09-17-2007 I was at work and it was almost closing time (7:00PM) when I went to the restroom. When I opened the door to leave the restroom, I went to go get a Pepsi, but I needed to go back into the office to get some change. I slipped on the floor and tried to catch myself, when I landed on my tailbone and right hand. I sat on the floor a couple of minutes stunned by the fall, when I reached underneath me to find out why my pants felt wet. That’s when I realized the floor was wet. I looked around and saw that it appeared that the floors had just been mopped. I looked to see if I could see Aren Finbraaten, the only other person at work, but too many walls were in the way. Slowly I got up, and went and got change and got a Pepsi. Aren was busy on the computer trying to finish up to go home, so I left, and I didn’t say anything.
09-18-2007 The next morning when I went to work, I told several people what had happened, including, Kat, the General Office Manager. She said she would write up a workman’s compensation claim, and I showed her I could move my wrist around, and said I didn’t think anything was broken, let’s just wait, I probably just bruised it good. She said for me to let her know, if I wanted the form. I thanked her. I have never broken a bone in my life.
09-19-2007 I told Kat, I would be quitting the end of the month. I wasn’t making enough money.
A couple of days later, someone said to me that they had told the girl that cleaned, to wait until all the offices were closed, or put a sign up when she mopped, so people would know, because someone could get hurt. I don’t remember who told me this; I think it was Aren.
I worked until the end of the month (9 days), but was very careful with my hand. I went to training in Atlanta
11-13-07 I called Kat, at Conlin’s Furniture, to ask for the workman’s compensation form. Julie Kujala told me she was out for the week for surgery, and sent my phone call to the manager, Vic Powell. He told me he didn’t know where the forms were, but he would have her call me when she got back to work.
Week of 11-19-07 We had no power, no phones, no water for 2 days, Thursday was Thanksgiving.
11-24-07 I got Montana StateFund First Report in the mail from Kat. .
11-27-07 I called Kat to ask to find out if I had to see a specific doctor, then I called Dr. Gregory Behm’s office in Hamilton
12-03-07 Went to Doctor’s office and had x-rays. I was told that I had broken the middle bone in my right hand, and that it was scared over and healed crooked , but that there was really nothing they could do for that. They also told me that I had torn tendants and that I needed to go to a hand specialist for reconstructive surgery and if I didn’t I would eventually lose the use of my hand. Since, we still do not have the papers from Blue Cross Blue Shield for the Cobra, I said I needed the approval from the State first. They gave me a brace to wear and some pain medicine.
12-05-2007 Sent First Report back to Conlin Furniture. I had waited because it asked what was wrong with my hand, which I didn’t know and I didn’t know if filing the report would be necessary depending on what was wrong with my hand.
12-10-07 Montana StateFund issued a claim number, which we got in the mail 12-12-07. Doctor asked StateFund for referral to hand specialist.
12-12-07 I called Doctor and Family Pharmacy and gave them claim number.
12-13-07 I called Delaney & Delaney Attorneys at law, and talked to Dexter Delaney.
12-14-07 I letter from Montana StateFund request release of medical information. It was filled out and mailed back on 12-14-07.
12-15-07 Got 2 letters from Montana StateFund. The one asking me to call them.
12-17-07 Appointment with Dexter Delaney. Gave him copies of my papers. He reviewed with us, and said he was going on vacation, but would start work on our account January 4th. I did phone interview with Montana State Funds which was taped
12-27-08 Appointment with Peter Ropp, Cascade Disability Management, at his office.
01-21-08 Appointment with Dr. P. Andrew Puckett M.D., Missoula Bone & Joint at 10:30AM, but it had been changed and I had not been notified by the state of the change. Dr.’s office wanted to reschedule me in several more weeks. State offices closed today. I called and left several messages. I called attorney’s office and found out he was busy doing accounting (taxes) and had not done any work on my case.
01-22-08 Had a couple of phone calls with Bridget Scevers, Examiner, Montana State Fund, they got me rescheduled with doctor.
01-23-08 Appointment with Dr. P. Andrew Puckett M.D., Missoula
01-31-08 Bone scan at Community Medical Center
02-01-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 2PM
02-05-08 Appointment with Steve C. Kemple, DO, Advanced Pain Center
02-07-08 Appointment with Steve C. Kemple, DO, Advanced Pain Centers 1PM. He
gave me new prescription for Gabapentin, then Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 3PM
gave me new prescription for Gabapentin, then Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 3PM
02-12-08 Appointment with Steve C. Kemple, DO, Advanced Pain Center
02-15-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 2PM
02-16-08 Family Pharmacy to get Gabapentin 300MG Cap, take 1 daily, 1 refill. 1 pill is better than 3.
02-19-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 2:30PM. Sleep, Thearpy, Sleep. To much drugs, don’t like it. Don’t want to move. I hate this. All I have is pain and sleep.
02-20-08 In so much pain, all I do is sleep, wake up, take a pill, and go back to sleep. I don’t even want to wake up to eat. What a life. Scared of the unknown (tomorrow). Guess it’s good sleep keeps my mind off of it.
02-21-08 Appointment with Steve C. Kemple, DO, Advanced Pain Centers at 8AM, did 1st right Stellate Ganglion nerve block at Big Sky Surgery Center
02-22-08 I called Montana State Fund and talked to Bridget Scevers, Examiner, trying to push approval for Lyrica medication. Slept part of day.
02-23-08 I’m not sleeping 16 to 18 hour days now, but my energy is gone. I need to build it back up.
02-24-08 Staying awake, not confused. Pain in arm there but increases every time I try to move. Starting to feel like a person again but with only one arm. Now if I can just make pain go away. Used ice packs a couple of times.
2-25-08 I called Steve C. Kemple, DO office and they told me to stop by for samples of Lyrica after therapy. Upper part of arm just will not go away. Used ice packs all day.
02-26-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 1PM then I went to Steve C. Kemple, DO office at Advanced Pain center to get Lyrica samples. (42 capsules, 50MG). Arm not too bad today, just so happy to be awake. Got hot paraffin machine.
02-27-08 Appointment at Providence Surgery Center
02-28-08 Called Peter, no answer will try again tomorrow. Pain better, no lump in throat. Shots seem to be working. Just taking it easy.
02-29-08 Talked to Peter Ropp, Cascade Rehab Management, on phone, he already had copy of Puckett’s release forms and was making contacts for employment for me. I left message for Bridget Scevers, Examiner at Montana State Fund to call me regarding work release. Steve C. Kemple, DO, Advanced Pain Centers office called to schedule 3rd nerve block and I asked about getting pain medicine and to ask if Lyrica got approved. Pain level is doable. Started the paraffin treatment. Poor Dak. He uses a ladle to pour it on my hands. It burns so bad, it’s all I can do to stand up. He holds my arm, so I don’t jerk it away, and then has to deal with my screaming. I don’t know who it hurts more, him or me.
03-01-08 Oh no, here comes the pain again. Hopefully, it will settle down tomorrow. It just wears me out, I have no energy to do anything else. Paraffin treatment again, almost brings me to tears it burns so bad.
03-02-08 Great today is worse. Lots of ice packs. Sleep. Paraffin treatment. Couldn’t do much too much hurt. Dak gave up fighting me. He knew I just didn’t feel well.
03-03-08 I called Steve C. Kemple, DO, Advanced Pain Centers office about medicine, they were very busy, only found out I had gotten approval from state. No information about getting some pain medicine. Hello. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 3PM. Made new support for my wrist. Shoulder and arm pains come and go, just need to keep right arm still. If they want me to move arm someone needs to help with pain. Paraffin treatment. It burns so bad, I just try to hurry up to get it over with.
Dak picked up Lyrica prescription from Family Pharmacy.
Bridget Scevers, Examiner, Montana State Fund, returned my call regarding going back to work. She said Puckett’s office, not Kemple’s office should give me pain medicine for wrist. I’m confused.
03-05-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 4:30PM. Adjusted support for my wrist. I’m hurting. Is anyone listening. Paraffin treatment. I don’t think Dak can ever get over my screaming. He did get it higher up on my hand.
03-06-08 Pain settled some. Don’t move arm. Wonder what is going on with me going back to work. Paraffin treatment.
03-07-08 Conference call with Bridget Scevers, Examiner, Montana State Fund and Theresa at Conlin regarding me going back to work at Conlin. Theresa seems nice. Have mixed feelings about going back to work. I really think it’s too soon, but I don’t want Theresa to know. If I can’t sleep at night how am I to work. Too many limitations. Pain level 3 to 5, so I’m optimistic, but know it can change in a second. Paraffin dip.
03-08-08 Arm and neck killing me pain level up to 8. Can’t sleep. How am I to go to work. No paraffin treatment.
03-09-08 So much pain in arm and neck. I can’t sleep. Need help. I’m tired, I hurt. Why can someone not help me. I can’t keep dealing with this. It’s like no one is listening as to how much hurt I’m encountering. No paraffin treatment.
