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I was making a response Leeds, but it was full of back tracks and explanations so I’ll start from the beginning and try to be as brief as possible.
About ten years ago, I can’t believe that it’s been that long ago! My husband was doing emergency repairs on equipment that is four or five stories up. The only access to this equipment was via painted metal ladder type thing. For reasons known only to the company, there is a safety cage around the ladder starting on the ground floor, but it only continues through the second floor; perhaps because most employees only need access to those two floors.
Forgive me if there are some inconsistencies. I worked there at that time and as this was happening they actually sent someone not to tell me what was going on, but to keep me from accidentally coming upon the sight myself. Only one witness was willing to tell me what he saw and it was several days later. Here I was fat dumb and happy, people asking me odd question. All my husband told me was he fell and hit his knee.
Anyway, my husband (electronic engineer working as an electrical foreman) and his crew were working on problem A. In the mean time problem B developed. He sent most of the crew to problem B. He and his former boss remained. They are the most experienced and qualified, plus they were both first responders and trained in confined space should that skill be required. The crew had problem B under control so he and Dan were heading down to the ladder to the third level assist the mechanics with their issue. As hubby was going down, a hose full of hydraulic oil broke and coated this ladder with oil.
In any event, hubby slipped and fell three stories. His uniform actually got caught on the cage so he kind of hung there by his leg for a bit before falling the last story to the floor. He apparently landed oddly on his left side. He couldn’t have fallen directly on his knee because surely that would have shattered it. He was taken to the ER, X-rays were done and nothing was broken. He complained about knee pain so they gave him one of those huge braces with crutches and made a follow up appointment with the doctor the company contracts with.
At this point I was given the rest of the night off. I was merely told that hubby had slipped on some hydraulic oil hurt his knee and was given pain meds so I had to drive him home. Dan had taken the position of safety director. He happened to be at the plant when all hell broke loose so he of course stayed to help. After the accident he came up and hugged me. It was very out of character for him, I realize now it was his response to my husband coming so close to being killed. I also found out later he was feeling quite guilty. This very issue of the ladder had been discussed. It’s rounded out metal, with no tie off ability. They decided that it was too expensive to build stairs, it would take up too much valuable space and be too expensive to revamp everything.
For the next few days a former co-worker of mine that had transferred to another department would ask “how’s hubby” and hubby would ask “did Cindy have anything interesting to say?” It actually took three days of this before a light bulb went on in my head and I asked the weakest link on hubby’s crew what was going on.
For the next three years hubby’s knee bothered him. Each time he would go to the company doctor. Eventually he was referred to a sports medicine doctor for his knee. They did an MRI (I think) and did find some damage to the knee so he was getting shots in his knee. He was babying his knee this whole time. He happened to sneeze on the table during a physical with our family doctor. When Dr. B saw hubby’s reaction he said “that is not a knee injury! That is a spinal injury!”
Because of the way WC works hubby is only allowed three referrals. The sports Dr. was one. Dr. B getting involved was two. Dr. B sent him for an MRI on his spine and forwarded the results onto Drs. W and S. They only see patients that they feel they can actually help. When they saw the MRI he had one ruptured disk and three bulging disks. Oh, and apparently he has an extra little vertebrae which contains the only healthy disk in his lower back. They say it is not all that uncommon, but they comment on it every time he has an MRI.
When hubby went to see the WC doctor, for a determination he flat out told hubby “you’re seeing the top of the field, there is nothing that I can add to your file.” So he drove four hours for a literal five minute appointment. They did try to say it was pre-existing for about five seconds because the original accident report from the first injury “disappeared” but to my husband’s credit he was able to produce the copy that was signed by the first responders, witnesses and company nurse at the time of the accident. It was purely poor housekeeping in his locker at work and the hand of God that the report was still there. At the time, based upon how he eventually landed, the way the pain presented itself, and the opinion of the company doctor, everyone thought it was a knee injury. They tell you to save those things, but who really does?
Hubby was terrified of the surgery. I don’t know why. But he spent another several years getting the cortisone cocktail shots in his disks whenever the pain would become too overwhelming. Eventually Dr. S told him he couldn’t give him anymore shots so he had to talk to the surgeon, Dr. W.
At this point he was actually chewing vicodin and oxy like M & M’s. I was getting concerned that he would become addicted to them. Before this he wouldn’t even take an aspirin for a headache. I never doubted his pain level. My gauge for his pain level is watching while he is sleeping. When he would move in his sleep he would shriek out in pain. Literally cry in his sleep. He’s had two vasectomies, all four wisdom teeth taken out at once via oral surgery and never took a pain med. They sat in the medicine cabinet for when I would get a migraine.
Dr. W and I talked him into the surgery. I actually threatened to divorce him and I was serious! He took vicodin for two days following the surgery and didn’t take another until he re-injured himself reaching for a screw driver of all things.
The surgery was very successful. His pain was manageable (whatever that means) for about four years. However babying that leg for so long left him with limited range of motion in his leg.
Most recently he was walking backwards guiding a man driving a scissor lift and he stepped down on a two inch square piece of metal on the floor with his weak leg. It brought him down to the floor. He landed with his leg twisted behind him and couldn’t straighten it out. He talked the first responder into trying to pull it straight TWICE, when that didn’t work he was backboarded and transported to the ER.
Since then he has been having severe back spasms. This is the first time his back has ever “bothered” him. Before it was “manageable”. He “cannot take his back AND his leg having shooting pains; giving out on him”. I am afraid of what that means. WE go to see the surgeon Tuesday.
I’m frustrated with EVERYONE! I went with hubby to the appointment a couple of weeks ago. He said that surgery did not appear to be an option at this point. It would most probably result in more scar tissue that would make the problem worse. The shot did not work at all this time. He asked if hubby wanted another today NINE days after the last?!? What happened to four a year?
What is the appointment with the surgeon for? Is he going to tell hubby that there is nothing that they can do? Then what?
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I've been married for 24 years and have four wonderful children.
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