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My Truckalogue
St. Vincent's is a nice hospital, and I was very impressed with it's Sports & Orthopaedic Center. I'm convinced it truly is World Class Care Close To Home.
By the time I got to my appointment this AM my shoulder was killing me, but thankfully there was a parking spot in the deck that reasonably close. I checked in and sat down to do my preliminary paperwork - you know, the stuff all doctors want to know upon the first visit.
And it was so cool to see my sister-in-law, Mrs. Porter, walking towards me. I wasn't very good company, but I was glad to have the chance to give her a hug. She works at St. Vincent's and took the time to come see me. It's been a while since I've seen her, and I dunno, but she looks even prettier than I remember.
(Love y'all both!)I mentioned yesterday that the W/C Nurse would be attending the exam with me. Now that I'm trying to describe her, I can't really remember what she looks like - other than to say she's young; attractive; slim; blonde; professional and congenial. Kinda like a little nursette. And I have to say, if somebody's got to be at every doctor's visit with me, I prefer her company to my Mother's.
Little Nursette sat beside me in the waiting room with her laptop, feeding the rest of the info she needed into her computer. She might have been working on other stuff too for all I know, because I was in tears after the x-rays. I don't know why my arm was hurting so bad today, but the x-ray positions tweaked it. That, plus the almost humiliating position of being baby-sat by the Workers Comp carrier was a little overwhelming. But Little Nursette took it all in stride. I think she's gonna be all right.
I was impressed with Dr. Feelbetternow too. Distinguished in a casual sort of way and, like Nursette, professional and congenial. He took the time to listen to how and when it hurt - instead of telling me to put my arms over my head; immediately diagnosing a bruised shoulder; then walking out of the room. He actually read that stuff on the preliminary paperwork too.
But most importantly, he treated my arm as if it were Tommy John's arm. Well ok, almost as if it Tommy John's arm.Dr. Feelbetternow said he saw some arthritis in my shoulder from the x-rays. He also saw a spur in there somewhere, but didn't think it was causing any problems. He did the usual resistance tests, only one of which caused the 'catch' I've been experiencing. I accepted the shot of cortisone, which was painful in and of itself. With his assistant close by, he began pushing the needle into my shoulder joint a little at a time, injecting anesthetic and cortisone as he went. Each little push was painful, but the proceedure didn't last long.
My restrictions are as follows: No lifting over 15 lbs. No carrying over 20 lbs. Limited overhead work. Can only reach overhead occasionally. Can't do tie-downs - I think he means pulling binders and straps.
He wrote prescriptions for Tylenol #3 to take at home; Ultram 50 to take at work; and Lodine to take once daily at home or work. I'm planning on getting the Tylenol #3 and Lodide filled this afternoon sometime.
He also prescribed physical therapy. More on this in a moment.
When the exam was over, Dr. Feelbetternow's assistant was setting up the next appointment, and Little Nursette asked when I'd like to schedule it. I told her it didn't matter, but that dispatch hadn't been getting me in on time for my appointments lately. Nursette looked at me and said, "Not even if you tell them days in advance?" I just smiled, nodded my head, and said "Not lately". She looked so bewildered. Dr. Feelbetternow's assistant said, "Well we can change it if we have to." So me and Little Nursette have an appointment on Wed., 2/18/09.
Dr. Feelbetternow's assistant handed me the prescription for physical therapy. "Physical thereapy 2/3 x a week for 4 weeks, right sho cuff strain / AC joint synovitis."
I looked this up just now:
AC Joint (Acromioclavicular Joint). The acromioclavicular joint is located at the tip of the shoulder where the acromion (shoulder blade) and collarbone (clavicle) come together.
Synovitis occurs when synovium (inner layer of a joint capsule) is inflamed. It results in pain and loss of range of motion. (Located further down the first list.)
Anyway, Dr. Feelbetternow's assistant handed me the prescription for physical therapy. (We were in the hallway now.) I said, "Now, is this something I'm to do in my truck?" She told me no. I said, "Well I can't go back to work then - not and do this too." And Little Nursette said something to the effect of, "They wouldn't let you work and do therapy too? How often do you get home?" I said, "Well, last time I was out 6 weeks."
And as we were walking out of the building I tried to explain it to her. "See, I don't drive locally; I don't go home every night; I live 24/7 in a truck; I get paid by the mile, not by the hour." I still don't think she really understood, but as she was getting on the elevator she told me she was sure the Claims Adjuster would approve the physical therapy, and that she would talk to Whatagreatguy, our Safety Director, (instead of Benefits Girl) herself - since he's the one who told me not to come back to work until I felt comfortable with it, and the one who understood my job better.
Just after I got home Nursette called to say that she couldn't get ahold of Whatagreatguy, but that Benefits Girl had told her they couldn't "allow" me to come back to work because of the tie-down restriction. At first I thought she was saying that AMX was firing me.
And this pretty much ends this day.