03-10-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 10:30AM. We talked about going back to work, schedule and pain problems. Dr. P. Andrew Puckett M.D., Missoula Bone & Joint office girl came over and said she would call state, and that Kemple’s office would have to issue pain medicine. Dak & I went to get pants with elastic waste and non pull over shirts. Exhausting. At least it was a better day, than the last 2. Got home and went to sleep. Paraffin dip.
03-11-08 Did too much yesterday. Pain level up to 6. I just relaxed trying to get my arm settled down. Did paraffin dip twice today. Poor Dak, I think it’s hurting him almost as much as it is me, having to deal with all my screaming.
03-12-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 10:30AM. She worked on hand. Stopped at Conlin Furniture and met Ron, new manager, signed background check papers for Kat. Agreed I would start work on the 20th. Ron must have had something else on his mind, doesn’t seem attentive to conversation. I’ll have to wait on what my thoughts are. Did paraffin dip. Shoulder stabs come and go. Just like upper part of arm. Getting tired of Dak having to pick out my clothes and dress me every morning. I know he must be getting tired too, but he’s being real good about it. He has to help me in the shower, picking out clothes, getting dress, cutting up my food. I feel like I can’t do anything.
03-13-08 Talked to Peter Ropp, Cascade Rehab Management, regarding going back to work at Conlin. Theresa called from Conlin making sure everything OK. Nerves! Can I do this? Shoulder and arm pain come and go all day. I did paraffin dip twice today.
03-14-08 Appointment at 2:30 Big Sky Surgery Center
03-15-08 Bad day, was in a lot of pain. Thinking about going to Hospital, when Dak suggested using patch. In 15 min. great relief. Obviously didn’t get anything done. No Paraffin dip.
03-16-08 Used patch no pain in shoulder but got sick in evening. Why? Threw up a couple of times. Is it because of medicine or am I sick. Tried to shorten nails again. What a pain. Can’t do either hand right. Nail file rubbing on right hand hurt right arm, nail file rubbing on left hand also hurts right arm. Can’t hardly see to do the right one. Body appears to not really want me to do this yet. Did my paraffin dip, Dak still had to hold my right arm to keep my knees from buckling from the pain.
03-17-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC 9AM. Got sick twice driving to Missoula
03-18-08 Lots to do in little time. Bad time to have gotten sick. Paperwork, Paperwork. Way behind from getting sick. Only did paraffin once today on hand.
03-19-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC
9 AM. Arm starting to hurt some again. Apprehensive about problems I might run into going back to work. We only put hand in paraffin once today. It’s still awful hot to my hand but Dak said I was doing better not screaming so loud. Lots of paperwork that needed to be done, so I wont have to deal with it for a while.
03-20-08 Work. Start back to work at Conlin Furniture 9:30AM. Did paper work with Kat. Most of the day just bored. Cleaned out Sylvia’s desk. Re-read sales manual. Julie argues with me that the state shouldn’t be paying me because RSD is hereditary. She knows because she’s done a lot of research on RSD. Walked in the door at home and Peter was calling to check on me. Very tired, arm hurts some but not as bad as expected.
03-21-08 Work. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC 9:30AM. Boring, nothing to do decided to fix lamps. Many dead light bulbs, miss matched lamps and tables with no lamps. Cabling lying on carpet. Store looks bad. Told by Julie that I was going to have Thursdays and Fridays off. I told her that was between me a corporate. Made her mad. Hand and arm painful, but I can deal with it. Must make money. Keep focus.
03-22-08 Work. My first day on floor selling. Julie again wants to know what days I want off. I tried not to answer but she kept pushing and I finally told her not Thursdays. Arm already starting to bother me more. Keep positive attitude.
03-23-08 Home. slept most of day, tired. Didn’t get much sleep at night, couldn’t find comfortable spot.
03-24-08 Home. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC 9:30AM. Bad night, very little sleep. Pain, Pain go away, come again some other day. I sent email to Peter explaining work schedule problems.
03-25-08 Work. Back to work, pretty beat up by end of day. Peter thanked me for email. Some pain in arm 3 to 5. I can do this. Wish I just didn’t have to go through all the hassles of getting dressed. It’s such a chore now, and everything takes me twice as long, even though Dak is helping.
03-26-08 Work. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC 9:30AM. I’m dead tired. Julie pushing again about my days off. It’s none of her business. Leave me alone. My arm and neck hurt. Don’t understand the stabbing pain around my shoulder blade. Things are starting to get me down.
03-27-08 Work. Not allowed to work extra hour per Julie, after Ron had approved. She really got in my face, then so innocently asked Ron about ups schedule and floor time, while I’m on the phone and unable to respond. Afterward when I approached her, she turned from me and said I don’t want to talk about it anymore, I just want to work. I told her I had the right to state my opinion and I was tired of her telling me what I can or cannot do. Later, Ron was defending her saying I miss understood. I had to explain to him that he did not hear the conversion a few minutes before all of this started. Theresa called to check on how I was doing. I really like her. Peter sent email checking in with me, and I email back basically to change on work schedule everything else fine this was one of my better days dealing with the pain. Very tired, angry. Must keep fighting for survival.
03-28-08 Work. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC 9:30AM. OK I still need to try to make up time for being off next Wed. I had waited to make sure I had enough in me before I asked Ron if I could work Sunday. He said OK because that was going to be a scheduled day for me to work anyway. Oh! Oh! Later in day neck and arm hurting, thought maybe I had asked to work to soon. The stabbing in my neck has got to stop.
03-29-08 Work. Arm is really hurting; nothing seems to make it happy. At end of day Ron tells me he is working on April’s schedule and asks me what days I would like off. I motioned to go into his office to talk. I again explained that all my appointments evolved around my hand therapist and Thursday was her day off, so being off on Thursday did me no good because I can’t schedule doctors appointment, and Fridays I really only had the 1st half of the day. Then I went on to explain that Mondays would be the best day for me to be off because it was the longest day of the week schedule wise, and with Adobe class at 8PM I would usually be late for my class conference and couldn’t eat dinner until 9PM. He came back at me that Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue & Wed was when he needed me and that was when I was to work. I said what about my doctor’s appointments. He said he was accommodating me for the doctors appointments Mon & Wed Mornings, and he didn’t have to do anything more. I looked down and said, if I wasn’t able to get this scheduling worked out with you, I’m to call Theresa at corporate. Ron now started yelling at me that he didn’t care what Theresa said, he was the store manager, and he was running the store. When I walked out David Brimer was making this face when he looked at me, so I pretty sure he heard. I left work very upset and frustrated. The walls are caving in.
03-30-08 Work. A lot of pain in my arm. I had very little sleep. Ron called me at work late in the day. He said he got the impression that my class was more important to me than work. I told him no, he seems to keep missing my point. Then I went on to re explain the Thursday/Friday problem again. He said we’d wait till Wednesday to see what the doctor says.
03-31-08 Work. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC 9:30AM . First appointment with Dennis, the shoulder therapist. He wanted me to get sling for my arm. Wow immediate relief. Wish I had him as a doctor sooner. I got new ice pack too.
04-01-08 Work. Review for month. Ron said he was pleasantly surprised at how I’ve pitched in doing things in the store and my sales. Criticized me for saying too much that schedule was between corp and me. Gee wonder who is complaining; maybe the person at work who keeps brings it up all the time. Guess I just have to stay away from her totally. Told Ron I had not called Theresa. I made it, working 8 days in a row. Julie argues with me that the state would give me full pay, whether I worked or not. She just wants to argue with me. Sling is great. Pain in arm and neck only a 2. Wonderful.
04-02-08 Home. 4th nerve block with Dr. Kemple at Big Sky, Joint appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC at 1PM and Dr. P. Andrew Puckett M.D., Missoula Bone & Joint at 12:15PM. Puckett writes new work orders consisting that I am not to work more than 5 days in a row, and I am to wear sling as needed. He is now saying 1+ years and wanted to make sure I understood that the RSD had to get under control before he could do anything with my wrist. When will this nightmare really be over.
04-03-08 Home. So tired. Got bills paid that I could, slept part of day. Finally got to trim my nails. They’re so weird, they are growing funny, and when they aren’t they way you think they should be and you can’t really see them, it hard to shorten them. I do a little, then look at them in the bathroom mirror. Don’t understand why arm wants to be ugly the day after I have the shoot. It really doesn’t want me to do anything.
04-04-08 Home. 4th nerve block with Dr. Kemple at Big Sky was rescheduled to 4-2-08. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC then Dennis. Still very tired. Need rest. Arm usually better 2nd day, today not usual. Guess it is but not by much. Ron called to say sales meeting changed to 9:30 tomorrow. I made statement that meeting needed to be more motivational. He kind of blew it off saying that was a problem everywhere, and he thought it was because it was so early in the morning.
