i need some support with an injury

ktwlpn, LPN · Oct 28, 2007

So i work in a CVICU, i injured my back moving a patient in early august and have been out of work since. i am doing a light duty job part time in the evenings and i miss patient care and the challenge of ICU so much but that's not the issue.
i am still having numbness in my hand and restriction of range of motion in my neck. i am in PT 2x week and it is better immediately after my PT, but always back to the same the day after. i had an EMG today and the neurologist told me that it looks like a pinched nerve in my neck and that i will probably have an MRI. i see my occupational health MD on tues. and we discussed the possibility of cortisone injections already.
i am just scared. i want to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation. i miss my life! i just want things to be back to normal already!

have you tried a chiropractor? I was never a believer until a few months ago-both myself and my husband have had great results.

cardsRN · Oct 28, 2007

thank you for replying. i have been to a chiropractor before and i swear he fixed things i didn't even know were broken! i just think i feel so lost. i miss my "real" life where i used to take care of patients, i wish i knew when i would be back there again...

dekatn · Oct 28, 2007

I couldn't funtion without my chiroprator!!

FlyingScot, RN · Oct 28, 2007

In July of 2001 I was washing my hair and had a sudden onset of excruciating neck pain. I thought it was a simple case of Torticollis but by October it had not improved. I had severe, burning pain from my left shoulder blade to my fingers, numbness in both arms, severe headaches and finally was beginning to fall alot! I went to see my ortho who thought I was holding my head in an odd manner and got some neck films which showed an almost complete reversal of my lordotic curve. I was sent for an emergent MRI and was found to have herniated C3-4,C4-5,C5-6 and C6-7. In addition C5-6 had ruptured and was compressing my spinal cord to 2mm (reason I was beginning to lose my ability to walk among other things) and causing mild hydrocephalus (headaches). I was sent for an immediate decompression discectomy and fusion with titanium plates. It was discovered intraoperatively that I had actually suffered a Clay Shoveler's fracture of C5 and tearing of the posterior spinal ligament along with all the herniations. I was off work for 8 weeks and on light duty (triage...ugh) for another 8 but then was able to return to full duty. I have since quit my ER position to go back to flight nursing. I am pretty much at full capacity with a slight left-sided deficit (I'm right-handed so not too much of a big deal). I have chronic mild pain in my left neck, scapula and upper arm with occasional flare-ups of moderate to severe pain that occur about twice a year or if I am extremely fatigued. My neurosurgeon is hinting at the need to repair the other herniations but I have so far refused as I am in no way incapacitated. All this to say that I had a potentially career ending injury (sounds like a football player hee, hee) yet I am still able to do a physically challenging nursing job and with the proper care I believe you will be able to as well. You need to see what the MRI shows first before you will have a better idea of what you will be facing but I'm from the camp that says anything is surmountable if you put your mind to it. Good Luck!

ebear, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2007

FlyingScott!!

Good Grief!!! Do you know how you did all that damage????

ebear

sissiesmama, ASN, RN · Oct 28, 2007

Hey - I am sorry to read about your injury. Back in 98, I had an injury at C5-C6 after a fall. I was injured at work but not while nursing. I had taken a second job for some part time Christmas money doing PR for the owners of our local chain of the McDonalds. I did a few commercials and a lot of bday party stuff, to be doing something totally different from working at the charity hospital where I worked full time on a medical unit. One Sat. am, the owners asked me to help ''with some new promos'', which I now know it means in nonMcDonalds language climb up on the roof and hang a big a__ banner over the big red McDonalds sign. The maint. man and I got up there and at first it was ok. Then it started to drizzle and, well, lets just say I am not very coordinated. I slipped and fell about 16 feet right into the flower beds. I guess I was lucky that I wasn't close to the drive thru lane.

So, there I splat in the mud and flowers while our customers were eating their breakfast. I was lucky and when I got to the ER, nothing showed up. But a little while later, I started having h/as, left arm tingling and numbness, and neck and back pain. My ortho MD referred me to pain mgmt before I could talk him into the MRI. The pain mgmt finally referred me to a neurosurgeon and did the MRI and CT myelogram. I did the PT stuff 3x week and that did help some.

The pain mgmt doc did some of the spinal steroid injections but I think that finally some of the PT and heat packs they did helped too. For a good while, I couldn't hold a dish or anything with my left hand or I would drop it. All the pain mgmt guy wanted to do was rxs for pain and muscle relaxers, but I was terrified I wouldn't get any better. I was finally released to go back to work after 5 months, and it seemed like forever.

PM me or email if I can help in any way, or if you just need to vent. Good luck, hope you feel better soon.

Anne, RNC

cardsRN · Oct 28, 2007

flying scot-

i am sorry for all you have been through. i need to hear about returning to pt care! i know all will be right in time, the uncertainty just sucks. it is good to hear survivor stories of those of us injured on the job. you should hear your MD out if he thinks additional surgery would benefit you. just saying...

cardsRN · Oct 28, 2007

busy RN and mom-

thank you so much for your supportive post.

it's weird how at first you think everything is fine. the morning after my shift i was in the ER like, fine- just give me a valium and i'll sleep it off, see you all tonight. maybe not. maybe i wouldn't work another shift for 3 months... ugh. i know that i'll get over it eventually with the right treatment, it just sucks now.

sissiesmama, ASN, RN · Oct 28, 2007

Hey, thanks, and you are right about not hurting much at first. They sent me home with crutches and within a week they had me in a sling on the left arm. I worked two shifts before I got to the point where I "just couldn't". I'll keep you in my prayers, and feel free to PM or email, whether you need to vent about a bad day, or good news aboout whats going on. Anne

woody62, RN · Oct 28, 2007

As a result of a car accident, I suffered a C4-5, 5-6, 6-7 herniation, two infringing on my spinal cord. I had to have a three level cervical laminectomy, with plates and bone grafts. I still have spasms but not to the extent I once did. I had six months of P.T. post op, which helped to restore strength to my affected arm. I never underwent the injections. My neurologist did not think I would get any benefit from them.

Woody:balloons:

nurseinlimbo · Oct 28, 2007

I am currently recovering from a fractured femur that occured off the job June 21st, giving me 4 months off work (even though they wanted me to come in in a wheelchair). I have returned to my casual (prn) position of 12 hr days/nights, starting with short shifts of 5-6 hrs. The duties here are not too heavy, very little lifting, but I am on my feet alot and definitely feel it by the end of a shift. My doctor has me working 1 on 2 off. Even though my injury is not at all like yours, I can relate to your struggles and challenges. Its hard to believe it will get better with time, but take care of yourself and don't let your managers talk you into doing more than you think you can handle.