So how are YOU today?

Well, the words were that "he looks at the x-rays and you will be offered an early appointment if he thinks your condition cannot wait."

I was offered a time the day after I took the x-rays in.

"Pretty serious" isn't really a surprise at this point though, right? It's got to be pretty bad to have put you through all of this.

So I hope that prompt medical attention will fix this. And that the medical attention itself will be as benign as possible.

well, the good news would be, you got an appointment

hope things work out, keeping good thoughts heading the rabbits way

I guess I'm not surprised, really, given the severity of the pain you've been experiencing.

Are you sleeping any better now that you have the stronger pain killers?

Yes.....I've been cutting down a bit, thopugh...to see if the pain is better sans the masking.

It is...but i did too much today...but still not within cooee of the pain before they gace me serious drugs.


Trying to sleep in my bed tonight!!!!!

I need alarm clock because I am going into work to see a client...and I don't remember if I have to do time sheets again.


Also....I AM SO SICK OF THE SOFA!!!


We'll see...I have tried before and needed to move back.


It'll be a good sign if I can manage I think.

Thank you for your thoughts.

You know, I was chatting to a friend today, and I keep minimizing the possible seriousness of the pain because, working in mental helth, you see so many people with severe and chronic back pain...you klnow, on permanent opiates and such....on invalid pension....with serious mental health issues related to the problem.

So...I keep thinking "THAT'S what a real problem looks like.....mine is peanuts!Evryone gets back pain....I am a whinger."


But, as she said, we don't see a normal population......this IS likely to be more serious than I ever considered. I just kept thinking it'll just go away! That's what back pain does!

condition can't wait AND they can do something (or that'd be my read)

Waiting for Thursday. Thinking about you a lot, bunny.

You've been sleeping on the sofa for something like 2 weeks, Deb? Good luck with the return to bed!

But hey, wherever it you're sleeping ... if you're actually managing more sleep now then that's gotta be a plus!



I can understand you thinking this way, given your line of work, Deb .... but you know it's not peanuts & you know you're not a whinger & you now know it won't just go away, just like that! Nah, pain is pain. Let's just hope that this appointment on Thursday moves your recovery right along!

How did your medical appointment go today, Deb? (Hope it's OK to ask?)

Of course it's fine to ask....I've been whinging at you all so long you DESERVE to know!


Just got home.

He is really clear it is a prolapsed disk at L4/5.

He thinks the weird nerve thing is a simple mis-reading by the radiologist.

He says he's had one of these, and knows how excruciating it is (I said I was worried I was making a mountain out of a molehill.)

Because the pain has improved so much in the last week, he sees no need for a cortisone injection into the area, or for surgery...unless the pain gets worse again.


And then he'd consider surgery as a last resort.

It was clear (while being too professional to say it) he thought I had been told to restrict activity too much...and he was very pleased I had pushed it more than I had been told to.

Re returning to work: I worked on Wednesday for about three hours (very distressed clients I agreed to see as an emergency) with little ill effect. My medical certificate says I can return to work on 20th July.

I updated my bosses about things that day, too...and we got into an argument.

I already had 4 clients (one lot being a 4 hour session, as they come from hundreds of kilometres away, and I need to work with 3 of the kids individually, and then do LOTS of education and support for their carers) booked in next week...and I told my bosses I thought the pain had resolved enough in the last week for it to be reasonable for me to see those folk, and assess whether I coped.

They were really concerned and wanted me to cancel them.

I said I wouldn't, unless the specialist thought I should.


Well....guess what? He thinks I should make a partial return to work next week, and return full time the following week, unless the pain is significantly worsened. In other words, my plan was perfect!

He said he would happily confirm to my bosses that this was his opinion if they demurred.

He said I have quite severe spinal arthritis, and need to continue with the anti-inflammatories the doctor has prescribed...and suggested which exercises I should be doing....including continuing the walking I love as soon as I can do it.


Apart from being TERRIFIED of the work that has built up in the 5 weeks I will have been gone.....and really concerned re how I repair the reputation and credibility of my program... ( other agencies/workers INTELLECTUALLY understand illness in the therapist providing a one-person program in a highly emotive and panic-inducing area...and I have worked like a dog to make myself accessible and extremely responsive because of this....but EMOTIONALLY if you are not there suddenly, and folk do not know you on a personal level, most folk feel abandoned and enraged in a quite infantile way, so there will be lots of acting out by key agencies to whom I consult, and who refer to me.


I had JUST begun to repair the trust damage done by the program I now run's sudden and unexplained disappearance a few years ago.


Oh well.....one can do one's best.


And, I AM GETTING BETTER!!!!!

Thank you all for your care.

It has meant a lot.

I'm encouraged by your report, Deb. You seemed to know instinctively what to do and what not to do.

I'll be hoping very hard that you'll continue to improve and that surgery will be out of the picture.

good news for the bunny. Youll soon be baxk to your old... old... ascerbic self.

Something for us to look forward too.

That is very good to hear, Deb!
I hope the pain doesn't get worse.



So he was pleased with you "disobeying orders" & you could now stop feeling guilty (maybe) for pushing yourself harder than you'd been advised?



But at the very least, they had your best (health) interests at heart, Deb. Lots of employers basically couldn't give a stuff, so long as their show keeps rolling along & an employee's illness doesn't prove too costly .... I get the feeling they were berating you for "over-doing it" in much the same as we were, here ... & for pretty much the same reasons!



Ah, you're too smart by half!



Do you expect to be on the anti-inflammatories for quite a time yet?



Yes, I can understand, in the circumstances, why not being available for work would have caused you such distress. It's really good then, that you can get back into it sooner, rather than much later. (I'm told that grown-up clients of shrinks sometimes get quite angry & feel "abandoned" when their therapist has the temerity to take a holiday at the end of the year! )





Yay!

And you definitely sound like you're getting better, too, Deb!

There are certain Worker's Compensation issues regarding returning to work before the medical certificate says you're fully fit.

Glad you're on the mend, though!

here's the news!

I bought a new computer before ctastrophe struck.

I have of course been physically unable to crawl around getting it going....but today I did.


hello new computer!!!!

!

It's lovely, bunny. As my father used to say, "Use it in good health."

Great to hear.

Phased return to work with docs certificate should resolve any issues with employers.

Try not to take on too much - despite the backlog - emotional is as tiring as physically. You can do only what you can do. No more. Take care Deb.

I'm very happy that my mother survived the operations and could leave the intensive care today.

That's wonderful, Walter! You must be so relieved & I'll bet you're you're quite exhausted. (I've been following your posts about your mother & aunt on the other thread.)