As some of you know, I have been taking a break from the Internet and Aspies Central because I developed a problem with my hands. I am still having some problems but not as much thanks to the excellent therapy I have been doing. Back in April I went to a health fair and talked to a man at an occupational therapy booth and he told me to come in to his clinic right away as they had a lot of experience with the type of symptoms I was experiencing. That's the good part.
Now the bad part. Because I work on the computer all day long this falls into the category of work-related injuries. There was no way around it--I had to inform my employer. They set up an appointment with the company doctor. He took out a little hammer and tapped my hands and said that yes there was something going on that shouldn't be but whether it was carpal tunnel or whether it was diabetes or thyroid disease he couldn't say. He set me up for the carpal tunnel test which involves shocks and needles.
So the other day the clinic told me that my test results were in and I should come down and see the doctor. When I got down there he acted like he did not know what kind of test he had sent me for nor could he find the results. Oh, here they are. My nerve responses are normal but I "might" have very early carpal tunnel or--here we go again--diabetes or thyroid disease. I said to him, don't you think I would have other problems if I had either one of those conditions? Now he wants the results of my blood tests from my primary care physician. I said Go for it if it makes you happy.
I know what he is up to. You see if it is thyroid disease or diabetes then he and the company are off the hook. But if it is carpal tunnel then it is a work-related injury and it has to be reported as such to OSHA. That makes the company look bad. Plus they also have to pay workman's comp.
So I said to him now what do I do? I told him about the therapy that I have been receiving. He wants me to stop it because in his opinion it is a waste of time. I am to continue wearing wrist braces at night. He wants to see me in another month and if I am not better then he will send me to a hand specialist. Now I don't know about you but "wait and see" doesn't sound like a logical therapy where either diabetes or thyroid disease are concerned. If he really was concerned about those two possibilities why doesn't he insist I see my primary care physician ASAP?
I said to him, what if I continue with the therapy? Because I intend to continue with it, it is doing me a world of good. Well, insurance won't cover it in that case. So it won't cover it. I will find other ways of paying for it. They said that they can set up a payment plan.
In the meantime I am thinking what if I had a real serious problem, something life-threatening? This doesn't give me confidence in our company health care system or in the health care system in general. I am just glad that I do have options.
Now the bad part. Because I work on the computer all day long this falls into the category of work-related injuries. There was no way around it--I had to inform my employer. They set up an appointment with the company doctor. He took out a little hammer and tapped my hands and said that yes there was something going on that shouldn't be but whether it was carpal tunnel or whether it was diabetes or thyroid disease he couldn't say. He set me up for the carpal tunnel test which involves shocks and needles.
So the other day the clinic told me that my test results were in and I should come down and see the doctor. When I got down there he acted like he did not know what kind of test he had sent me for nor could he find the results. Oh, here they are. My nerve responses are normal but I "might" have very early carpal tunnel or--here we go again--diabetes or thyroid disease. I said to him, don't you think I would have other problems if I had either one of those conditions? Now he wants the results of my blood tests from my primary care physician. I said Go for it if it makes you happy.
I know what he is up to. You see if it is thyroid disease or diabetes then he and the company are off the hook. But if it is carpal tunnel then it is a work-related injury and it has to be reported as such to OSHA. That makes the company look bad. Plus they also have to pay workman's comp.
So I said to him now what do I do? I told him about the therapy that I have been receiving. He wants me to stop it because in his opinion it is a waste of time. I am to continue wearing wrist braces at night. He wants to see me in another month and if I am not better then he will send me to a hand specialist. Now I don't know about you but "wait and see" doesn't sound like a logical therapy where either diabetes or thyroid disease are concerned. If he really was concerned about those two possibilities why doesn't he insist I see my primary care physician ASAP?
I said to him, what if I continue with the therapy? Because I intend to continue with it, it is doing me a world of good. Well, insurance won't cover it in that case. So it won't cover it. I will find other ways of paying for it. They said that they can set up a payment plan.
In the meantime I am thinking what if I had a real serious problem, something life-threatening? This doesn't give me confidence in our company health care system or in the health care system in general. I am just glad that I do have options.
