Pain Clinic

[Zipperhead]

So tomorrow I start assessments at the Pain Clinic. They specialise in dealing with cronic pain through medications, physiotherapy and assessment for surgical options. I have been unemployed since January, and actually gave up the drugs last March. But I am still in some pain every day and I think maybe if I could just feel normal again, maybe the PTSD wouldn't be as bad.

It's only a 3 day assessment, so I don't suppose they are really going to get to far into this. At the end of 3 days I'm suppose to receive a report with recomendations as to how we could most effectively deal with my issues, as well as a report of what types of work my physical limitations would allow me to do. And they intend on doing a psyciatric assessment too. My last psyciatric assessment took 8 hours over 4 differant appointments. Not sure they really understand what they are dealling with here to be honest. The clinic specialises in civilians that have been hurt on the job. However, any treatments that they suggest are suppose to be covered by the DVA so it really is in my best interests to go and give it my all.

So this is step 2 on the road to recovery. I hope someone has a plan out there. we'll find out tomorrow.

 

[Jimmy1]

Hey Zip,

Speaking from experience after having a shoulder reconstruction, bowel surgery, knee surgery and recently back surgery, pain begins to control your life. We learned of the PTSD course that pain adds another level to our depression, makes us even more irritable. Just think of the saying 'Like a bear with a sore head'. When animals are wounded they can be aggressive.

My back is healing well. Its been 5 months. I am still on codeine and MS Contin which is a slow release morphine.
Anyway, the back surgeon said that once the lower two vertebrae are fused the pain will go away. I can wait.

Good luck with the assessment mate, hope it all works

 

[Ned]

Zip, hope it went well. When I knacked my leg, one verdict was I would never walk properly again, let alone run. I was lucky - a) had a really good physio b) was bloody-minded
Yep, give it your all, the results can be surprising.
(oh, yeah, most of my mates said I never walked properly in the first place..........)

 

[Jimmy1]

What, did you drag your knuckles???

 

[Sarg]

Hope you get some relief fast, Zip. I was so fortunate to be relatively pain free until starting about ten years ago. But even then it's only arthritus pain which must be a walk through the park compared to what you guys face. Feel better soon.

Sarg

 

[Zipperhead]

I don't know about that there Sarg. From what I hear arthritus ain't fun either. I don't know if today helped my case much. Doesn"t seem like I got very far. And the Range of Motion assessment has left me in more pain. Tomorrow is Occupational Therapist assessments. we'll see if that goes anywheres. Thanks for the words Guys.

 

[Jimmy1]

Hey Zip, I remember prior to my discharge. The sent me to a Vocational Assessor. They were asking me what job I wished to do. At the time I was having a meltdown, being discharged and didn't know what I wanted to do from one day to another.

The range of movement assessment sucked too, but they are thorough. The specialist said they get all types of people trying to fake back, neck and other injuries. Some get away with it too. Like the blokes that pretend to have psych injuries.

Anyway good luck mate. At least you will be properly assessed in the finish

 

[Zipperhead]

The clinic I was at is called Work Safe New Brunswick. It is a clinic meant for civis who were hurt on the job. They don"t deal with soldiers (I'm the 3rd one that has gone there in 35 years.) Today we were in strength testing. I really didn't realise I was in trouble until the therapist ran out of weights and we had to move to a differant room where the industrial workers do their therapy. We were doing simple lift from floor to waist level tests. They only had 70 pounds worth of weight in the room. Who can't lift 70 pounds? A HESH Round weights 58 pounds. Either their "clientel" are a bunch of malingering bastards or I'm not in as bad of shape as I thought I was. In the end they scored me as Medium to high in capability and said they couldn't really do anything for me there. And as far as pain? Try Advil. Am I really in as good of shape as they say, or are civilians in so bad of shape that wounded soldiers still shine? I'm sore and tired, and I'm going to bed. Civi's are idiots.

 

[Jimmy1]

Mate, Advil I am not allowed to take. Its an anti-inflammatory and it interferes with the healing from my back surgery. As for the weight, once again I think it is conditioning. You were told to lift, you did, and if you did not manage it, you practiced and got stronger until you did. Half the problem with our back and shoulder injuries was that. Lifting things designed for two people.

Sleep well

 

[Zipperhead]

I've calmed down abit. I talked to another DVA Client yesterday about what happened and vented for awhile. Peace is returning, and the reality of what they said is sinking in. In the end, what they said wasn't that my back wasn't eukered, it was that dispite that I still have a fairly high level of function and should be able to do most jobs with little or no further physio or prosthetic aids. It wasn't really what I was looking for, but in reality it's kind of good news. In their opinion allot of my issues are more linked to the PTSD than physical disability, and if I can get through the sessions with the mental health therapist, I should be able to physically do almost any job I want to do.

Of course all I heard was "we aren't going to recommend any pain meds, surgury or stability aids at this time" and I let the squirrels escape. My bad. I still think a fitted orthotic back rest or proper fitted insoles would probably help me, but they aren't the first people to say no to that. I guess the differance this time is they would not have had to pay for it and so there was no advantage to them to deny me the aids. Therefore, I guess I have to admit that maybe they are right. I still think that being in some degree of pain every day sucks and that they should do something, but I guess getting old sucks too, and maybe they are right to say "learn to live with it." So I guess unless it gets worse, for now, at least I can still walk and live a semi normal, although a bit sedentary life. Allot of our comrades can't. So who am I to complain.

 

[Jimmy1]

There used to be a lot of stigma attached to surgery too. I have mates that can hardly get around but are too afraid that surgery will stop them walking. Its amazing what technology has now. Same with me, I should have had back surgery in 09, but I was too skeptical. Now I am considering one of my knee's.

 

[Anglesachse]

I have had 2 Ops, on my back both times have had Discs removed, the first in 2000, after being out 5 years, Downgraded on discharge because of f*cked knees and back. Was told at the time I had left it to long to get compensation. No idea if thats true or not just never chased it up, but then I was pissed with the Military for years after I had left. The second Op was 2006, even 1 year ago I was still having problems and the Docs wanted to put me under the knife again, to have my back straightened and stiffened? I have had severe pain from 1994 to 2010 and taken enough pain killers to down an elephant, and I am like "you can f*ck right off, years of physio and Ops, and you ain`t achieved f*ck all" my doc refused to see me after that untill I had been to a specialist clinic to sort my back out, "yeah, well f*ck you too" I ended up at a "Heilparktiker" at teh end of last year, and they guy has achieved more in 4 sittings using "Alternative-, Traditionalmedicine and Folk Knowledge" than 5 Docs, 2 Ops, 3 rehab centres and an endless supply of Physiotherapists have in 16 years.

I know a lot of people turn there nose up at the "Medicineman" thing, but it worked for me when everything else was just getting stupid and uncontrolable. I have to pay it out of my own pocket, the German Health system will not cover the costs, but then if it works stick with it.