one whom informed me as well to and they get a lil irritated but I just inform them its my records and I want a copy for future reference. They normally will get them. I still haven't got any of the final dr reports with their "soap notes" I'm still working on that...

Hopefully your case manager will get it approved for you...

[cherokeegal]

So my doc said yesterday that I could return to work on light duty and do sitting work only.

The W/C supervisor at my work says that is "ridiculous" and they don't have any sedentary work for me to do.

What happens now? I am waiting on a follow-up MRI and possible surgery. Do I just stay at home and draw the temporary disability checks?

[AQA]

I recall the day my dr. said I could return to work with restictions. I did and my employer accommodated those restrictions. That lasted for a few months and then my boss told me he could no longer accommodate those restrictions. I simply called an told my drs. head nurse what was going on. The next day my dr. called me and told me to come to the office and pick-up a new list of restrictions. That stated I could not return to work. My monitary benifits started again.

[cherokeegal]

I was certain my employer would be able to give me something to meet the restrictions. It's a large regional hospital, and they had already been asking me to get the doc to let me come back and work as Unit Secretary while I healed. I can't believe there is no sitting work of any kind, in any department, that I could do. Typing, transcription, scheduling, registration, heck even peeling potatoes in the kitchen. LOL

My NCM just called to remind me of the 2nd MRI in the morning and my follow-up appt with the doc next Monday morning. I asked her and she said "Just get a novel and enjoy it."

[hurt back]

The only good thing I guess is you can sit a home and heal... The downside is though no social interaction with others..

I feel your pain, as I was fired 2 weeks to the day after my injury b/c my dr would not give me any release at all.. So it does suck...

I do hope all goes well with your MRI...

[cherokeegal]

Had the 2nd MRI today. I'm hoping whatever is wrong showed up on this one. I go back to the ortho doc Monday morning.

I'm still confused about the way things are working out. Granted, I didn't think I was well enough to go back to work yet, even on light duty, so I guess it's a blessing. But both the adjuster, my department director, and the hospital WC coordinator had been hounding me about getting the doc to release me so that I could come back and work as Unit Secretary somewhere until my knee healed. Then, when he does release me to light duty, they act offended and refuse to let me. I just don't understand it.

I did see a co-worker today while I was there, who told me they heard it said that I won't be coming back, as I am "fragile" and "can't be trusted", and the director said I won't set foot on her floor again. I honestly don't care, and am not wasting energy worrying about it. I just am focusing on getting better. But I'm curious how long until I get the "you're fired" letter. I hadn't been working there but a few months, so didn't qualify for FMLA to protect my job.

[cherokeegal]

Had the 2nd MRI today. I'm hoping whatever is wrong showed up on this one. I go back to the ortho doc Monday morning.

I'm still confused about the way things are working out. Granted, I didn't think I was well enough to go back to work yet, even on light duty, so I guess it's a blessing. But both the adjuster, my department director, and the hospital WC coordinator had been hounding me about getting the doc to release me so that I could come back and work as Unit Secretary somewhere until my knee healed. Then, when he does release me to light duty, they act offended and refuse to let me. I just don't understand it.

I did see a co-worker today while I was there, who told me they heard it said that I won't be coming back, as I am "fragile" and "can't be trusted", and the director said I won't set foot on her floor again. I honestly don't care, and am not wasting energy worrying about it. I just am focusing on getting better. But I'm curious how long until I get the "you're fired" letter. I hadn't been working there but a few months, so didn't qualify for FMLA to protect my job.

[hurt back]

Yes don't waste time worrying a/b that.. Worry a/b getting healed.. I got fired 2 weeks after my injury so if you do then go seek an attorney.... But the main thing is to get better so you can work....

Its employers like that you don't want to work for anyway, you always a good employee until you get hurt.. Just remember to write down everything for future reference..

[cherokeegal]

So I got the report of the MRI I had yesterday.

"All ligaments are intact. There is a frayed appearance to the patellar cartilage near the junction of the medial lateral facet with subchrondal cystic changes noted consistent with focal area of grade 4 chrondromalacia. This appears somewhat improved and to a been post-traumatic in nature. Along the lateral femoral condyle there is a cortical indentation of the bone which likely is congenital in nature with no associated edema adjacent to it. There is a mild undulation of the cartilage in this region however with no thinning or fissuring. No chrondromalacia seen. Projecting just anterior to this however within the lateral femoral condyle there is a focal area of subchrondal bone on fat-suppressed T2-weighted images and thinning of the cartilage consistent with focal grade 4 chrondromalacia. There is minimal thinning of the cartilage along the medial femoral condyle however not significant suggestive low grade chrondomalacia. No bone contusions or fractures are identified. There is a benign area of decreased signal intensity in the proximal medial tibia consistent with a healed fibrous cortical defect. No bone destruction of fractures are identified.

Impression:

No meniscal tears.

Chrondomalacia of the patella grade 4. The degree of graying identified in the cartilage is somewhat less than previous noted and could be post-traumatic in nature.

Chrondromalacia of the lateral femoral condyle to a greater extent than the medial femoral condyle.

Presumed congenital defect and indentation in the articular bone of the lateral femoral articular surgace with no thinning of the overlying cartilage or significant chrondromalacia. This is likely congenital or remote trauma.

Low grade osteoarthritis with joint effusion.

Small Baker's cyst though elongated."

I go back to see the ortho doc Monday morning.