New Thread on My Wife - Last one was getting too long to follow

TUESDAY, NOV 13TH

Well, my wife finally got an appointment with the neurosurgeon but not for a full week, next Tuesday morning.  We were not happy with this, as she has been out for 2 1/2 weeks already.  The 2nd neuro doctor was even further out, couldn't see her until Dec. 17th.  That isn't acceptable, her PCP wanted her seen STAT.  So even with the appt. next Tuesday, it will be 1 1/2 weeks later than requested.  But nothing can be done about it.

It will be a worker's comp case, plain and simple.  At 2 pm tommorow, I am driving her to her work facility, and we will be sitting down with her boss and the head of the facility to see if we can work out the details peacably.  If they choose to hard nose her, then I will simply engage my attorney, the same one that got my SSD approved, and do it the hard way.  I am not anticipating them giving us any trouble.

Her PCP is aware she is about to run out of meds, including pain meds, so that should be settled tommorow as well, at least to hold her over until she is seen by the neuro doctor.

Amazing how one's life can be changed so very fast without warning.  It's been bad enough with what I have endured the past 4 years, and no possible improvement to anticipate, and now her.  At least with her, if all goes well, she should be able to be healed and able to eventually return to work.

I see my new Gastro doctor on Thursday, we will see how that goes.

THanks again to each and all of my CP family here, you have given us good advice, and awesome support.

I may have posted over 17,000 times at HW, but as I always say, I take as much as I give.  I just write a lot, lol, and have too much time on my hands.

david

 

With the pillows between the knees, or a body pillow, it mostly helps the sacroilliac area line up correctly, plus the semi-fetal position also helps gently put the spine into it's most neutral arrangement. It's not so much about taking pressure off your back, as it is spreading it out more effectively.

Been using a body pillow for years. As I said somewhere else, might have been in an earlier version of this thread, when I had to travel by plane all the time, I bought a body pillow cover, since those are easier to find, and a lot easier to pack. I'd just make sure to request 2 extra pillows from the hotel. I actually think that works better than the one big one, since the top and bottom move independently.

As an aside, you know some hotels in NYC charge for extra pillows? It's like $4 a night per pillow, but that's just kinda weird. My per diem more than covered it. I'm paying (at the time) something like 190 bucks a night for a Comfort Inn in Brooklyn, and having to take the subway to lower Manhattan every morning, and you are gonna nickel and dime me for extra pillows?

thanks, good tips again, will mention the pillow bit to her

her doctor did directly call the other doctors, they are just that booked up

David,

I know you are disappointed that you have to wait till next Tuesday for your wife to see the neurosurgeon. I hope as long as her PCM will provide a script for pain meds, I think she will be all right.

As I mentioned before, I am worried about you, but can understand how you are feeling. I like you am sick ALL the time, with being the worst I've ever been since June 2011. I will only continue to get sicker until I die, it's just that plain and simple. My hubby and daughter focus on my care round the clock. Last night hubby felt terrible and his blood pressure was thru the roof. I was up all night watching him, I was worried about a stroke or heart attack. So I get what you're feeling.


As to your OCD issues actually I CAN totally understand. My daughter who is 19 was diagnosed with Autisim at age 2 1/12. Once she began speaking the Drs change the DX to Asperbergers Syndrome. We live in a world of rituals and routines. I don't think twice about them as its just the way she is, but others find it hard to cope with at times. I am amazed that she handles my back and forth into the hospital all the time. She is fixated on me dying though and I have no way of easing that fear. She found me nearly dead in June 2011.

Maybe you could allow someone from church or your neighborhood to prepare a couple of meals this week. All you would have to do is heat it up. Maybe that wouldn't cause to much stress on your OCD. How did your wife do last night when you gave her meds at 2am?

I know you want to focus on her and do ALL that you can, but may I mention that she knows how sick you are, and if she's worrying about you, she may not rest as easy or may even say she's better to make sure you are ok. So please consider getting a bit of help.

You'll both be in my prayers and I hope that you both are able to rest.

Hugs,
Barbara

Hi David, I, like everyone else, am not surprised at all about the doctors schedule; I'm actually kind of shocked that they got her on the calendar before the end of the year. I don't know if this new doctor's office wil let her into a cancelled slot or not, but I always called my doctor's office at 10:30 (they open at 9:30) and again at 4:30 (they close at 5), and check for cancelations, hoping I can jump in an open slot. By the third day of doing that, the ladies usually just took my number and said they'd give me a call with an appointment time, if I promised to stop calling lol, the annoying patient gets what they need.

I'm assuming from the urgency of the appointments that your wife's problem is a central protrusion? (that means it's right on the spinal cord) Mine was a broad-based central protrusion when it started, I wish I knew the size for sure, but I heard from one specialist that it was approximately 7-8mm, and from another that it was 9-10mm. I have heard from many doctors now, that the central protrusions are by far the most painful, and that they are also the hardest to treat; in the end, they went the most radical way possible, with the 360 fusion, I pray that your wife doesn't have to undergo a procedure like mine, the pain when I woke up from surgery was definately a 10.

I can only say that the little improvement that she's had so far is definately a good sign in my oppinion. My back only got worse before surgery, never better, and the fact that she hasn't even undergone the lumbar injections yet, or anything like that, is an even better sign.

