Hmmm.. Workcover SUCKS

So it seems that in the state of Qld as a patient you have to learn how to 'work' the system to be treated as you deserve to be.

After The Man had a car accident in July last year we have played by what we thought were the 'rules'. Like this one.

If it's not major go see your GP. We didn't think it was major. Minor nose to tail accident. Feeling a bit stiff and sore the day of the accident. The next day (the day we went to the GP) he was in intense pain so we trudged along to the GP and his treatment started at this point.

We think this is important. We don't want to contribute to clogging up the hospital system so we decided to visit the GP the day after his accident. As the accident happened on the way to work  this became a 'Workcover' situation. Because DH has a pre-existing condition 'Workcover' had to cover their but and make sure it had nothing to do with his TM. Fair Enough we thought and it didn't and doesn't.

So he was on 'Workcover'... BUT because he hasn't healed as quickly as was expected??? Lets not take into account we are all different and heal at our own pace.. and if someone ISN'T then maybe HELP find out why? 'Workcover' has dumped him..  because he?? doesn't fit into that neat little box they want him to. 

So today we were chatting to a 'medical professional' who informed that we should have gone through the hospital system and then he would be treated more punctually, he would be seeing the people that can make a difference...

So we're torn. It's not how we live.. we don't want to 'play' games BUT seems we have to so he can get some proper medical attention. What is the world coming to? 

We aren't trying to rort the system.. I need to make that clear. He is not pretending to be injured. He has sustained a debilitating injury to his back. 

My husband has gone from pre-accident having a conditon that limited him in minor ways really. He got tired easily, he had cramping and spasms most of the time but had been, with medical assistance, learning how to get past the pain. He was working a full-time job, could drive a car, was paying taxes, was an active Scout Leader with 20 Scouts in his Troop who were achieving life and Scouting goals with his support.....and the list goes on...NOW He can stand for short periods of time, he can sit for short periods of time, he has limited sleep as he cannot get comfortable, he cannot be a passenger in a car without intense pain so we limit his outings to Dr's and Centrelink. That's it. His world has shrunk to the small things that most of us take for granted. He has progressed to being able to do the dishes.. but 'WORKCOVER QLD' in their wisdom deem he is fit and well enough to go back to work. YEAH.. NO!!!

So our options seem to present at the hospital whenever his pain is not in control.. I'm concerned that he may be hospitalised (which could be good) BUT brings back many memories :((

Venting ... sorry

Busy morning. The Man has applied for Disability Support. Did we ever expect to be going down this path.. no way.

Amazing to think that one little needle in 2007 has had such an effect on our lives. 

It's about time Australia got it's act together (in so many ways) and provided immediate no-fault  compensation to those who have adverse effects from immunisation.  More info here in the Medical Journal of Australia. The MJA. They put forward a case for providing for those people instead of them having to go through an adversarial court case when they are already dealing with life changing circumstances. 

This sounds fair.. don't you think??

No-fault compensation, based on the ethical principle of redistributive justice, should form a cornerstone of Australia’s immunisation strategy

This might also allow the 'treatment' of the patient to be more co-hesive. The Man in his clinical notes some ignorant Dr had the nerve to actually write that this condition which we now know is Transverse Myelitis, was 'ALL IN HIS HEAD'. 

He was bundled off to see a Dr who specialised in Geriontology. Hmmmm at 41 years of age they sent him to see a Dr looking at the effects of aging. She took one look at him and told him he needed to see a Neurologist. That it was NOT in his head as his notes stated. 

Maybe with a no-fault system he would not have been treated like a 'law suit waiting to happen'. Just maybe he might have had the medical tests and treatment that could have arrived at the diagnosis in a more timely manner. Rather than waiting from the injection in Feb 2007 to Diagnosis of TM in June 2011 while investigation after investigation occurred. Maybe his symptoms might have been treated more aggressively with the appropriate medication instead of 'paracetamol' for neuraligea 

I know that he has a rare condition... but surely there is a checklist that Dr's go by... when a patient starts to present with (and I have only picked the symptoms he had.. not all the TM symptoms. Remembering also that at this point he WAS A PATIENT IN THE HOSPITAL. A major teaching hospital at that... and we are grateful (seriously) that he was still in the hospital after a nurse when flushing a canula the Dr's wanted remove created 30cm clot in his forearm.  He didn't arrive with a full set of symptoms.. they were watching as it happened as it happened. They had front row seats.. 

sudden paresthesias  - (abnormal sensations such as burning, tickling, pricking, or tingling) in the legs, sensory loss,

paraparesis (partial paralysis of the legs). 

Paraplegia (paralysis of the legs and lower part of the trunk). 

Urinary bladder and bowel dysfunction. 

Muscle spasms, a general feeling of discomfort, 

headache

fever 

Oh and respiratory problems as well.

Add to that voice - vocal cords weren't working

Ear cramp... in the ear.

Are there THAT many conditions with the same symptoms? Really? AND AND AND... I've just put in the symptoms in an online diagnosis ... which I don't think is the right thing to do at all if you are experiencing any of these symptoms NOW.. I was just checking to see if it could come up with a diagnosis and YES.. acute Tranverse Myeltis is on the list. 

So in my frustration... I managed with the same information and symptoms SPECIALISTS were seeing and hearing my husband complain of AS IT HAPPENED to get a diagnosis from a computer program.. 

Ok VENT over for today. I know he received the very best of care at the time. BUT how bloody frustrating it is to be in his shoes - our shoes. He might have received the injection but as a family WE are all victims/survivors of the adverse reaction he had.