Dear diary - apparently I crashed

I almost wonder if I'm ever going to get all the way on the top of this. I know, it's only been something like 5 weeks; but damn, it's been something like 5 weeks already. I'll feel good, and then either wipe out or just go splat.

Today I had to get out of church service, as it all but did me in. Kinda nice being one of those new-age mega churches, they had the medical staff there, and I ended up with three people with me. Embarrassing, but kinda necessary. Stayed low and quiet for something like 1/2 hour, and then my wife drove up the front and got me into the car.

Damn, damn, damn!

The human resources people at work are now being hinky. Not my bosses, just the HR bean counters. They want me out on FMLA, which might mean unpaid leave. Thanks guys, appreciate that. Gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling for HR.

And then there's the fun with the insurance company, and all the things they don't cover, while covering them. Yesh! I spent 6 hours Friday doing nothing but aligning this bill to that denied claim, reading regulations and the contract, and writing appeals. Oh sure, it could be a lot worse, but why on earth does it have to be as bad as it is? ARG!

A big church like that certainly records their sermons. It might be better for you to stay home to rest and have them bring the sermon to you.

FT, Corporate America generally has a long term disability insurance plan as a benefit. Costs them practically nothing and they kick in after like 4 weeks off of work. You have anything like that? Just a thought.

Fox, You'll get back on top of this. Patience is your friend here. Keep a diary to see if there are triggers that cause your relapses? Certain lighting,specific sounds,crowds? Reread your first couple of posts here, your making progress, let it happen. Pullin for ya

Dr. Hess wrote: FT, Corporate America generally has a long term disability insurance plan as a benefit. Costs them practically nothing and they kick in after like 4 weeks off of work. You have anything like that? Just a thought.

Yes, I'd be surprised if you don't have this. My company (mid-size; ~300 US employees) requires us to carry both short term and long-term disability insurance. We pay for it, but like the Dr said, it costs practically nothing.

Dr. Hess wrote: FT, Corporate America generally has a long term disability insurance plan as a benefit. Costs them practically nothing and they kick in after like 4 weeks off of work. You have anything like that? Just a thought.

where I worked .. the LTD ins paid ~ 1/3 the amt of your regular pay

I've never been down like this before. Probably in part because I've never been this old. Never even thought about disability insurance. Almost positive I have it, as one of those cautionary things I tend to do. Just forgot all about it.

Spent a long time on the phone this morning with the Human Resources people. I can't hardly believe what they are doing. Basically, until and unless I am medically certified as being 100% restored to my full abilities, I am not to come back to work in any capacity. I have 12 weeks from the date of the accident to get 100% all better. If I don't, it apparently will then go before a disability review board, who will decide if I am to be declared permanently disabled and forced into medical disability retirement.

That's rough, and there is nothing we can do to make you feel better. Go check out an epilepsy forum and you'll see a lot of people in a similar situation.

Not to worry, Fox. I've got plenty of things for you to do during your forced retirement. Of course, the pay ain't so great...

If you've got the insurance, now's the time to look into tapping it

So it's been a few weeks. How are you doing?

Quite a bit better, thanks for asking. While flickering lights still bother me, they don't drop me like a sack of potatoes. Brain function is improving, but it still an interesting and entertaining mess at times. I try to laugh, but sometimes.... Like cleaning my wife's windshield. I didn't want to scratch it with a razor, so I used an sos pad. Sigh.... It seemed right at the time. Then after trying to polish out the scratches I squirreled the buffer away in the pantry.

you'll get there.

those sound like things I might do ... and I've never had a concussion

As bored as you must be, feel free to drop me an email or something. I'm pondering more stupid automotive changes of direction and need someone to ridicule me. I'm sure I can make your days go by just a fractional bit faster.

Well, that sucked.

Got brave and went to a Halloween haunted house on Saturday, and survived. Yippe! Did have the wife drive home, but I did pretty darn well.

Then today I had three hours of rather intensive rehab therapy. Splat! Took a half hour nap in the parking lot. Got home and found myself all but laid out. Took everything I had to change the oil on the truck before I admitted I was toast, and laid out on the couch. I'm supposed to give going to work a try tomorrow. Not so sure. I only woke up from my nap an hour ago, and I'm about ready to go back to bed again.

Well,at least the rehab people are helping with some of the semi-legal things that are kicking up with work and the personnel department. They called today, and asked me not to go in until they talk to some people and have some help/answers, hopefully tomorrow.

We're pulling for you. Keep in there. Just remember how much better you are doing now than before. keep focusing on the improvement, rather than the current status

foxtrapper wrote: Brain function is improving, but it still an interesting and entertaining mess at times.

Reminds me of what they call a Simple-Partial Seizure. You're there, but something is missing.

Well yippie kai yay. My boss and I thought we had it all worked out for me to get back to work. And for the third time, I got run off by the HR department weenies because I'm not 100% wonderful.

Of all blasted people, the ADA rep is the one refusing to allow my boss to have me work part time. My boss, my doctors, and my therapists and I all want me working so we can see how I function and hold up. The ADA rep is the one refusing to allow it, because it's "unfair" and an unreasonable accommodation.

I don't think that word means what the rep thinks that it means http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC6dgtBU6Gs

Huh, Michelle and Michael are not the same name. OK, I can see it now. But for two weeks, I've been conversing with two different people via emails, and never noticed the difference. No wonder things were getting so confusing.

Probably didn't help that Michelle is the one at work preventing me from returning to my job, and Michael is the union rep trying to help me get back to work.

Ah, what a fine mess a good TBI can make!

Hmm... perhaps you should have the wife review important emails before sending?

foxtrapper wrote: Ah, what a fine mess a good TBI can make!

I have never liked throttle bodies.

Ian F wrote: Hmm... perhaps you should have the wife review important emails before sending?

Yea, guess so. I thought I was beyond that now.

I could cry or laugh over it. I'm going to laugh.

what I'm getting from this thread is that you must have had one HELL of a concussion … I mean a really really bad one …

we see the ball players coming back the next week (some are out for a while) but most are back pretty soon …

I really hope you're able to get back to "normal"

keep up the good fight