Anyways, I hope this all improves fast for you both, I agree that you definately need some help around the house, as you get fatigued, your own conditions have an oportunity to get worse before they were due to; I think your oncologist might be able to help in that area somehow. Also, regarding the work comp, I'm not sure what the specifics on the state laws are for SC, but I do know, that regardless of the state, they are required by law to provide her with a claim form to fill out, and to provide a specific dollar amount of medical care, until the claim is approved. This being a back injury, I would get your attorney on board anyways, you don't want to wait until you've gotten a letter of denial to do this, because appeals have time limits on them, and it can take over half of that time limit in order for your attorney to get the records that he needs in order to fight the denial. The other issue I forsee here, is that work comp insurance companies have designated preferred provider networks, and they generally work hard to keep injured workers with the cheaper GPs, and not get them treated with specialists. If the insurance company does have a specific provider network, it may take an order from a judge, to stay with one of the neuros that she's going to see. Work comp will fight to not render treatment as much as possible on back injuries, because they usually end up owing life long medical treatment, and they cost millions, my own claim passed the 6 digit mark a while ago, and is getting very close to the million dollar mark; I've been keeping tabs on all expenses for this claim, so that I'm better equiped for a settlement on the medical care.

Good luck to both of you. I'll keep praying for you that this goes quickly and smoothly.

Glad to hear the update...Thankfully it will be handled with WC and that they are letting her keep this Neuro appt. coming up..

And yes...Percocets are a lot stronger than Tylenol 3. It usually goes from Tylenol 3, to Tramadol, to Norco/Lortab, and then Percocet.

So she should be feeling a LOT better as you said she was getting pretty good pain control before (except for in the middle of the night)...

I'm still concerned for all of your added pain and I know you are tired of hearing me...but it really seems it is high time you switch off the Lortabs to something stronger for breakthrough pain. There is either 15mg or 30mg Roxicodones...This way you don't have any Acetaminophen but a good dose of Oxycodone that would help quickly when you have a flare...

I guess I just don't understand the hesitation you have as you have mentioned on pretty much every post over the last few months that you are having some tough pain days...So I don't see why you should suffer even the tiniest bit...

I would think your Dr. would have absolutely no problem changing you over to the Roxicodone as you've been on the Lortab for a long time now...

This way you can both have good pain control!

Hi David,

Thanks for the update. I'm glad to hear that your wife's meetings went well, and that she seems to be more comfortable as a result of the med change. I don't know too much about workers comp cases, but from what I have heard here and elsewhere, it seems like often the docs that you are required to see for w/c aren't the best practitioners, so I'm very glad to hear that the w/c doc visit went well! I know you're still waiting to see the neurosurgeon, but in the mean time, will your wife be required to see this doc over her former pcp now?

I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling with your own pain. I've been having a very bad week plus myself, so I can relate! It sounds like you definitely overdid it today, although it seems like there isn't much that you could have done to prevent all that from happening. I know that you are very devoted to your wife, but as we've all mentioned before, don't forget to take care of yourself as well. I know that that isn't always easy to do, as I'm also one of those people who always puts the health and wellbeing of others in front of that of myself. However, neglecting yourself isn't good for you either -- both physically and mentally. Do your best to pace yourselfs, and take breaks for some "you time" whenever you need them!

Of hope both you and your wife get a good night's rest, and are feeling better tomorrow!

Thinking of you,
Skeye

Thanks for explaining more...I misunderstood your past posts in thinking you had said your Oncologist has no problem with your medications as he is prescribing you Fentanyl and that he would be happy to help you down the road.

I'm not sure why he would have to send you to PM as that is one of the parts of the Oncology speciality...being able to treat cancer pain as many of them are even more experienced than some PMs (depending on their background)...

So it seems strange that he is ok with the Fentanyl which is one of the strongest medications, but is uncomfortable moving you from Lortab to Roxicodone (Oxycodone) for your breakthrough medication...That seems like a simple change and a natural one for most people.

Anyway...isn't there a PM associated with the Oncology dept. that you go to if this Dr. says he doesn't handle chronic cancer pain? I would think he has someone in mind that is really great and whom he recommends all his patients to...I mean...what does he do with all the patients who need pain medications for their cancer pain?

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 11/15/2012 9:52:51 AM (GMT-7)

http://www.wcc.sc.gov/Pages/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.aspx

Here's a link that might have some details about work comp in SC.

David,

Just wanted to thank you for the updates and let you know you and your wife continue to be in my prayers.

--Tina

Sounds like you have everything covered for the WC case so that is great!

And the last I will bother you on your own pain situation is that I just hate to see you suffering now:(...It's one thing to be cautious about pain meds but I guess I didn't see changing your breakthrough med to Oxycodone as a huge jump. Having to be in a great deal of pain now because they are worried about the future doesn't make much sense to me since there really isn't a ceiling on medications. You are on a pretty low dosage compared to some of us on here without cancer...and have a long way to go before the meds would affect your day to day thinking/tasks.

So...it's just my concern for you and reading all your posts where you can just hear your pain levels coming through that make me want to see you in less pain!! And being a detailed person...I was just trying to brainstorm and see how they should be able to help you so you can be enjoying each day to the best you can...

Thanks for keeping us posted on both you and your wife...I'll certainly keep praying that she can use the many non surgical ways to help her pain and even get better in a few months! But we are here for you either way if she needs surgery as so many of us have gone through it...

Hopefully you all can find something else fun this weekend to help you take your minds of the health issues...Maybe have some friends over and play charades or rent a movie...Get out in the sunshine...Find some things that bring you all laughter and joy:)

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 11/16/2012 1:14:35 PM (GMT-7)

Hi David,

Just wanted to let you know that you and your wife are in my thoughts. I hope she's doing better today, and you as well.

You're being a GREAT hubby with how you are caring for her. Remember, though try not to run yourself ragged.

Hope you have a good weekend.

Hugs,
Barbara