Putting It All Together- part 2

This post will not be nearly as long as the last one, even though it covers more days, most of them are the same, painful days. When I got home I thought it would be so wonderful to be in my own bed. Only it really hurt to get myself on the bed, and situated some what comfortably. I mostly had to have someone help me, and go really slow. I spent my days either siting in a recliner or in bed. Moving between the two with the walker. On, Sunday a home health nurse came to see me, she didn't do much. On Thursday I saw my neurologist for more pain meds. The painful back spasms that started in the hospital have not stopped yet. They are not all consuming, but they caught me off guard since I never knew when one would start, or how long it would last. The days were long and boring. I'm glad we had Baby to keep me company. I couldn't cook dinner on my own, I could sit at the table with a pillow behind me and do the prep stuff, but usually Joseph did the cooking, or taking in and out of the oven part. My neurologist suggested the Laser Spine Institute to me. I had to have blood work done for approval for them to see me. Because of that blood work it was discovered that I am diabetic. At first the doctor wanted to try just changing my diet to see if the blood sugar numbers would go down. Met with the doctors at Laser Spine Institute and they decide I'm not a candidate for their type of surgery. Basically the only thing that can help control my pain is pain meds. The rest of the school year flies by, before it ends, I have my blood work re-checked. My blood sugar numbers are worse then they were 3 months ago. Time to start medication for diabetes. My cholesterol number is really high now too. Added medication for that too. Sarah had her 8th grade promotion and Joseph graduated high school, but have gotten workman's compensation to pay any of my medical bills yet? No. I have not had any income since January, Pat is working 6 days a week, to make up for this drastic change in our income, or mine lack of. In June I had my hernia repaired which has been an ordeal all in it self. Finally in July I start receiving social security again. For myself and the girls, now that Joseph is 18 I don't get anything for him. In August I figure out that workman's comp has denied my claim. I never got the denial letter in March! I have to file an appeal. Which drags everything even longer. Hearing was set for November, deposition in October. I met with a para legal who helped me by getting a hold of the worker comp rep who told her my case was compressible. I also get a letter from my neurologist who confirms that my back was not broken on Oct. 2010 when I last had an MRI, and clearly the fall in January caused the fracture. The deposition was horrible the lawyer wanted to know my whole life medical history. Near the end I started to cry. I just want the stupid medical bills paid. About a week goes by and he calls with a deal that workers comp will pay my bills and anything I have paid out of pocket. The hearing is canceled, thank goodness I so did not want to have to go to court. At the same time this is all happening Social Security decides that they would like the money they paid me while I was working and earning more than $1000 a month. Amazingly, someone who used to work for Social Security had just visited my bible study group and I was talking to someone else about the whole thing and she overheard, she suggested that I offer to pay a little each month, they usually agree to that and I won't have to get a line of credit or loan to pay them back. Pat went with me when we met my case worker. I offered to pay $50 a month and she agreed that would be fair, she had a copy of all our monthly bills so she knew how little money we have. Thank goodness that was over and settled fast. Thank God that woman came to bible study and got involved in the conversation. Back to workman's comp. The lawyer does write out a settlement in the middle of November. Which I have to agree with and have notarized. Then it went to the judge, and the judge approved it, and I get another letter from the lawyer agreeing with the judge I approve the settlement, and once again have to have notarized. Now it's December 18th and I am still getting bill collectors calls. Worker's comp should be paying off all those bills soon. And the around $500 Pat paid out on some of the bills will be reimbursed to us, by those places we paid. I can't believe it's been almost a year. The cold weather seems to affect the pain in my back. It hurts more now that it was. I also have to not do too much in the same day or I'm in loads of pain. Walking long distances and standing for a long time really hurt too. Pat is still working 6 days a week. We are still paying catch up on a lot of bills. I also had to apply for long term disability from the state, and they just started paying me $50. Which isn't a lot, but that is exactly the $50 we cut my social security. Thank you God for that blessing too!