anyone w. disability co. "game" experience - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

mdla · 02-02-2004, 09:24 PM

Last year when I was disabled and applied for the LTD benefit plan I paid for I was asked a question "What is your Return to Work Plan" at the time I was very optimistinc about my healing and said I had planeded to get aggressive physical therapy and medical treatment, everything they recommended from the surgery down to the speech pathologist and nutritionist and go back to work. Here a year later, I am still being denied, and I have had no money except for the bare necessities like gas bill, food, rent. I had the surgery but once my physical therapy visits (12) ran out, I had to stop going. So I am a lot worse in pain then I was even first few months post surgery (of course Im not on vicodin either now)

I feel like this is a weird question because 1. maybe if I had the $ to get the needed treatment I wouldn't be in severe pain and depression now and be back at work and 2. How can I really answer this question, the fact of the matter is Im not a doctor, and doctors seem to give optimistic answers too according to the patients Ive spoken too.

lexie3131 · 02-03-2004, 03:51 AM

Hey mdla,

Sorry to hear about your problems. I am currently on Short Term Disability through my employer and have not ran out of that yet to enter into LTD. My supervisor told me today that he had received some papers in regards to it. I was hoping not to enter into LTD but because of my delay in surgery I might enter into it for about 1-2 weeks before returning.

Is this benefit through your employer ? Are you still employed there ? What is the reason they are saying you are denied ? If it has been a year since your surgery what is your docotor saying about recovery ? What is your doctor saying about your injury and lack of healing ?

Hope you start feeling better.

Lexie

mdla · 02-03-2004, 06:00 AM

Hi,

Yes its a year since my injury, about 6 months since the last surgery (one of three). I get mixed answers from every treating doctor, its crazy cause I was supposed to be fixed after the first one! My treatment is meds, injections, patches, and doc visits now bec. thats all I can afford all my "treatment" is on an "I desperatly need it today cause Im in extreme pain" basis. Sometimes PT will feel bad for me and give me a discount of like 50 bucks off a session or something. I just feel like I could have been so much farther vs. just dealing with the daily crisis that come with multiple injuries.