Difference between patella arthritis and chrondral damage under knee cap

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hey Milly,

How are you doing today ?

My pain is getting out of control again. Just hate it. I definitely wish I could have a new body, well new joints anyway.

Saw the physio this morning. It was good to have more treatment to help relieve some of the pain. My peroneal tendon is definitely subluxing. Yuck !!! Feel like screaming. If I need surgery to fix it work can pay for it. Wouldn't be where I am today without the work injury.

I can't wait to see my doctor on Monday to sort some stuff out and know more what I am dealing with. Will ring my ankle surgeon's nurse on Monday to see if I can get in to see my ankle surgeon fairly quickly.

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Man hardware from knee to foot.  That has to really stink.  I imagine the lovely gait you develop on crutches does make the back protest.  Sounds like you are in a ball of pain.  I think work should pay as it did happen there, but who wants more surgery when you are so close to getting the knee fixed up.  Hope your ankle surgeon can get you in ASAP.  I hope that once the inflammation goes down the tendon will behave.  I hope it will not affect your up coming knee surgery. 

I will be home for 4 days for the New Year’s holiday.  It will be nice.  I love to sleep in when I can.

Milly

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hi Milly,

Happy New Year ! I hope you had a nice New Year's Eve. Mine was spent with my Mum's cousin and her family, which was really nice. Very casual but nice all the same.

Yeah, my gait certainly isn't great right now. Today I spent most of the day in bed due to my pain. I took stronger painkillers than normal to just get me through. It is what my body needed though. I will have to take some strong ones tonight oo.

I totally agree, work should definitely pay if I need surgery on my ankle. Afterall, they were the cause of it. Really hope I can get in to see my ankle surgeon soon. I would scream if I had to re-schedule my knee surgery. Will be interesting to see what my sports physician says on Monday. I spoke with the return to work coordinator on Thursday and he was such a prick. He inferred that I didn't want to go back to work, which made me wild. I just want to have a meeting with my manager before I go back to work because of other safety issues that I have encountered. That is fair I think. Also told me that I "only got hit by a wheelchair". So insensitive. Will be ringing HR on Monday to see if I can change. Totally out of line. I just rang to find out where to send the medical bills, which they are obligated to pay. Then, he started arguing with me. Had no interest in that. He was trying to bully me and threaten me, which I didn't like. Will be making that clear to HR when I speak with them next. I said I was sending a bill for my psychologist, which he didn't like. It was such a stressful situation, especially since I have upcoming surgery and don't want to jeopardise that.

Hope you are enjoying your break.

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

That's too bad the return to work coordinator was such a prick.  I wonder what they are thinking.  Definately let HR know how you were treated.  Hope they talk to the coordinator and let him have it.

Well will keep this short, watching a move with my kids.

Milly

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hi Milly,

Hope you enjoy the movie with your kids. What are you watching ?

Will definitely talk with them about it tomorrow. Going to write everything down that the return to work coordinator said. So insensitive !

Been feeling pretty unwell the last 24 hours. Came down with some vomiting and diarrhea. So, been sleeping most of the day.

Will update when I have spoken to HR tomorrow.

[dm]

Doesn't sound like an easy time of things, that's for sure. Always document dates, times, content of conversations, along with who with, when comp injuries are involved. Keep copies of everything, forms they ask you to fill out, etc, just in case they try to get sneaky with the forms. As you can guess, I'm not real trusting of HR departments in this economy.

You never know when or if they'll try to get difficult about you still being unable to return to work, because you happen to not be healing on a convenient timeline. Also, a phone with speakerphone and someone to silently witness the conversation could be to your advantage, if the person is unavoidable, and continues to be that rude. Remember, you have to tell the person they're being taped if you tape the call, for it to be admissable in a legal action, so far as I know, but I don't know if having someone witness the call via speakerphone has the same rule.

ALWAYS take painkillers with food, even if you're not hungry, even if you only eat 2 cookies or 3 or 4  crackers. It helps avoid the GI upset issues on both ends of the spectrum. BTDT.

Hang in there.

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hi Milly,

Just an update to let you know how I got on with my doctor. He is pleased with my progress. My achilles is healing well, which is great. He said that my hip and glute muscles are weak from being on the crutches. So, the aim is to get off the crutches this week and work hard on my glute and hip strengthening. He wants me to go to the hydro pool about 3 times this week if I can. Will try to get to the gym too. He has signed me off for another week. Go back to see him next Monday to re-assess things. I am glad because mentally I am not ready to go back.

DM,

Thanks for the advice and support. I am keeping records of everything. The tip on painkillers is great too. It is a bit of a rocky road at the moment, but I will get there. My doctor won't let me go back until I am fit. This has really stuffed up my preparation for my operation. My doctor said it is going to be a bit of an uphill battle. Hopefully it will be ok. Not at ideal start to my rehab though.

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

We were watching the Bourne Identity.  We also went to the cinema and watched Avatar.  That movie was amazing!!!        Funny how all those muscles just love to skip out when they are not used too much!  Glad the achilles tendon is healing well and hope it is not setting you back.  I always try to take the pain meds with food too.  Keeps the tummy from getting icky.  Let me know how transitioning off the crutches goes for you.

