Elevator Friday - Primate, Saskatchewan

Thank you to Dale Redekopp.

If you die in a horrific accident you get to avoid all the subsequent paperwork

The insurance company that is paying me disability payments wants proof that I am still damaged goods. That was part of the reason to visit my surgeon on April 9. The next day on the tenth I received a package with a bunch of forms from them asking for even more information. That irritated me because I could have had those filled out when I met my surgeon and that they never told me they wanted all this additional stuff. He is fairly accommodating when it comes to paperwork.

Before the accident I rarely if ever went to the doctor. I do not have a family physician and these days it can be damn hard to get one. I lucked out when I phoned around and I found a walk-in clinic that will give me the once over and fill out my forms, for a fee of course. The fee is worth it to get this done.

I have to forward some forms to my disability insurer and the remainder to the government. My disability insurer wants me to apply for the government disability program. They want to get me partially or completely off the books I guess. I did some research and apparently this is routine. According to the government’s own forms it can take up to four months to rule on an application. I have to order another medical report to submit with one of these reports. After reading through the forms several times and filling out over twenty pages in my questionable handwriting I think I have this figured out. I know I am nowhere close to going back to work, unfortunately I have to gather a bunch of documents to prove it.

That was not fun

I am not sure if physiotherapy is helping me or hurting me lately.

About a week ago I hurt myself. My body told me it had enough. For close to the last week I have had pain practically all over. I have tried to get some exercise in but I get a little bit done and I have to quit due to the pain. I have had to take painkillers to make it through the week.

I made a friend in the hospital and we kept in touch. He got a leg amputated due to diabetes and is staring retirement in the face and is wondering what to do with his life. When in the hospital I suggested he get a motorcycle and he got hooked on the idea of getting a Can Am Spyder. Stable and easy to ride if you have one leg. He wanted to go to the motorcycle show as he is hooked on the idea so I went with him on April 12. I used my walker due to all the walking I would have to do. All the walking I did that day I must have ended up being over a mile. The entrance was on one side and of course the show was on the opposite end. Handicapped parking was a bit of a walk as well. My body started experiencing pain that evening. I did prove to myself I can get on a Can Am Ryker with ease.

I went to two physiotherapy appointments this past week even though I was in pain. That may or may not have been a good move. I have been known to be stupidly stubborn. I did too much and the pain was damn unpleasant.

Whatever happened it is subsiding and hopefully I can get back to trying to get better. 

Elevator Friday - near Skiff, Alberta

Thank you Dale Redekopp.

Bought two of these last Monday

I have been thinking I should be able to try using these.

I thought if I can do crutches I should be able to use these. Today I gave it a shot. Using both I managed to ungainly walk about two hundred feet. It is scary and I was sweating from the effort. I have yet to fall.

No guts no glory.

Time for an update

A few weeks ago my long term disability insurer wanted medical update on me. I got an email asking me to set up an appointment for a phone call and I had a missed call. I phoned back and got her voicemail saying she would be on vacation for a week and back on March 31. I said phone me any time and left it at that. I do not hear from them in months and then I am the last call of the day before heading out the door for time off. They can chase me.

When I finally did a call I got asked for a medical update. I asked with who and what kind. I also got asked about a possible return to work. As boring as it is being home and walking the halls I am nowhere close to being able to return. Turns out they wanted me to see my original surgeon. I phoned his office fully expecting it to take weeks before getting an appointment. I got one five days later on April 9.

My last operation on my legs was February 26, 2024. I have had follow up appointments on May 15, 2024, June 26, 2024, July 30, 2024, September 11, 2024, and December 4, 2024. I am getting full value from the Canadian health system. I was at one of the many buildings at the University of Alberta Hospital area. Arrive, go to the second floor, check in, down to the basement for multiple x-rays on both legs, back to the second floor to meet the doctor to review, then home.

They are efficient. Any time I have been there I have arrived about thirty minutes early and the process gets started with minimal waiting. I took a cab there and used a walker. I use crutches now but for the longer distances I needed the walker. Prior appointments I needed help getting on the x-ray table. I can do it with no problem now. I can even twist myself into the various positions so the can get different x-rays of the doctor’s work. With all the walking and movement I was not used to doing I was in pain and had to take some painkillers when I got home. 

The verdict is I am looking at about a two year recovery from the date of the accident. Possibly longer. He is confident that I will eventually be able to walk independently. There is less bone in my left femur but it is well supported by the metal. My left leg is a bit weaker than the right. This should get better in time. The doctor was even good enough to fill out my paperwork to claim a disability credit on my tax return.

I am feeling good overall and looking forward to getting better. Progress will be slow but there will be progress. 

Spotted today at my doctor’s office