Today I engaged an attorney and I have to say it was an upsetting experience, due to reliving the months and months of pain and the many unhelpful doctor visits. Plus the 40 minute drive nearly did me in. The lawyer said I needed him two years ago!

I cannot get into see the pain management doctor until October and in the meantime I was told they do not write disability letters. I need the letter so I can have a hearing, so I can get the additional PT I need. It's true I should have addressed this earlier, but it caused me so much anxiety I avoided addressing it.

I have asked my PCP for the letter, but I am worried that because I have improved to the point that I don't always need a cane, he will not see me as disabled. If anyone has ideas, please share.

This is a recent picture of my foot: As you can see it is not normal. I do not believe I will ever get back to being 100 percent normal, and I will have CRPS for the rest of my life. I am afraid that my positive outlook is going to work against me.

All I can say with the doctors is be completely honest with them about what you can and cannot do...don't exaggerate. Just because you don't need a cane 100% of the time...doesn't mean you don't have pain and a disability. I have found that writing out my symptoms and stuff that I want to go over beforehand and bringing the paper with me helps keep me focused during my visits where I have to talk about specific things. Very important if you have a tendency to get stressed or emotional or just forget things. My primary care doctors have usually been pretty good when it came to things like getting a disabled parking tag and stuff. Make sure to make a regular appointment (not walk in) and have everything you need.

On a side note...I think it's great that you HAVE improved enough that you don't need a cane 100% of the time. A positive outlook is not a bad thing. I always try to be optimistic and keep myself motivated to get better...and I think my doctors have seen that and appreciate it. If you don't think you can work a part time sedentary job because of X, Y, and Z...make sure you address those things with your doctor specifically. They don't always understand the totality of our symptoms unless we explain them in detail. It's very easy to focus on just the pain...but things like endurance, stamina, strength, triggers, etc are all important too to understanding how this condition affects us on a daily basis...so make sure you talk about those things with the doctor.

Also, think about your daily activities. What are some things you CAN'T do because of your condition? For example, I cannot take a bath every day (no showers at all)...only once or twice a week. I cannot change my clothes every day because of the pain in dressing and undressing. I cannot brush my hair. I sometimes skip meals because I just can't get up to make them. My daughter has to be in daycare because I cannot care for her on my own all day (lifting, bathing, changing diapers, etc).

Also think about ways you have had to alter your daily activities or routines because of the condition. For example, I sometimes have to get up and take my daughter to daycare, but afterwards I need to rest for several hours before I can do anything else. I can grocery shop, but am limited to 20 minutes on my feet and can only get enough to fill the child seat in a cart because otherwise I can't carry the bags in. I cannot go out in bad weather like rain, winds, or cold because of the extra pain it causes so I have to alter my schedule accordingly (also important because I would not be able to work a job because I would have to call off on these kinds of days). If I DO go out in that weather...that's it for the day...I'm done and won't be able to do anything else for the day. I have to wear certain kinds of clothing that are not necessarily work appropriate because of my needs.

Not saying you need to tell your doctor ALL of these types of things...but be ready with some examples to help explain why you are disabled and unable to work. I hope that helps.

Catra, you explained what is going on with me, too. Sometimes after the gym I am able to go to a store for a few items, but more often than not, it's too much for me. I need to rest. I am not all hyped up and energized afterward at all. Like you I often sleep in my clothes and only shower 2x a week, because it's too exhausting. Or I hang out in my pajamas, because regular clothing is too constricting.

I seldom wear make up anymore and I chopped my hair off so I would not have to deal with it. Even with a wheeled stool to sit on and manuever putting myself together requires energy I don't want to squander. I limit the number of times I climb the stairs each day.

Compared to being completely bedridden I am much, much better, but I do not have the stamina to work, as much as I would like to. I have been emailed several great job opportunities, all requiring driving more than 15 minutes and requiring 25 hours of labor per week. My 4 1/2 year old car has 10k miles on it, because I have been unable to drive much since 2014.

Plus I cannot do any prolonged sitting or standing. I have to lie down with my leg elevated for hours every day. I rest between all activities. I told this to the WC doctor, but that's not what he wrote in his report.

With photos I showed the lawyers that before this I got family houses ready for sale, including putting in floors. I can barely clean one bathroom now. My husband does the cleaning. Sometimes I empty the dishwasher. I put a load of laundry on in the bathroom next to my bedroom and I wait in bed until it's finished. I cannot climb a ladder. I won't walk in my yard, between the chipmunk holes and the acorns it's too dangerous.

In the past I painted, but I cannot do it. We had to hire painters to repaint my livingroom and diningroom. I had to hire someone to help me get my house ready for my daughter's wedding. She needed help with her wedding flowers, something I could have done easily in the past, but since I couldn't I had to ask other people to assist her.

My daughter, who is pregnant, dragged me to look at baby strollers. I was worthless. I had to sit and watch while she took them apart, folded them and assessed them. One tour around the outer part of the store was too much. Frankly, I was also overwhelmed by the size of the store. There were three stores right nearby that I had been wanting to see, but there was no way, but home.

Bio,
Although I did not go through worker's compensation for anything CRPS related, I did have to hire a lawyer when I went through SSDI. Having to deal wit WC in the past, I know that they are two entirely different things and require different approaches to argue what is needed for your sake. Hiring a good lawyer can make all the difference and if needed, find ways to argue with WC to get your needs met.

When I went to my hearing for SSDI, the occupational therapist that argued the case against me reported that there are no jobs that I could do solely on the basis that my foot needed to be elevated above my waist level much of the day. This is what my lawyer thought of and is something that I never would have thought of if it was just me arguing my case. Write all of these things down and tell them to your lawyer when you find one you are willing to work with. It's quite often the little things like this that can continue your WC coverage if you should have to go to mediation. A good lawyer knows this and should be better prepared than you would be by yourself.

I was not able to afford a functional capacity evaluation at the time of my hearing but another thing that my lawyer gave to me to have filled out instead was a CRPS Medical Source Statement that was to be filled out by any doctor that I had a long standing history with. The judge that heard my case took that in place of a FCE.

I hope that things get straightened out for you soon. I am sure the added stress is not doing you any good.

WC paid for my FCE and I know of other people where they did as well. Ask your attorney if you should have your doctor request one.