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Old 12-20-2007, 07:17 AM
tshadow tshadow is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,002
15 yr Member
tshadow tshadow is offline
In Remembrance
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,002
15 yr Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by annhere View Post
I'm having my 1st rib and scalene muscles removed in January and I'm really concerend becasue I don't have help....My husband works 6 days a week, leaves at 8:15 and gets home at 7:00 at night...and I have 3 kids. Thankfully
2 drive and can p/u my daughter form school, but then they leave again for their afternoon sports......Who's going to keep the house up, or laundry? To the best of my knowlege I won't be able to use my arm for a least a month...can I ask for help and what language should I use? I'm starting to worry that I won't heal properly if I don't get someone to help me....

I don't have a family member near by and my friends are overwhelmed with working and their own kids schedules....

Thanks

I can't give you legal advice for a LOT of reasons...
one of which is that each state and even county can be very different in how they treat work comp rules and processes and customs.

In my area, in order to heal after surgery, your Primary Treating Physician should be told way ahead of time what your concerns are - (this may of course be told to the PTP after you first talk to the surgeon, in order to get an idea of recovery time, etc., if they are not the same doc.)

So you explain to your PTP what you can and can't do, and think of your DAILY ACTIITIES OF LIFE - that is a KEY legal word / phrase - think of what help you'll need getting dressed, food, food into the house, laundry, beds made, vacuuming, etc. For pet care, you will have to hire outside help. For babysitting, at least in my area, that also will cost you for outside help. But for my area, all of the rest, even though some of the clothing / bedding is not yours, all of your laundry, groceries, meal-making, etc. will be covered for the reasonable amount of recovery time.

Recovery time - varies from person to person. Just try to be as calm as possible whenever talking to the doctors.

You are correct to fear scar tissue - after all of this effort, the last thing you want is scar tissue.

Lastly, does you husband have any legal leave time or holiday paid time that he could use at that time for you & the kids? Can any family members take the kids for a day, week, etc.?

For me, the surgery was EASY. Unfortunately, the work comp gal made a huge mistake and would not authorize my pain med at its proper dose - she cut me to less than half. Those 9 days kept getting worse...it wasn't until I got back home, read the reports, that I realized the mistake she had done.

So God bless you.
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