04-05-08 Work. I gave Ron a letter from the Therapist that stated her day off was Thursday. I tried explaining again, but he just refuses to understand. I told him the doctor had written up new restrictions, and was only to work 5 days in a row, and wear the sling as needed. I told him the schedule was OK for a couple of weeks, but then I really needed it changed. He now says let’s wait until you get a doctors appointment and we’ll work around the appointment. I said but I can only work 5 days in a row. but he just said we’ll wait until I have the appointment. I must be talking to a rock. Ron says he wants to be at a meeting on Thursday in the store for about an hour and a half. I told him no the doctor said I was to only work 5 days in a row. He argued that it wasn’t work. I just needed to sit and listen. I told him no again but he still argued, so I finally said I would ask Doctor. I went into Ron’s office to ask a question after the sales meeting, and he said see, I don’t play favorites. I go what, because I had no idea what he was talking about. He said not letting Julie and David on the floor until Thank you were written. After leaving his office I realized he was probably referring to not changing my days off. I did pretty good all day. Arm didn’t start hurting till around 4PM. Julie is confusing today. She asked for 2 additional days off. Julie walked by me and said I’m taking Tue & Wed off. I said I don’t understand why your telling me. She said because I was supposed to be her friend. David said Ron told her no. Julie clarified that Ron said she could, that David was confused because Ron said he didn’t want to lose her. Days off were according to her because family problems at home. Then she came up to me complaining that she was trying to explain to Ron that the sales meeting were not motivating. 2+2 does not equal 4. Needed to get away, always complaining. Tired, so slept good. Motivation deteriorating. Life shouldn’t be this hard.
04-06-08 Work. Yea! 4 days of no Julie. Nerve shoot up my arm. Both hand and feet feel like I fell in gravel. Right leg minor burn, but right arm is on fire. Unstoppable tears rolling from eyes. Little finger and ring finger are numb. Please give me all the ice packs. Little sleep. I hurt all night.
04-07-2009 Work. So tired. Dak a little short temper today in helping me get dressed. Probably me fussing over numbness in hand. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC then Dennis. Dennis knows how to poke. I told him it was a good hurt. Put patch on but left it on too long. Still some burning in right arm but no gravel. Hard to work thru the day. Slept better, only woke me a couple of times. Fingers are so numb, especially the last two. Feels like I completely lost the feeling in them.
04-08-07 Work. Feet and hand feel like I fell in gravel. Right arm is burning more than yesterday. Can feel some burning in right leg. Fingures still numb, but not as bad. No patch. Called Peter regarding work schedule problems again with Ron. Told Ron I had spoken to doctor and I could not come to Thursday meeting, but I could listen from home on speakerphone. He just kind of blew it off. Found out meeting was on Master Seal. Which way is the wind blowing today? Strange guy.
04-09-08 Work. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC then Dennis. I was so weak my hands were shaking and I didn’t know if I could drive to work. Pretty tired all day. Arm started burning again in late afternoon. Kat put ice pack on my arm. Wore patch all day. Ken tells me new hires are at $10/hr., what was I getting paid. Not a happy camper. I’m a new hire but on old pay, so which is it. Peter email backed for me to call Theresa. Goodnight sleep. Dak covered my arm in ice.
04-10-08 Home. Arm ok was burning in the morning. Why is right arm and leg burning? Need covers for only half of body. Too much to do, not enough time or energy. Tried not moving arm all day. Didn’t have patch on.
04-11-08 Home. Appointment with Kay Kramer, Hands in Motion Occupational Therapy LLC then Dennis’s stand-in. Girl really didn’t do much. Hand and arm ach all day. Think I’m getting sick. Went home and slept.
04-12-08 My birthday. Too sick and tired, to work. Energy gone, low tolerance. Slept most of day, did nothing the rest of day, just didn’t feel like it. Burning in arm and shoulder. Both feet and both palms feel like I feel in gravel. The little crawly ants are driving me crazy.
04-13-08 Still no energy. Only 5 hour work day. Need money, so went to work. Brain would not go in gear, messed up my sales. Ken hit my arm again. Doesn’t seem to understand the word no. Went home and went to sleep.
04-14-08 Both therapist. I’m so tired, hard to function. Doctors must think I’m super human. Arm/wrist hurt, small burning inside, used ice pack. Shoulder just doesn’t want to move. I don’t want to move. Constant aching and hurting is driving me crazy. I just want a fun day with Dak and no hurt. Dr. Kemples’ office called on follow up. I explained I didn’t understand all the pain, and I didn’t know when I was supposed to call him. Nerve block seemed to work real well, I’m not having the shooting pains multiple times a day, just every once in a while.
04-15-08 Taxes. How am I supposed to do this. Filled an extension. Feel better today, just frustrated. Need time off. Can’t get personal things done. House needs to be cleaned so badly. No one should have to live this way. Dr. Kemple called back and changed me to 3 Lyrica a day. He explained that I would have the burning and chills as part of the nerve problems, and the numbness in the fingers is also part of that. I’m not to call him until the pain interferes with the therapy. No one seems to understand it is interfering with the therapy. I do little exercise now, because I’m too tired. The little I do is even less when I have an attack, then I get lectured by the therapist for not exercising. Like the attack is my fault. I just can’t win.
04-16-08 Both therapist. Talked to Tom Bulman Attorney at Law. Tired. Everything hurts. It takes so long to get dress. Dak has to help me everyday to get ready for work. There is so many things I cannot do. I feel so sorry for him.
04-17-08 Yes, a day off. Why am I so tired. I can’t get anything done, all I do is sleep when I’m not at work. Little crawly ants and gravel in hand only.
04-18-08 Both therapist. Hand and arm ach all day. Went home. Read some, got bills ready to go out, slept. Just no energy.
04-19-08 Not ready to go back to work. Too many things to do, and not enough hours for me to get it done. Ron asked if I thought splitting my days off would work. I jumped at the idea. I’ll try anything. Long day, tired and achy, just wanted to go home. Went home, ate dinner, went to sleep.
04-20-08 Day OK at work. So tired, only worked 5 ½ hours, but so weak. Driving home legs shuck so bad I couldn’t drive car. Had to pull over to side of road, and then got sick. Waited a little bit, then tried again to drive. Still had the shakes but not as bad in left leg. Some how made it him. Took coat off, sat in chair, and went to sleep in a minute or so, no dinner.
Got new attorney. April 29, 2008 Rehabilitation Counselor wrote letter to doctor expressing concern on my work status.
04-21-08 Went to both therapist. Day off, so I went home and slept, again I slept thru dinner. Too many aches and pains.
04-22-08 Back to work. I hate to get dressed; it hurts and is such a hassle. Don’t know if this is going to work. Think I just need to take several days off and try again. The hurt just takes so much energy from me. Wish I could do things myself. I have to ask for help with so many things.
04-23-08 Saw both therapists. Dennis did something to shoulder to relieve pressure. Feels so much better. Maybe I’m making progress.
04-24-08 Most of day pretty good all things considering. When night came shoulder just didn’t want to move, really hurt. Ate dinner and went to sleep. It would be nice if I could stay awake awhile to talk to Dak, but no luck.
04-25-08 Both therapist. Shoulder very soar. Dennis’ magic fingers didn’t work as well today. My day off so went home and slept. Frustrated, have to work, have to do therapy. Can’t do therapy, as I should which is going to hurt me in the long run. Don’t know what people expect of me. I have so many personal things that have to be done with no time. I’m so slow to do anything, and digging through papers really hurts my hand.
04-26-08 OK, Going to try to work today with no sling. Ken bumped my arm AGAIN. Arm hurt, then started burning. I put ice packs on and the sling. Tears rolling from eyes again. Just sat still on a couch for a little over an hour. Arm finally started settling down. Took ice pack off, but left sling on for another hour. Got bad chills. Went through the burn and chills again later in the day but not nearly like the one this morning. Fingers are really numb in the evening.
04-27-08 Arm still sensitive from yesterday, so stay away from Ken. He decided he would talk to me today, but I kept my distance. Glad it is a short day. Wish I didn’t have to eat dinner. All I want to do is sleep.
04-28-08 Lots of things to do. I had about 7 or 8 hours of work to do, but only got about half of it done. Shoulder bothering me the most. Tired. My body just really doesn’t want to work more than 2 days in a row. Peter called, he wanted to know how I was doing. Told him of frustrations. Feel like I need a 3-week vacation. I sleep most of the time when I’m home, so can’t get my personal work done. Had to file extension on taxes (Don’t know how I’m going to get that done), still have to get papers done for AFLAC, Got to find 1 more paper for LIEP. The house is so dirty it will take at least one good week to do something with it. Can’t let visitors in house. It looks too bad. Wish I could find job for 25 or 30 hours right now. Can’t function properly. Dug in several boxes trying to find requested information. Arm not too happy. Ate dinner, about ½ hour later I was asleep..
