Sorry for the rude...crass title, BUT the more our family goes through this the angrier I get and this morning I realized that the best way to get this out, and maybe get rid of the anger that is eating me up and is simply not healthy is to write about it.
I am NOT a political person...I am not an activist...I am simply Denise, a mom, wife,dancer,artist,tutu maker...etc. But I am an angry person. I have never found myself to be so angry as the last NINE months. That is right folks...it has been nine months snce the day Scott (my husband) came home and said the mill dr tod him he couldn't go back to work for a little bit, that he needed to rest his injuries.
You've heard it from me before...on that day, we truly thought he would be back to work in a few days/weeks. Nine months later, and the surgeon says...he will never work again. My husband has turned from an active, work all the time, never rest sort of guy...to a little old man. We watch him TRY to stay up and moving all day everyday. Last night he woke me up THREE times moaning and turning trying to get comfortable. He doesn't like to go very far cuz the pain is so bad. He asked the same questions over and over again...but denies that he has (medicine and pain). Work was his everything. As our daughter said once "you know he isn't faking because he has always wanted to be at work more than at home"...sigh.
Now, nine months later, they have finally granted him Worker's Comp. Everyone stop shouting yippee and clapping, because honestly...it is even harder now. Let's give some for instance...
*We are going to get a weekly paycheck again. We are grateful for that.
*That paycheck brings us a PINPRICK above poverty level. We had finally asked for help for heating oil and food a couple of months ago...now we will make about 100.00 too much.
*Of course if I quite my job at Bookstacks where I make approx. 100.00 a week...we could still get help.
*We don't roll that way...we work in this house, wether it be hard manual labor, or stay at home mom. We work, we pay our way and we just finally learned to ask for help...and now...poof.
*Everyone thinks once workers comp kicks in you get a huge settlement of back pay. HUH??? Nope...By the time the lawyer got his 30% off the top (of everything even the money we had to payback to short term disability, BCBS, etc), then Short term disability is paid back, then the one long term check we got gets paid back...we got NOTHING...oh I take that back it was about 500.00...but Long term wants that too.
*So...our lawyer can pay his morgage...but us? NOTHING after 9 months of struggling.
*I never said I didn't like lawyers...I don't lump them all into one category. heck I worked at the DA's office as a Victim/Witness advocate for several years...I even had a crush on a couple of them:)
*Now, Worker's Comp has kicked in getting the medical help he needs will be easier, right? WRONG...last week alone he was denied PAIN MANAGEMENT (the only thing that has been helping) until such time that ANOTHER MRI can be done. AND I went to the pharmacy to get his perscription and they couldn't give it to me as WC hadn't approved it. The same med he had been taking for months.
Someone said I should write a book about this when it is all done...BUT I don't think anyone would believe it!
Now, I watch as my husband walks bent over, takes lots of naps, doesn't sleep well at night and continues EVERYDAY to be on the phone trying to advocate for himself and us.
We have a meeting with our "lawyer" tomorrow. I have alot of questions for him... here's the other thing...everyone says to find another lawyer...BUT in our search we found that they all were basically going to do the same thing...and take the 30% and a fee ontop of that..etc.
Where is the justice in all of this?
remember people...don't tell me it is the SYSTEM. The system is made up of PEOPLE...it is the people, and I can guarantee none of them who are making these laws have ever walked in Scott's shoes.
My comments are shut off on my blog...not because I don't want to hear them, but because I had been getting a whole bunch of SPAM. You can still comment, but it is approved by me, before it is posted.
I will tell you, If you truly support this "system" then you need not comment...I probably won't post it:) LOL
Thanks for listening!
Denise