Chronic back injury...losing hope

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I would first like to say "HI!" to everyone I am new here. Approx. 8 months ago I turned away from a rather large male pt and the man ended up tripping over his own feet and used me as 'support' (I am 115 pounds btw) and send me head first into the floor. I seemed to be ok but startled by it. I brushed myself off and continued on my way. Dumbest thing I have ever done. Three weeks later walkling in the local mall and my legs shot out in different directions "POP" is all I heard. My rt leg went completely numb. I was hysterical. I was given 2 MRIs---clean. But my x-ray was totally trashed and my spine and pelvis was twisted in all sorts of directions and was advised to see a chiropractor. I sprained my back. I have since gotten the feeling back in my leg but still have some pain running down it. *sigh* I still can't walk normally and I'm scared---I know it's not the same as a herniated disc or anything more serious but it's been 7 months already and I feel like this is going to be my life forever. Has anyone come back from this? How long does it take? I mean they can't really do much for this injury. I am really frustrated. I haven't even been a nurse for that long. I had only started nursing a month before this happened. BTW, I was totally canned. And you know what? I don't care, it just isn't worth it to me anymore.

Any advice or stories would be appreciated.....

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

A lesson for us all. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS file a report and get seen ASAP by employee health or the ER. Even small injuries can turn into something important.

Why were you canned?

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I know that now.......... I don't know what would have made me thought that I would be okay.

I was canned because I couldn't walk.

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health, Hospice.

I to got hurt on the job..completely torn rotator cuff,(Dx 2 months later) I reported it immediately to the office, (I work in the field) and was sent to the "Hospice Dr" for dx and tx. Very long story short, I had to insist that this injury be turned in to workmans comp, it was a fight, but glad I did. I had to do all the reporting to WC company and get things going myself. I was/am on total disability, it has been almost 9 months. I've had 2 surgeries and 48 pt sessions. The use of my right arm is just returning to a usable phase. The company I worked for, closed it's doors sometime after the first of the year and did not tell me nothing.

When you told your company, how long after did you get fired?...You need to seek legal counsel.

I have been lucky in that, I have had the best treatment available by a top notch Surgeon and top notch PT's. I owe my future to the PT guys. Although, the possibility of returning to bedside nursing is not in my cards, I do have other options.

best of luck to you..

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health, Hospice.
I know that now.......... I don't know what would have made me thought that I would be okay.

I was canned because I couldn't walk.

Seek legal counsel. This was/is wrongful termination. They knew you were hurt on the job..and let you go..correct?

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Seek legal counsel. This was/is wrongful termination. They knew you were hurt on the job..and let you go..correct?

I didn't report it. Anyway I just care about getting better first before seeking legal counsel. I am lucky to have family that is willing to support me for as long as it takes. I'm just so caught up in the injury you know.

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health, Hospice.

WOW..you did not report it. Well, I guess we all learn, I hope you are getting the treatment you need from another source. You will heal in time and prayerfully with no restrictions.

Speedy recovery to you. Do all you need to do in order to get better.

Cheers.

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I agree that you should seek legal counsel (sooner than later) --they may even help you with treatment. I have had whiplash a couple times and have noticed that it takes about a year for me to stop feeling the injury --and that is with therapy. I think it can take awhile to recover from a back injury.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

we had a 500 pound quad whom we were moving into a "big boy bed". there was plenty of help -- 8 or 10 of us as i recall. when the leader said "1 -- 2 -- 3", the person beside me didn't pull. i did. i heard a "pop" and remember saying out loud "i felt that!" but nothing hurt, so i forgot about it and went back to work. the next day i had sciatica pain so bad i could barely drag myself out of bed. dh says "i told you you should have been stretching more." so i dragged myself off to work. the next day, i had constant, unremitting sciatica pain. nothing touched it -- not asa, not motrin, not naprosyn, not the percocets i had left over from my root canal. nothing.

the day after that -- i know, i know. stupid to wait so long! anyway, the day after that, after a sleepless night tossing and turning so much dh went to sleep in the guest room, i got up early, hobbled downstairs and sat down in front of my computer (to do some paperwork for work. we nurses are so dedicated!) i sat down, and my entire right leg (where i had the sciatica pain) went numb. i thought "this can't be good," but finished the paperwork before getting ready and going to the er.

six months later, after two injections into my back and a surgery, i was better enough to go back to work in the icu, where i've been ever since. recovery can be a long, slow process. get yourself seen and get started down that road!

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Specializes in Psych.

Who told you there's not much they can do for this injury? Did you actually go see the chiropractor? This sounds like the type of thing they're best suited to treat.

You may also want to investigate acupuncture.

I am so sorry this happened to you.

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Specializes in med/surg.

Have you tried the Egoscue method. It is a form of stretching exercises that help chronic pain. It was developed by Pete Egoscue. They have therapists that use his method. Just google it . He also has books that show the exercises. Hope this helps:)

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
I didn't report it. Anyway I just care about getting better first before seeking legal counsel. I am lucky to have family that is willing to support me for as long as it takes. I'm just so caught up in the injury you know.

Just a thought... was this incident witnessed??? If you have another Nurse or CNA who saw it happen, then, you just might be able to prove 'Injury at work " and be placed on Workmans comp, which would also help in a wrongful firing case.

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