My latest…
Stepping into an ANZCA ad to help raise awareness for chronic pain
(Update: July 18, 2014) Yep, I’m one in five… Watch [...]
Pudendal Neuralgia Association, Inc
(excerpt from www.pudendalassociation.org) Who We Are The Pudendal Neuralgia Association, [...]
A new workers compensation programme in South Australia
I met Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson advocating an online forum for injured [...]
Yet Another Comedy of Errors, Acts I & II
Prologue: This is not really a comedy but without a sense of humour and the odd injection of sarcasm this injured worker would explode from the frustration and disappointment that being in this system has created. I am heading back to conciliation on May 13 to battle for part-payments of compensation since declaring in December 2012 that I have a limited capacity for part-time work. I am also disputing my WorkSafe authorized Agent’s refusal to pay any of my medical expenses over the last 2-3 years. Acts 1 and 2 can now be written but Act 3 will have to await the outcome of the conciliation conference. But as you will see, the outcome could well provide the comic highlight of the performance. You in the audience may laugh, clap or cry as you read my sad little play.
Insurer acts under WorkCover’s big circus tent
It's astounding the levels the WorkSafe Agent will stoop too (which are the levels WorkSafe obviously set) in order to avoid their responsibility with my WorkCover claim. I'm going to keep up with this documenting as I want to encourage other injured workers to fight these pathetic insurer circus acts. It's unacceptable, not to mention, not what my WorkCover premium was paid for. Where's my 'quality income protection', where is my return to work help, and where is my income and medical financial help?
National Pain Report, My Story: A Pain in the Coccyx
(http://americannewsreport.com/nationalpainreport/my-story-a-pain-in-the-coccyx-8823596.html) The National Pain Report, my story. April 14th, 2014 by Soula Mantalvanos I begged my neurosurgeon to do anything, even to chop my coccyx off. But after getting opinions from other surgeons, he suggested not to go the invasive path as we had the option for an implant called a peripheral stimulator, a treatment that was reversible. It made more sense.
No Partridge in a Pear Tree to be Found, I’m Preparing for Conciliation… Again!
(Sing with me, to the tune of 'The 12 Days of Christmas'': 16 points of stimulation, multiple case managers, too many Independent* Medical Examinations, 9 anaesthetics, Several investigations, wasted complaints to WorkSafe, Four conciliation applications, Three operations, Two Medical Panel Opinions, One Impairment Assessment, and, no Partridge in a Pear Tree to be found...
Insult and Injury
How's this for an opening line to my post: Perspectives [...]
Formal Complaint to WorkSafe Victoria
21st May, WorkSafe’s Andrew calls My long wait was over, [...]
My Peripheral Stimulation implant
I begged Professor Teddy to do anything, even to chop my coccyx off but he (and his backed up opinions) suggested not to go the invasive path just yet (removal of the coccyx had also not been very successful in treating chronic pain), we had an option for an implant, a treatment that was reversible, it made more sense. To 'qualify' for a stim you have to go through a trial first. The trial period was two weeks and in that time I had half of two leads placed inside my body (yes this is a full anesthetic/operation), with the remaining half of the leads hanging outside my body connecting to a temporary unit. It's a risky period, one very highly susceptible to infection but it allowed me to test the device and its impact before we implanted the $60k (or so) unit. Am I grateful I had private insurance? You bet! My WorkCover insurer certainly wasn't going to pay, eventually dismissing the surgeons reports as not having providing enough information.
Dear WorkSafe Victoria
Dear WorkSafe Victoria, We have been acquainted now for over seven years, and to commemorate this occasion the least I could do was to pen you a few heart-felt words. Today I came across WorkSafe's Clinical Framework For the Delivery of Health Services and I would like you to know that it made so much sense to me from my perspective as an injured worker. I was very impressed reading through it. It ticked all the boxes and its approach (Purpose) was exactly what I had hoped to experience in my own chronic pain journey under your watchful eye. The guiding principles caught my attention:
Will I live to regret it?
I declared I had a capacity in 2013 after being indefinitely written off for life by the Medical Panels (a Federal decision) in 2009. In what should be a most positive experience I have not received one cent from my WorkSafe Agent since January 2013 when I first declared I was attempting 9 hours a week. It's so difficult for me to work, I'm completely reliant on Theo but my moral ethics will not let me rest, never-failing to notifying me daily that I am able to contribute to our business and in doing so and remaining honest, this will bring a positive outcome. I've had no one within the system guide me or offer help during this process. The system's drive seems purely for the WorkSafe Agent to make any process as difficult and stressful for the injured worker so that they give up their rightful compensation or worse still, change their ethics making them so fearful that they never attempt work again. I have never, in the whole 7 years of being exposed to this system, felt I could trust anyone, felt supported, given hope, treated with respect. I have not felt any kind of care but rather I'm left to feel and be treated guilty of my crime - a workplace accident. I won't accept this treatment, I won't accept this poor income protection WorkSafe calls 'quality income protection', and it's lucky for me I have help to battle and savings to live off (which are rapidly diminishing mind you). Not being intimidated, fearful, or swallowed up by this system and its primitive ways is the reason I found my diagnosis and got myself back to work! It's the reason why a Medical Panels, for the first time, has acknowledged someone with Pudendal Neuralgia (even though they can't verify it!!), and it's the reason why, I'll get my entitlements too!...