Milly

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hey Milly,

Sounds like you are having fun with all those movies. I haven't watched a dvd or been to the movies in ages.

I am now down to just one crutch, which is real progress. Have been to the hydro pool twice this week and notice improvements each time I go.

My back has been killing me. Just wish it would ease off.

I think I should be ok for the surgery, but not sure how much longer I will be off work. Go back to see my doctor on Monday.

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Yeah the movies were great.  I hope you can get back to work soon and that you can get the back in shape.  I had a nasty cold with a stomach bug Thursday and finally feel human again.  Bleh, nasty that.  Feel much better now, just a bit of a stuffy nose left so can go back to work. Good that the surgery is still a go for now.  Take care.

Milly

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hi Milly,

Had a really rough day yesterday.

Saw my doctor and found him not very friendly. He is obviously sick of filling in forms for me, but it's not my fault. I didn't plan to get injured at work.

I booked an appointment with a physio I used to see for my knee as they stuffed up with cancelling the appointment with my usual physio yesterday without telling me. I was not happy at all. Because of that I couldn't see my usual physio this week as he is only working two days. Got a call after I got home saying the physio I was booked in doesn't want to see me. Just burst in to tears when I got the message as they said there was nothing they could and wouldn't book me in with another physio. I was furious. So, I rang back and spoke to the lady that left the message. She was so non understanding. I have a legal obligation to get better and get back to work as soon as possible. So, I asked her to get my doctor to call me. I was soooo angry because he knows how vulnerable I am at the moment and how important it is to get treatment as I only have 4 weeks before my knee surgery and need to get things right before then.

Decided to ring back and see if I could speak with the supervisor as I was not satisfied with the resolution. So, I rang and spoke with another receptionist who was more helpful. I explained to her that my physio had recommended another physio when my own is not available. Got a call back a little while after and booked me in to see the physio my usual physio suggested. I am seeing her on Thursday morning. If she won't see me I will scream. It is bloody ridiculous.

I took ages to go to sleep last night as I was worried about it. Have decided to ring the supervisor today and see if I can set up a meeting to see her as I am sick of their stuff ups and not respecting me as a person.

My doctor wants me to take this week off and if I can walk ok by the end of the week he will let me go back to work next week.

Yesterday I rang my knee surgeon's rooms as I have been worried about whether my left knee will be strong enough to deal with my operation. His personal assistant was lovely. She said to ring back next week if I still have concerns and she will speak to my surgeon about it. I just wish the clinic I see my physio and sports physician at were as helpful and efficient.

Sorry to rant.

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

It is funny how strange docs can get about forms!  I am so sorry about the PT appt mix up.  Some folks are just not helpful at all.  I think sometimes the office staff just gets strange ideas.  It’s fine to rant.  We all need it some days.

I do have some positive news.  On med #3 or #4 for the heart rate thing.  So far so good.  I’ll give it a few more days to make sure no funny stuff comes up.  I don’t feel an anxious either, so that’s a good thing.  I hope this keeps on going well.  It is just about the smallest dose right now.  I actually slept better too.  So far so good.

Hope the clinic gets their stuff together.  It’s too bad you can’t go to another easily.  It would be hard to change docs though.

Milly

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hi Milly,

I am feeling a lot better today, but I don't believe the return to work coordinator. She is such a cow. Thanks for understanding.

Great to hear the meds are working better for you. I have some good news for you too. I am officially off crutches. Yay !!!

You are so right about docs and clinics. The reception staff just have no clue what we are going through and don't really give a s**t.

Anyway, I rang the return to work coordinator as there was a message from her. She basically demanded that I see my doctor on Thursday for another review as they wouldn't clear me to go back to work or pay me for gradual return. Utter crap !!! She insinuated in an email today that my doctor didn't know about return to work protocols and why didn't he get me back this week. Total crap. She has no bloody clue. I have so many other injuries to think about and have been in a lot of pain while on crutches. I couldn't work like I have been. Will be interesting to see what my doctor says on Thursday as I have forwarded the email to the clinic and will forward on to him. My back has been so bad that I have had to take morphine based drugs at night to sleep. I am just so careful what I say to her and what I put in my emails to her.

How did you get on with your doctor last week about your hip ?

[TwoBadKneesUSA]

Glad you feel a bit better and no more sticks.  It often wonder how folks like that would do with a decent injury.  It may just give them perspective.  It feels like some folks think you are faking things and whatnot.  What a crock too. I would also think that most docs would know the return to work stuff or know where to find out.

The hip is good.  I guess it was pretty much back in place the muscles had been protesting and so tight. That was the issue after the hip was back in place.  It feels about the same though when the muscles get tight and where the hip is out so sometimes hard to tell which it is. 

Let me know how the doc visit goes Thursday.

Milly

[Silkncardcrafts]

Hey Milly,

I saw my doctor today and has given me clearance to go back on Monday, which is great. He is pleased that I am walking much better. My doctor had received quite a horrible letter from the return to work coordinator. He thought it was such crap. I had also forwarded on an email I got from her. He was not impressed. I will be raising it with my manager when I have my debrief.

My doctor is really good on the return to work stuff. He tries to get his patients back to work as soon as he can.

Glad your hip is better. Hope it stays that way.