04-29-08 Shoulder sore again all day. Talked to Dennis about options for me working and his thoughts. Of course he walks the gray line. So tired I drove to work, felt I had no energy. Called Ron and told him I was going to sleep in car, just too tired. He said he had no help in store, so could I please come in until someone showed up. I went in for about an hour and 20 minutes then to the car, where I quickly fell asleep. Ron came out 2 hours later and knocked on windows of car to wake me up. I was dead asleep and really didn’t want to go in, but I did. Felt better after I woke up. Shoulder and arm hurt about the same.
04-30-08 I don’t understand Kay. She is supposed to be a good therapist, but I feel she is so busy telling her own stories that she is not listening to me. Says the only reason I’m tired is because they up my Lyrica dosage. Well, I was tired before they upped the dosage, but agree that could be a contributing factor, but is not the only. Told her she only saw me at 9AM, she didn’t know how I was at 4 or 5PM. She agreed on that issue. Then she started talking about how she didn’t see me yesterday, so she didn’t know how I was. Who cares! She sees me lots of other days when I’m ready to fall asleep on her table. She’s been told over and over again by Dak and me how tired I am, and she chooses to ignore it. She must think I’m some super woman. I’m scared I’m just going to collapse somewhere, hopefully not in the car and hurt my arm worse. How can two therapists have two completely different opinions.
05-01-08 Worked hard all day. Another OK day with my arm. Shoulder bothering me more.
05-02-08 Day off. Wrote some checks and went to bank. Seems I’m doing everything in slow motion. Arm is just a nun ice and I’m taking forever to accomplish anything. Feel like I’m 85 years old, tired all the time and can’t concentrate.
05-03-08 Long day. Did pretty good. Arm is probably a 2 or 3 if I keep it still. Went to sleep in a matter of minutes after eating dinner.
05-04-08 Arm a little sore during the day. Driving home my shoulder was really hurting, then I had another attack in my forearm. It wasn’t too bad, scared me mostly and of course my last 2 fingers went numb. Puritan Cleaning Service is the company Washington
05-05-08 Glad today is my day off. Have lots to do, but probably won’t get much done. I woke up every hour last night hurting, trying to move to get comfortable. I’m really tired and will hopefully take a nap later. Shoulder is really bothering me.
05-24-08 Julie & I were the only ones at the store early and Ron said someone needed to put out the balloons. Julie said why should I be the one that has to do it all the time. I said, it not like I can tie a balloon Julie. She responded that her son was mentally challenged and you would be surprised at what he can do.
05-26-08 Last day at Conlin Furniture. Again, Ron had scheduled me 4 days in a row against doctors orders. He said that, that is when he needed me in the store, so I gave him my doctors notice towards the end of the day that I was to be off work.
05-27-08 Dak started new job. Wished I could have spent some time with him before he started, but that’s not the way it fell.
June Beginning of June I got the Game Ready, ice machine. It was wonderful. I finally got a full nights sleep. I stayed on the machine as much as possible. Dak gone for several days doing training in Wisconsin
The first of July was pretty much the same as above. Good days and bad days, but was pretty much able to sleep, which helped a lot. The frustration starting setting in, why was I not getting better.
07-01-08 Paid bills
07-02-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Went to grocery. What a trip. 2 customers tried to help me. Couldn’t pick up the box of Pepsi and then couldn’t get the cart to turn. I was embarrassed. Thank goodness they loaded the car and Dak unloaded. So tired when I got home. Took a nap.
07-03-08 Sent all papers to countrywide regarding 2 month extension on mortgage. They said it would take about a month. Got papers together and sent 2 certified letters requesting money owed us.
07-07-08 Appointment with Dennis
07-09-08 Appointment with Dennis
07-10-08 Not supposed to be cleaning house, but I have to do some. It is depressing me. Spent 3 hours trying to clean bathroom. Not easy with only using left hand, and it takes forever.
07-11-08 Worked on bathroom again. Tried doing mirror, but that didn’t work, to far to reach, but at least the room looks better. Very tired, probably did more than I should have.
07-12-08 Dusted in bedroom. Too tired from yesterday, so I didn’t do any more. Used ice packs on shoulder for a little while.
07-13-08 Paid bills. Got floor vacuumed in bedroom. Sat on floor with canister sweeper and did a little at a time, then moved back on floor and did a little more until I got it all done. So much better. I kept taking breaks and it took me all afternoon just to get one room done. Ice packs on should again. I don’t want Dennis to get mad at me since I’m not supposed to be doing this.
07-14-08 Appointment with Dr. Puckett. He said he still did not want me to work and MMI would be in about 6 months. He said I was making slow but steady progress. I tried to ask if I could work part time at home and he said that I could after the next appointment in 6 weeks but not now.
07-15-08 Watched videos all day on photoshop. Eyes got very tired. Learned someone new things, now if I can just remember.
07-16-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Dennis asked me if I was still keeping a diary of everything, and I told him no, and he said I needed to start doing it again. So here I am. Watched videos and played with photoshop. I’m progressively spending more time on the computer as my shoulder can tolerate.
07-17-08 Talked to Don and then wrote letter regarding Countrywide per his request. Sent letter to United Recovery regarding American Express. Watched videos and played with photoshop. Shoulder doing OK. Hand gets tired, so I end up typing one handed. Slow, but I get the job done.
07-18-08 Appointment with Kay. Played with Photoshop part of afternoon. Shoulder seems to be doing OK. Get some pain in the biceps so I have to stop and take breaks. Finally, I had to stop because my hand was shaking so I couldn’t control the mouse.
07-19-08 Dak went fishing down the road. I was so sad. Wish I could figure out a way to fish, maybe next year. Worked on ideas for advertising layouts as examples for Peter. Watched TV
07-20-08 Worked on ideas for some advertising layouts as examples for Peter.
07-21-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Came home and started making advertising sheets. Real happy with what I got done so far. Still having to take lots of breaks. My hand tires so easily.
07-22-08 Paid bills. Worked on advertising sheets again. Needs some more work. Didn’t turn out quite the way I want. It would help if my hand would go where I’m trying to tell it to. I get so frustrated with it.
07-23-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Worked on advertising sheets. Some I like and some I don’t. Fixed some of my problems from yesterday, so maybe tomorrow I can fix todays problems.
07-25-08 Worked some more on advertising sheets. Went to the doctor with Dak
07-26-08 Went to Linda’s yard sale for a couple of hours. Took money from people. The day was hot. Spilled my Pepsi can. I feel so helpless, I’m embarrassed to even be around friends. Shoulder and hand really sore, so I went home.
07-27-08 Dak and I pulled things out to sell in next weeks yard sale. The house is a mess.
07-28-08 Appointment with Dennis. Back to working on advertising sheets.
07-29-08 Talked to Don 4 times regarding Chase. Talked to Chase. Did some tweaking on advertising sheets. Priced stuff for yard sale.
07-30-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Got papers done and faxed to Partnership Health Center
07-31-08 Talked to Don regarding Countrywide. Got another page done for advertising. Priced stuff to put in yard sale.
August Kay made some comment after telling me about her weekend, “Isn’t my life exciting.” I told her a lot more than mine, since I couldn’t do anything. I think she got the hint.
08-01-08 Talked with Chase and made payment arrangements on one account. Linda’s yard sale. Dak took our stuff down before he went to work and got most of the stuff set up. I still had a few items with no prices to fix. Long day, but at least the weather is cooler than last weekend. I answered questions and took money along with 2 other people. Came home and went to sleep.
08-02-08 Linda’s yard sale. I was already tired but shoulder and arm holding up, just annoying. Rain started in the afternoon. I picked up a little wire basket, probably at the most ½ lb. The only thing I can figure is I twisted my arm because all of a sudden I screamed in pain. Linda said I just asked you to lay it down. I responded that was all I was trying to do. The basket was just hanging on my thumb, and I couldn’t get it off because I was holding the tarp with my right hand. Finally I had to let go of the tarp, so I could pull it off my thumb. My hand was hurting really bad especially my thumb, so I told Linda I needed to go home. Got home and spent the evening in ice packs. Dak kept asking me what I did, and I responded that I didn’t know. It all happened so fast. I didn’t want to move my hand at all. Rough night for sleep. I must have woke up a dozen times. A couple of times I got up to refresh the ice packs. Oh! What am I going to do.
08-03-08 Last day of yard sale. I did not go till about 1:00PM. Hand was hurting and I really didn’t feel like going. Kept my hand in ice packs all morning. It wasn’t until almost noon before I even tried to move my hand or to see what I had done to it. Dak came and packed everything back up that didn’t sell. Very tried, and hand is killing me. Spent the evening in ice packs again. Another rough night of sleep and trips to refresh ice packs.
