Post 28

Post 33
My Truckalogue

I was beginning to think Nursette wasn't gonna show up, but Dr. Feelbetternow was running behind anyway, so it didn't matter. I had already been taken to an examining room when she got there. I gotta say "Little Nursette" fits her more and more. She's fun to be around, and will laugh with you at the silliest things. Very personable.

I was sitting in a chair with my feet on the ... roller legs? of his stool when he walked in. We shook hands, but it didn't occur to me let him have his stool back. Or maybe he just wanted to sit on the exam table.

Anyway, he asked how my shoulder was, etc. etc. etc. and asked if I was ready to go back out. I told him that I'd really like to finish out the 4th week of physical therapy - that tomorrow's session would complete 3 weeks. And I told him, "The first couple of visits we just did dinky little stuff (everybody thought that was real funny), but now we're getting into things that I think are really making a difference." He said, "I have no problem with that...." And I'm supposed to see him again on 3/3/09.

So that means I'll be able to finish what he prescribed in the first place, and take care of personal matters at hand. Is God good or what! I really prayed for guidance on this one - what to do about everything.

Post 27

Post 30
My Truckalogue

Each visit to PT gets more intense. The exercises are getting harder, and now I feel like we're really getting somewhere. I told Carrie, the therapist, that I wanted to do the whole 4 weeks that Dr. Feelbetternow had prescribed, because.... She finished the sentence for me - "You want to be 100% when you go back to work."

Little Nursette had mentioned something about doing it in 3 weeks. She doesn't have the slightest idea how strenuous my job is, or how much I need this therapy. If I don't get it right now, I never will.



Source Even when the components are not "frozen" by accumulated grit or excessive force applied in locking the apparatus, in excess of 120 pounds of force is often necessary to open the fifth wheel, therefore, a degree of physical prowess is required to operate the device.

I was looking for confirmation of the force necessary to pull the 5th wheel open, and stumbled across this: JOB DESCRIPTION: JOB TITLE Truck Driver III: JOB CLASSIFICATION: Truck Driver III: DOT TITLE Truck Driver, Heavy.

The truck driver must push/pull 15 pounds of force while inserting and removing the fifth wheel pin. The employee may have to pull with a force of 20 pounds on an occasional basis for 3 minutes at a time for up to 1 hour total per shift while pulling the fuel hose while performing fueling duties. On a rare occasion the employee may have to open or close the hood of a truck with requires 40 pounds of push/pull force

15 pounds. Yeah, right.

Source

... a spring may be utilized that requires less pulling force to be applied to release handle 86. As a result, the pull force required to release the lock may be reduced to as low as 30 pounds, which is half that required for conventional release handles.

So it's 60 pounds just for a lightweight 5th wheel - like for towing a camper with a pickup truck.

Nursette called this afternoon to confirm our appointment with Dr. Feelbetternow on the 18th. So it's the 18th instead of the 19th??? At 9:30AM. Well.

Post 26

(brought over from the Truckalogue)

I put in a call to Work Comp claims adjuster late yesterday. I hope she calls me back this morning, because I haven't received this week's check yet.

She just called me back. They're mailing a check Friday that covers 2/7 - 2/13.

Thank God - they're not trying to cheat me out of it.

Post 25

Post 28
My Truckalogue

Went to PT this AM. Little more strenuous this time. Shoulder was already bothering me some, and I think if it weren't for the cortisone and Etodolac, I'd be in real pain.

Etodolac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat mild to moderate pain, and helps to relieve symptoms of arthritis (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis), such as inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and joint pain. However, this medicine does not cure arthritis and will help you only as long as you continue to take it .

The thereapy girl said she likes to put a day between sessions, so I rescheduled tomorrow's appointment for Wed @ 9AM.

Post 24

Post 23
My Truckalogue

My PT appointment was at 2PM. They still hadn't seen me at 2:20, so when the young girl finally quit gossiping with the other girl about their boyfriends, I told her I wanted to cut today short. I explained that I had expected to be seen at 2, and that I wasn't feeling well. Told her it wasn't my shoulder - cortisone had helped it a lot - but a cold or flu or something.

So all she did today was the strenth/resistance tests (against her own power) and put the little electrode deals on my shoulder for 15 mins. As I was leaving I asked if she know what "pulling a 5th wheel" was. She didn't. So I explained the most strenuous things I have to do in my job, and that I was expecting to recover to the point I was before I fell. Told her if I couldn't use my right shoulder, I might as well quit now.

The girl looked like a teenager, but seemed to know what she was talking about. She said I would be strengthening the rotar cuff muscles, and that would pull the humerous down into the joint like it's supposed to be. As it is, the humerous is 'riding high', aggrivating the stuff in the upper part of the joint. It's an interesting thought.

Anyway, I came home, walked Buddy, and posted the Sean Hannity thing at 24hourcampfire. I still feel like doodoo, so I'm gonna go lay down in a little while.

Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow.