Sorry I haven't been posting too much...there's been lots of frustrating stuff going on as I await approvals and such from work comp. I was FINALLY able to get an update on what's been going on the last month and a half with work comp. I had to switch attorneys because I quite literally could not get a hold of my attorney or his assistant...couldn't get a return phone call...and couldn't even get a response to an email...for over THREE WEEKS (during which time I was not receiving any pay and had no idea if my doctor's appointments were being approved or anything)! So then I went through the process of finding a new attorney, signing on with him, and now after almost 3 more weeks I finally know what has been going on.

Apparently work comp finally got the IME report from when I went back in the beginning of June for an IME. It is literally 2 paragraphs that say the CRPS is a pre-existing condition and he thinks I can return to work with no restrictions. Yeah...sure...I can't even bathe myself more than once a week, walk or stand for more than 10-15 minutes, and can't use my walker (along with a bunch of other things)...and there's no way falling off the top of a 10 ft ladder could have made me worse. At any rate...the bottom line is work comp is denying any further treatment and benefits and send a settlement offer for $20K to my previous attorney along with a letter stating they were denying further benefits. He, of course never communicated any of that to me and I was in the dark about any of this for the past 6 weeks.

Anyway...the new lawyer is confident that they will be able to win when it comes down to my doctor vs their doctor...my doctor is the best CRPS doctors in the area and is a GREAT advocate for his patients. So I am not worried on that end. Unfortunately...getting everything together to bring this before the commission and fight for benefits is going to take TIME. Time that I quite frankly just don't have any more. I cannot take care of myself...I cannot take care of my daughter...and I am just ready to move on with my life.

So while my lawyer works on everything from his end...I have decided to see if I can apply for long term disability and put the DRG surgery through my regular insurance. I may even be back at work before all this nonsense is all sorted out. So I'll be making lots of phone calls over the next few days to see what I can sort out to start the process moving forward.

I really didn't want to have to do this route...but after much thought and debate...getting treatment is the most important thing...getting me better. I am anxious to get my life back and sitting around waiting for work comp to step up and do what they are supposed to do is just not the right decision for me. I still believe that we will win our case and all of this cost will be reimbursed to me as well as TTD payed from the time benefits stopped...but that could be months down the road still.

I'll let you guys know once I get the surgery and everything scheduled. I feel like a weight has been lifted now that I have made this decision. It's not going to be easy...but this is the quickest way I think to address the immediate concerns I have with my health and CRPS. I think this is the right decision for me and my family. The lawyer said going through my regular insurance only causes a minor complication on his end and that it's something he's definitely able to handle. So I'mm going to let the lawyers do their thing and on my end I'm going to push the process forward with the means I have available to me. Hopefully I can get LTD payments...but even if I can't it's not like I am any worse off that I am right now. The sooner I get healthy...the sooner I get back to work and can have money coming back in, right?

Anyway...that's my update. Hopefully the next one will be that I have my trial for the DRG stimulation scheduled!