08-04-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Told Kay & Dennis what had happened and Kay was good about taking notes. I’m pretty upset. Went home and put ice packs on for a while then did letter to Bulman regarding hours worked. Spent most of the evening in ice packs. My hand was still probably a 6 or 7 on the pain scale.
08-05-08 Listed Linda’s ring on ebay, took pictures. My thumb is not happy. It took for ever to pay bills. I hope they can read my writing. Spent part of the afternoon and the evening in ice packs. My thumb is not happy
08-06-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis.
08-07-08 Went to doctor with Dak. Answered ebay questions.
08-08-08 Talked with Chase. Answered ebay questions.
08-10-08 Sold ring for Linda via ebay, so packaged it to ship.
08-11-08 Appointment with Kay. Shipped ring to buyer. Picked up medicine for Dak. Came home and took nap with ice on hand again. The pain has settled down, as long as I don’t try to move my thumb.
Stopped by Peters and gave him my advertising sheets.
08-12-08 Sorted papers for 5 hours to sell on ebay. My hand was cramping so. Can’t seem to hold papers still with right hand. Had to stop. Hand hurt to much and I was really tired.
08-13-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Kay said that she was going to put me on some medicine to help bring the swelling down. Got phone call from Myla that Pat had been put into nursing home. Called around for propane prices
08-14-08 Got propane. Sorted more papers for 4 hours. My hand cramped up again. It’s cramping all the time now, but this seems to make it a lot worse. Don’t understand. I’m not doing anything with it except trying to hold the papers still to count.
08-15-08 Linda and Ida came over and I paid Linda for her ring I sold. Won’t let anyone in the house because I don’t want anyone to see how dirty it is. Took nap again. Seems I can’t sleep very long at a time, so I just have to grab sleep when ever I can.
08-16-08 Sorted papers again but only for 2 hours. Hand is giving out. Can hardly move my fingers. Got ice and took another nap.
08-17-08 Took pictures to list ebay. This became an all day thing. Something that should only take an hour or two. Can’t seem to get my hand to corporate. Lots of tremors. Guess that’s it’s was of saying that’s enough. Took another nap.
08-18-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Asked Dennis when he thought I could handling taking airline to Indianapolis
08-19-08 Started taking Naproxen. Eleven months later and we are now addressing the swelling. Hope this works and will enable me to bend my fingers better. Kay said it would take about a week for the swelling to start to go down. Listed Dak’s ebay items. He only had 11 items, and I didn’t have that much to type, only about 35 lines, but my hand starting going numb. I pushed it to at least get his stuff listed. My hand was really hurting and then my fingers stopped working. I couldn’t move them. I finished using my left hand, and then Dak wrapped my hand in ice. About 2 hours later I finally fell asleep. When I woke up, my hand was like it was earlier in the day.
08-20-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Listed my ebay items. Could already see swelling starting to go down. I ‘m excited. Answered some questions on ebay items.
08-21-08 Went to Bozman with Dak. We had nice dinner and he dropped me off at a craft store while he went on a couple of appointments. Sat outside and talked to Linda for about an hour on the phone. It rained most of the way home, and guess what. I slept most of the way back.
08-22-08 Went to social security to give them papers needed for Dak’s retirement. Started packaging ebay items. Answered more question from ebay items. Talked to Linda and took a real short nap.
08-23-08 Downloaded XP and tried to put on his system. Swelling back up on my hand, but that’s OK. It hasn’t been a week yet.
08-24-08 ebay items ended. Worked several hours trying to get XP on his system. Very frustrated. I’m frustrated enough. I don’t need to add to it. Packaged ebay items.
08-25-08 Appointment with Kay & Dennis. Took laptop to Best Buy for them to fix XP, but they wanted too much to fix. Got groceries. Really more than I should be doing. The carts are not made for people with hand problems. Came home and took a nap.
08-26-08 3 more ebay items ended. Listed 2 more sets of paper on ebay. Packaged and shipped ebay. Boxing stuff very slow. Good thing for tape on boxes. Who wold believe that it takes about an hour per box, and I’m just shipping paper. Good thing I don’t have to wrap something up.
08-27-08 Doctors appointment with Dr. Puckett & both therapist. He said he had to get the heat off his back from the state, so he was going to release me to work but only after I had a second opinion and I was not to use my right arm. Look forward to 2nd opinion. Maybe now someone can figure out what is wrong. I told Shoulder doctor that I wasgetting more numbness over the wrist and thumb than previously.
08-28-08 Listed one more thing on ebay. Shipped ebay. Answered questions on ebay items. Paid 2 bills
08-29-08 Shoulder doing good today, while hand was it’s usual pain in the ass. Talked to Linda for a couple of hours. Went to check out Dak’s booth at Ravalli County Fair. Had dinner there. Some fool came from behind and bumped my arm. Wasn’t happy, but at least I didn’t get the shooting pains, that’s progress. Went to sleep at 9:00PM up at 2:00AM and back to sleep at 5:00AM.
08-30-08 Dak had sales appointments, so I went to the Ravalli County Fair to man the booth at 11:00AM. Thought it would be fun to be around some people. When he called at 4:00PM I had had it and told him he needed to hurry up because I wanted to go home. All I did was sit in a hard chair but my arm was hurting. I guess no place to rest it. Linda showed up as I was leaving, but I didn’t feel like staying. Couldn’t sleep. Shoulder, arm, wrist, hand, fingers just not happy. Nothing was comfortable.
08-31-08 Did nothing. Dak very tired, so we just watched TV and slept. 3 more items sold on ebay. It was a nice relaxing day. Hand cramping but not bothering too much today so decided to be adventurous. I wanted to do something, so I tried to do some beading. It was taking about 5 minutes for each bead. I kept losing the needle. Didn’t know when it was or wasn’t in my hand. Hand cramped worse, so I tried to do it with my left hand, just didn’t work. I need to figure something out. No crafting for one year.
09-01-08 Watched TV. Nice to have Dak home for a change. Answered a couple more ebay questions, and took 2 naps. Tried the bead thing again. Found I could do some with left hand using fishing wire. Very slow and looks like something I would have done when I was still in school. Well, it’s better than nothing.
09-02-08 Shipped ebay. Yes! Finished for now. Paid bills. Tried bead thing again. Cramping got too much in right hand. Don’t know why, I’m not using it, but had to stop. Dak and I are fighting over the temperature in the house. He says it’s me and I say it’s him. I’m so uncomfortable and my hand wakes me up enough at night without the temperature doing it too.
09-03-08 Appointment with Kay. Told Kay my hand was really hurting. She just ignored me and started talking about painting her house. Why will she not listen to me. I’m getting really frustrated, and I feel she is just steeling money from the state because my hand is not getting any better. The cramping is so bad and has been continuous for a couple of months now. Can’t get a good night’s sleep. I need relief.
09-04-08 Sent out several emails to collection companies requesting quote to turn over TCH uncollected money. Talked to 6 companies on the phone and decided to go with a company. Ordered Dak XP. Great, I finally feel like I’ve accomplished something today. Hand and arm aren’t bothering me too much. The cramping in my hand is driving me crazy. Just can’t get any relief.
09-05-08 Doubled check everything that I wanted to send to collection agency. Sent 1 of 4 faxes to collection agency. Dead tired. Arm feels like some one punched me. Hand sore, Fingers stiff, cramping feels like hand is caving in. Worried maybe it’s trying to be deformed. Tried ice, warm waters, and lots of wiggles. The only bit of relief is when I push on the cramp area, but then it’s only as long as I keep pushing.
09-06-08 Dak worked again all day. I sent faxes to collection agency. Just seems to take me 3 to 4 times as long as I think it should. Tired. Dak came home and I fell asleep before he could fix dinner. Think the faxing is too much for me.
09-07-08 Dak had quotes to do and sales call, so I sent faxes to collection agency, and then alphabetize them, so I could find them, when and if they have questions. Arm has had it. Feels like it weighs 20 lbs. Back to the chair. Wish I could work on the computer, but my hand won’t tolerate more than about 15 minutes at a time, and by then all I’ve done is aggravate it more.
09-08-08 Appointment with Kay. Told her again that my hand was getting worse. It was hurting more and more, and worse then a couple of months ago. I got no response again. Told her wrist support was rubbing on my hand and I would like her to fix. She said she didn’t think I needed to wear the support all the time. I explained that if I took it off, I had to try to sit still and my wrist really started hurting a lot in about half an hour. She still didn’t fix it. Stopped by Conlin Furniture and gave Kat update on my arm. Went home and looked at some magazines. Right hand still can’t support holding the magazine. This is ridiculous. I’m so tired of hurting. Got tired and hand was aching so and the cramping is really bad (like a 7). Tried to sleep but my hand wouldn’t let me. Loaded XP on Dak’s system. Only took 3 hours.
09-09-08 Theresa from Conlin Furniture called. Gave her update on my arm. Called Peter and told him I had talked to Theresa. Also told him that Theresa thought I needed new review of job. Went to sleep about 2:00AM but up at 5:00AM. I don’t understand why my body temperature will not settle down. I’m either too hot or too cold.
09-10-08 First appointment with Dennis in 2 weeks. He said I was doing pretty good. I lost a little movement in 2 area, remained the same in 1, and progressed in the 4th area. I told him that my arm felt like someone had punched me. Dennis asked if I was seeping, and I told him no, but it was not my arm that was keeping me awake. It was my hand. I explained it was cramping so bad, that I just couldn’t do anything. He told me to try to flatten my hand and push down. When I got home I tried, but couldn’t get at an angle to push. No nap. I tried, but the phone keeps ringing. Really tired. Went to sleep about 3:00AM and up at 8:00AM.
09-11-08. Hand is cramping so. I’ve got to do something, so I got in bed and put my hand under the pillow and tried pushing down on my fingers with my head. It hurt quite a bit. I kept taking my hand out and then putting it back. Finally I fell asleep. Slept for about an hour, but woke up 4 or 5 times from the hurt. Again, I pulled my hand out and put it back because I could feel it was relieving the cramping. When I got up my hand was cramping anymore. I was so excited. Tried to used the mouse on the computer, and it didn’t hurt. Dennis is my hero. Need to see if I can fix Dak’s XP. Can’t believe he got a virus that fast. I know he needs it for work, but I don’t really feel like it. Played with it for a few minutes and decided it would have to wait until another day. First night in months that I got to sleep all night.
09-12-08 Told Kay that Dennis had made my hand stop hurting, and she asked how, so I told her. She said I wasn’t listening to her, she had told me that my hand needed to move and I needed to wiggle my fingers. I explained I had wiggled my fingers and it wasn’t relieving the pain at all. Then I told her that even my thumb felt better. I got no reaction from her. Don’t understand the numbers Kay is recording on my wrist movements. She measured with her pushing my wrist back and she wrote down something like 22 degrees passive movement, then she has me do it and says it was 32 degrees active, so she writes down 32 degrees active and changes her first number to 32 degrees passive. The she measured the downward movement and said it was 30 degrees. Something is wrong. I can move my wrist down more than I can move it back. Came home and watched the weather channel. Concerned about Hurricane. Another night of sleep. Wonderful!
09-13-08 Watched TV all day. Eye of storm went over our house. Got to see our house twice on TV. Looked fine but hard to tell from helicopter. Wiped out our peir. Feel better just seeing house. Keyed up about storm, so no naps. Afraid I’d miss something. Shoulder is not bothering me, but hand fussy. Only slept a few hours here and there last night. Just couldn’t seem to get hand in a comfortable position.
09-14-08 Still watching storm, and of all people to see on TV Dak’s ex-wife. The only person we didn’t care to know about. No naps. Watched a couple of movies. Shoulder is not bothering me, but hand fussy. Dusted the tables in the family room. Body temperature is driving me crazy.
09-15-08 Yes! I progressed to red rubber band to do my arm exercises. I woke up at 4:00AM and couldn’t go back to sleep. Kay really hurt me in therapy today. I told her but she just kept saying I know, but we have got to do this. Came home with 3 shooting pains going up my arm then the burning started in the palm of my hand, which got very intense. I covered my hand and wrist in ice, but nothing seemed to help. Decided if it got any worse I would have to call Kay because the pain was too intense. Finally got to sleep for about half an hour then woke up from the pain. Continued to keep my hand in ice until a little after 9:00PM. The burning was still pretty bad but the shooting pains had finally stopped. My hand feels like it’s on fire, and hurts like hell. Tried to sleep, but couldn’t. Finally fell asleep about 5:00AM.
09-16-08 Slept most of morning. Got up around 11:00AM. Hand still hurting. Tried to check my emails but my hand would not tolerate the mouse. Only had 2 little shooting pains and the burning in the palm of my hand came and went all day. Used the ice and took a little nap. Talked to my girlfriend on the phone for several hours. Tried the computer again, late in the day. Doesn’t feel good, so I used left hand. Decided to take shower and wash hair, because I knew it would be too much for me on Wednesday on top of therapy. Told Dak I was scared to go to therapy. We talked about it for a while, and he said I just had to explain to her how much she had hurt me.
09-17-08 It’s been 1 year today. Was scared to go to therapy. My hand was still hurting quite a bit and my fingers just didn’t seem to want to move. The burning had settled down but I still had some in the palm of my hand. Appointment with Kay & Dennis. I was waiting for Dennis when Kay went by and asked how I was doing. I told her she had really hurt me. She just laughed and said I’ll be alright. I said no, you really hurt me and activated my RSD again. I’ve been in a lot of pain. Again she laughed and said oh you’ll be OK. I was so angry and frustrated I started crying and got up to go to the restroom. When I came back Dennis was standing in front of the counter talking to Jesse as to what had happened. I was embarrassed for crying but just couldn’t take her attitude. I told Dennis I was OK. He said I shouldn’t have come in for therapy. I explained I did not want to get into trouble with the state. He talked to me for a while trying to get me settled down. Then it was time for Kay’s appointment. I was mad all over again. When I walked in she said she was just experimenting. Did I understand. Then she started asking me what had happened. I told her. She started writing down what I was saying and asking additional questions like which fingers. She tried telling me that she didn’t do anything to cause this. That she didn’t do anything different, which is different then what she said on Monday, and that it had to be caused from when she had me doing the active movement. She seems to have forgotten how hard she was pushing and me complaining. She didn’t write down the one area I was complaining about, so I made her feel the rope in my arm. She made a face and shook her head when she said she wasn’t even messing with that area. It doesn’t make sense. I told her that my hand had swelled and even showed her exactly where it had swelled. She messaged the top part of my hand and didn’t touch my fingers and then let me go.
09-18-08 Hand still bothering me. Don’t feel like doing anything. Dak left his phone at home, so meet him for lunch and to give him his phone. Driving home my little finger stated going numb then my whole hand started going numb. Why? Maybe it’s the wrist support causing this. After dinner my hand started going numb again. Took wrist support off and moved fingers. Still don’t know cause. Burning in my hand came and went all day, but the intensity has subsided. Body temperature is being erratic.
09-19-08 Feeling better today. Fingers are stiff, so I’m trying to wiggle them. They’re real sore. The swelling has gone back down. The burning in my hand was gone until the evening. I had been trying to make a fist earlier and I think it activated the burning because it is worse than yesterday, but at least it only lasted about an hour. Hand doesn’t like me holding phone. Took a 2 hour nap. I was out to the world. Didn’t get anything accomplished. Put finger braces back on in the evening. Went to sleep around midnight. Woke up 3 times and then up for good about 8:00AM. Once was from getting too hot.
09-20-08 My hand is about the same as yesterday. Backed up Dak’s computer. Numbness is bothering me. It’s worse than a week ago. It wants to go completely numb. Seems to start around little finger and top of hand. Having trouble feeling the keys. Had some sharp pains in thumb and one shooting pain. Dropped about half on my dinner back on the plate. My concentration weak.
09-21-08 Finished loading stuff except pictures, on Dak’s computer. Looked at magazines and watched TV. Changed braces to see if that helps relieve the numbness in my hand. Used ice pack on shoulder. Some burning in my hand in the evening. Fingers stiff. Noticed swell under fingers on the inside of hand. No naps. Frustrated, seems everytime I try to use my hand it swells I went to sleep about midnight and woke up twice. The first time I was about for about an hour. Woke up again at 7:00AM and stayed up.
09-22-08 Thearpy. Dennis changed my appointments to only once a week. Need to keep strengthening arm in the range that I have. Kay was pretty easy on my hand today. Had to run errands. Seemed like I was gone from home forever. Was very tired. Had a good nights sleep. Only woke up once from body temperature change.
09-24-08 Thearpy with Kay only. I find out that my second opinion is going to be with Dr. Bradley Aylor in Bozeman
09-29-08 Therapy again. Push, push, push. Me, me, me. I could scream
10-01-08 Appointment with Kay. Hand is burning. Kay too busy talking about herself. She could care less about me. I’m just a meal ticket.
10-03-08 Paid bills.
10-04-08 Filled out papers for Dr. Aylor’s office
10-05-08 Filled out papers for Dr. Aylor’s office. Hand is now really hurting.
10-06-08 Therapy. Stopped at bead store trying to get ideas of something to make. Hand was really burning. Went home with numb hand. How am I going to deal with this driving in snow and ice with one hand. Just plain frustrated when I got home. I want to do something, anything. Go fishing. Answer, play on computer. At least I’m trying to learn something. Ended up taking a nap and when I woke up my hand wasn’t hurting as much. Had a good nights sleep.
10-07-08 Filled out papers for Dr. Aylor’s office. Glad that’s finally done. Took nap. Hand was killing me. Writing to little on form. Hope this second opinion thing works out. Did a little beading. Had a good nights sleep.
10-08-08 Appointment with Kay Kramer. She says I should get full use of my 4 fingers back. Well that’s a start. Hand didn’t go numb driving home. This is an encouraging day that was badly needed. Came home and checked emails, then took a nap. Body temperature really fighting me in the evening. Looked at magazines. Woke up several times during the night.
10-09-08 Got letter from state saying they were paying for a hotel room for me in Bozeman
10-10-08 Slept part of day. Really tired. Don’t feel like doing anything. Need to get motivated.
10-11-08 Vacuum floor in family room. Sat on floor and did it with my left hand a little at a time. Had to take a couple of breaks, but it definitely looks better. Took a nap, then watched TV. I was done with the hot flahes and now this. It doesn’t seem fair. I don’t know which is worse. Hand was really bothering me in the evening. Didn’t sleep well.
10-12-08 Another do nothing day. Wish I could take advantage of these days of not working, but I’m so slow at doing anything and so limited as to what I can do. Feels like such a waste. Looked at trying to clean bathroom, but decided it was too much. Got rest of collections done to turn over to the collection agency. Hand is bothering me. Little finger going numb. I think too much playing with papers. Very restless night.
10-13-08 Went to therapy. Hand was burning, so I came home and used ice and took a nap. Hand went numb again. I showed Kay that middle knuckle on index finger just didn’t move. It didn’t hurt it just stopped and wouldn’t bend any more. Tried drive holding my arm straight. Didn’t help much. Stopped and got some beads. After nap I tried to figure something to make, but wasn’t having any luck. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Just watched TV.
10-14-08 Got this bead thing figured out. Made new eyeglass chain, since mine was 10 years old. Very slow to do, using fishing line. Still can’t hold that needle. Feels like I accomplished something, and my hand isn’t hurting too much. Of course, I’m hardly using it, but at least I’m trying to bend wrist. This took me several hours. Played on computer some, but my hand got mad and said no. Oh well.
10-15-08 Took shower and packed to go to Bozeman Bozeman
10-16-08 Appointment with Dr. Aylor. (See separate sheet). Dak drove us home. I was really tired and slept most of the way home. 2nd Opinion
10-17-08 Glad to be home. Dusted family room. Tried to clean glass door, smeared glass, probably looked better before I tried. Played on computer. Kept brace off all day. Hand pretty tired. Pain level went from a 3 at the beginning of day to a 5 by the end. Dak worked late, trying to make up for time off.
10-18-08 Got the blahs! No motivation. It was a do nothing day. Kept braces off all day. Wrist pretty achy, so trying to be very careful. Accidentally bumped a couple of times, hurt like a SOB. Played some on the computer, but used left hand. Woke up several times during the night. Couldn’t get comfortable with hand or body temperature.
10-19-08 First part of day I had brace off, but finally had to put it back on. Couldn’t take it any more. Watched TV all day. Not like me. Am I depressed or getting sick. Seems the hot and cold spells have been worse yesterday and today, so probably sick. Another do nothing day. Arm was hurting so bad I didn’t want to do anything. It was a 6 pain level day.
10-20-08 Saw Kay Kramer. Talked about appointment with Dr. Aylor. She did hand stretch and I was having burning in hand, so used ice packs. Kept brace on most of day. Just don’t have it in me to fight with it today. Hand went to sleep driving home again. Took nap. Ate dinner, watched TV with Dak. Had a good nights sleep.
10-21-08 Just don’t feel good. Talked to Linda for a while on phone. Finished making bracelet for Christmas. Hot and cold all day. They seem to be worse then normal. Talked to Dak about we needed to get flu shots. Transferred photo files for Dak to a CD. Went to sleep about 11PM up again at 1AM till 6AM then slept 1 hour before getting ready to go to therapy.
10-22-08 Went to therapy, both hand & shoulder. Kay stated that our goal was to get to 40/40 with my wrist. Made comment about Dr. Aylor says I’d get 180 degrees, she stuttered. First time to have chills in Kay’s office. Peter Ropp called. We talked about Dr. Aylor’s appointment, and my options on going back to work. Hand doesn’t want to cooperate with me. Think I’m too tired. Another day with the brace on most of the day. Ate dinner with my hand sleeping the whole time. Went to sleep at 8PM, so woke up and stayed up at 4AM.
10-29-08 My ring finger doesn’t want to straighten out today. It really hurts. I had stinging in all of my fingers and of course the burning. Had therapy. She seems to be pushing so hard and causing a lot of pain on top of the pain.
11-03-08 Therapy
11-10-08 Therapy. Don’t feel good. She keeps wanting to mess with my wrist. I’ve got a lot of numbness and tingling in my hand, I’m tired of everything being blamed on the RSD. There is something wrong with my hand.
11-12-08 Therapy. Didn’t get much sleep last night. My hand hurts everywhere, and get get in a confortable position with shoulder. Kay says she’s being gentle. Ha! I feel like my hand is going to break in half.
11-17-08 Therapy. Hand really stings and then goes partially numb. Hand/wrist pain keeping me up at nights. Saw Shoulder therapist.
11-19-08 Therapy. This is so boring. I’m not getting any better. The more she pushes the more I hurt the more swelling I get.
11-24-08 Therapy. I’m getting the sales pitch again to go back to work at the furniture store. I basically just tried to ignore her. My ring finger doesn’t seem to want to straighten out.
11-26-08 Therapy. She tries to grip me hand so hard to push on my fingers.
12-02-08 Therapy for both shoulder & hand. Told the should therapist that my shoulder gets fatigued as the day goes on.
12-05-08 Therapy. My hand hurts I can’t seem to get anything accomplished. I kept having to stop and try to stretch my hand because it wants to curl up anytime I try to do something.
12-08-08 Therapy. Kay continues to push my fingers while trying to hold my wrist below my thumb. Too much pain from different directions. EMG. Says no problems other than again he got on me stating I had lotion or something on my arm that was causing his machine not to read correctly. He just used electrodes and not the needles that Dr. Puckett said he was going to do. Saw Shoulder therapist. Shoulder really sore.
12-10-08 Therapy. She’s pushing so hard on my thumb and wrist.
12-17-08 My hand, thumb and wrist really hurt. Therapy.
12-22-08 Hand very touchy. I’m tired of this whole thing. I’m not improving and it seems stupid to drive for 2 hours for a 30 minute appointment that isn’t helping. I’m not sleeping very well. Saw Should therapist and now don’t go back to see him for 4 weeks. I must keep working on exercises but my shoulder just get’s so tired.
12-24-08 Therapy. Showed Kay I could move my wrist a little better when I held it real tight. The measurement today were taken with me holding my right wrist.
12-30-08 I went to a scrapbooking meeting. It was fun, thou I couldn’t do much. At least I was around people.
Januray 2009 Went back to work where I had been injured. I was treated with total disrespect. Found a part time job where I can work from home. Anything would be an improvement.
01-02-09 Therapy Thumb is driving me crazy. It’s so touchy. Hand wants to curl up. Something continues to pull in the center of my hand.
01-05-09 Therapy. Hand and arm swollen. RSD will not settle down. I think it’s do to therapy.
01-09-09 Therapy. Kay trying to tell me she thinks I can lift 10 lbs. Who are you kidding! Her Dad owned a furniture store and she knows exactly what the job entails and that there is no reason I can’t work. I guess she’s just wants me to get fired and have it on my record because I can’t do what is expected of me.
01-12-09 Therapy. A lot of burning in my hand.
01-16-09 Therapy. What a waste of time and money. She doesn’t listen to anything I say. All she wants to talk about is herself.
01-19-09 Therapy
01-21-09 Angry about having to go to work. I don’t understand why no one will listen that I’m in pain. There is something wrong with my hand. It’s not all in my head. I can’t lift 10 lbs. I can’t pick up my purse and I know it doesn’t weigh 5 lbs. I can hardly hold a pen and I can’t push with my hand at all. I’m to answer the phone and take messages. I can’t even hold the phone for more than about a minute. This is crazy. My days off from work are on therapy day. Must take training for 3rd time thou Theresa said I wasn’t taking training. I’m being paid at the old hourly rate, not what the other people are being paid.
01-22-09 (Needed help with sleeper sofa, couldn’t pull out. All salesman busy. I removed large cushions and moved sofa back so it could be opened. Had to wait a while for Josh from warehouse to help me. He unlocked sleeper, and then left. I still had problems, had to ask customer for help. Therapy. Hand wasn’t hurting too much until after Henderson
01-23-09 (Julia said if I needed help doing something for customer, I needed to go to Kay. Helped Kat with inventory. Wrist is really starting to hurt. Getting squiggles on top of hand, and a couple of shooting pain. 2 breaks)
01-24-09 (Black book hurting my hand & shoulder, so Kay gave me red book to use instead. Customer wanted to take green sofa with, so had to ask C.J. if he would help customer load on truck. Couldn’t pickup vendor book, ask for help. Kay told a couple of salesman they needed to help me. C.J. says if I can’t do the job then why am I there. Put customer on hold so I could get pen and put on speaker phone, 2nd line rang and Julie took phone. Kay moved another phone so I could help customer. Only had two breaks, and one was to go to restroom. Didn’t eat all day. Took 25 minutes extra to drive home because of roads. Almost couldn’t make it up steps. Too tired to function. Couldn’t eat, was getting sick. Wrist really hurting. Don’t touch hand.)
01-25-09 (Couldn’t take back off of recliner, so had to ask Ken for help. Needed to turn recliner over, which I did, then asked customer to help me turn it back. No breaks. Slept 14 hours, Dak had to wake me up to get ready. Waking up about every 1 ½ hours all week, but able to go back to sleep. Waited 30 minutes in car for someone to unlock store. They showed up 2 minutes before store opened, with a bunch of customers waiting to come in. Getting zappers again from wrist, squiggles on top of hand.)
01-26-09 (Thearpy. My hand was hurting so badly, I was on the verge of crying, finally settled down. Getting close to a 9. Kay was running late so I was about 25 minutes late to work. Hand and shoulder hurting. Getting zappers again from wrist, now starting to creep up top of arm. Squiggles on top of hand. 2 breaks) I can’t believe they are making me work 12 days in a row. I’m so tired.
01-27-09 Off vendor training. (Hand starting to get worse, more frequent pain and intensifying. Getting lots of zappers, but there not very painful, more like a bunch of cockroaches crawling up arm. Pain range 3 to 6. Woke up dreaming about someone at the store not helping me and I had an accident in front of a bunch of people. Got up and went to restroom.)
01-28-09 Off. Therapy & Dr.’s appointment. vendor training. Got to training when it was almost over. Very tired. No time for myself.
02-02-09 So tired. Went to work, but so tired I could hardly walk. Went back out to car to sleep for about an hour, then drove home. Peter called when I was driving home. Slept for most of day.
02-03-09 Off. Apt with Dennis. Losing shoulder movement. Very tired.
02-04-09 Off. I just hurt all the time. I need some relief.
02-06-09 Went to see Amy (Thearpy), and then to work. Kay sent me home. I got to spend a little less than an hour with Shiner before he had to be put to sleep. Tore my heart out. Spent most of day crying.
02-08-09 Told by Candi, “we won’t help you.”
02-09-09 Lots of burning in my hand. Must go to therapy and work. I’m so tired.
02-10-09 Off
02-11-09 Off
02-12-09 Customer returned bookshelf. Lost split with Julie
02-13-09 Ken invites the salespeople and Kat to his wedding, excluding Carolina
02-14-09 Kay came into work today for about 2 hours. Carolina Carolina Carolina
02-15-09 Swelling in arm is really bothering me. I was told by Candi to go home, if I didn’t a positive attitude. It’s hard to keep a smile on your face, when you’re hurting. Carolina
02-16-09 Left hand is starting to shake. I’m having trouble even trying to move it. My thumb really hurts. Thearpy
02-17-09 Off
02-18-09 Off
02-20-09 Apt with Amy. Showed her how bad left hand shaking. Asked how I was to work with both hands shaking. Takes 2 hands to hold a pen. No answer. Julie is so annoying. Answered phone and customer needed someone to go find part numbers for item to add to an existing order of Corey’s. I asked the girls (Julie and Candi) for help. They were talking about how they wanted to arrange pictures, they asked what I needed, then told me to page Kat to do it. (Felt bad because I knew Kat was slammed). Kat then walks up to Julie & Candi saying she needed help with the phone call. Julie quickly says oh I’ll help you. (Why couldn’t she just help me in the first place.) Kay calls and Julie’s telling her how she helped Kat. Kay calls again and talks to Julie, and by the part of the conversation I do hear, it sounded like maybe Kay wasn’t coming in on Sat. Carolina Carolina Carolina wanted to know if I had any friends in Missoula
02-21-09 Bad night’s sleep. Arm really hurts to move. Called Kay. Asked did you hear what happened yesterday-Yea. Didn’t get much sleep. Arm really hurts and I’m tired, so I’m not goingto work today.- OK. End of conversation. How strange. What is going on? Wonder what Julie has done now. Spent most of day in lazyboy chair with ice on arm. Did a lot of cat nappen.
02-22-09 Dak drove me to & from work. At work almost 25 minutes when Candi asked how my arm was. Candi asked why I was holding paper funny. I was holding with 2 hands, so I let go of paper with right hand, and then she saw how bad my left hand was shaking. She goes oh. Right arm hurting big time. Spent most of day carrying arm with left hand. Came out of mattress area when customer was turning right to go into area. We both stepped back, and the customer said hi ,which I replied to. Candi quickly approached me with anger, saying that was her customer. How ridiculous that I can’t say hi back to a customer. Carolina
02-23-09 Left hand shaking so bad, loss control of car. Really scared me. Went first to see Peter before going to Therapy with Kay. Asked for help. Kay worked on getting knots out of arm. Hands still shaking pretty bad. A little late to work. Kat asked me to fill out Montana State Funds report for accident. Very slow day, helped hands to settle down. Still a lot of pain in arm. Ken tells me in the evening that Julie was trying to get me fired, and that he was trying to keep out of it. I told him I was sorry but weather he liked it or not, he was involved, because he was there when I got hurt. Kay Greeley called me when I got home.
02-24-09 Went to see Dennis. Can’t raise arm up in front of me, otherwise almost the same as last visit. Returned Peter’s phone call. He said he had talked to Andrea and I couldn’t get Doctor’s appointment any sooner. Andrea was to call. Talked to Barry. Right arm so tired, I don’t want to do anything,
02-26-09 Had appointment with doctor and met Rehabilitation Counselor at doctor’s office. Doctor did not look at my shoulder, hand or arm, but said I was having too many problems. He was a surgeon and could not do anything to help me. He was mad that I insisted on the appointment, so he transferred my care to a GP and said he anticipated MMI within 3 months. No change to work restrictions.
02-27-09 Therapy with Amy. Lots of arm swelling. I’m avoiding Kay.
03-02-09 I wrote a resignation letter to my employer. I was in a lot of pain and could not move my arm forward at all. I was dead tired from lack of sleep and could not go on at this pace.
March 2009 The swelling started going down in my arm and I was again able to raise my arm up about 45 degrees. The shaking in my hands have started settling down.
03-9-09 Therapy with Amy. I was told they did think I could go 3 weeks without therapy. I now needed to prove that therapy was prolonging the RSD.
03-13-09 Late to therapy with Amy. I couldn’t get the gas cap off the car to put gas in.
03-23-09 Started new job, but it only lasted 2 weeks. I had to work extended hours to compensate for my slowness and the employer wanted me to do all the paperwork (a couple of hours per day) on my own time. Arm was hurting and starting to swell again. At times my hand was barely controllable.
04-02-09 Therapy. Told Amy that I had gotten some of my shoulder movement back, and that I felt the RSD was settling down since I hadn’t had therapy in 3 weeks.
04-05-09 Filed for unemployment, but was denied because they didn’t think I was able to work. Yet Montana State Funds wouldn’t pay me either because Dr. Puckett said I could work and would not even look at my shoulder when I got hurt, Now I have no doctor temporarily, no income and a shoulder that doesn’t want to work and I’m in pain. I don’t even know if workman’s compensation will pay for my shoulder.
04-28-09 I had MMI evaluation. Another waste of time. As soon as a doctor hears RSD, no one wants to help you and they don’t hear anything else you say.
06-10-09 Appointment with Dr. Kemple. He is now my primary after 14 weeks of not having a doctor. We talked and I basically pleaded for his help. Finally, for the first time someone is listening to me and I feel he is really trying to help.
07-02-09 Starting to see new therapist. Measurements were taken.
08-13-09 Got computer equipment to help me so I can work at home.
08-18-09 EMG (Nerve test) & MRI arm. What’s the deal. He’s (EMG) again accusing me of having something on my arm (lotion) that is causing his machine not to read properly.
08-19-09 MRI hand
08-25-09 Attorney says his pockets aren’t deep enough to go after landlord and their insurance company for negligence in causing me to fall. It only took him 17 months to figure that out. Make sense since he didn’t talk to the people at my job where I was injured for a year. Someone else just looking for the easy money. Upon getting his files I can see why he didn’t know what was going on. I had other people’s paper’s in my file. Apparently my file had been sitting, not updated or organized for many months.
09-30-09 EMG by different doctor. Now test says lesions in brachial plexus. Now things are starting to make sense after 2 years.
