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Own motion workers compensation investigation with the Victorian Ombudsman
UPDATE: September, 2016 Investigation into the management of complex workers compensation claims and WorkSafe oversight. View the pdf Workers compensation frustration again The horrid treatment toward injured workers has to stop. Two neurostimulation devices in my body are not there for the fun of it. My treatment is not ‘irrelevant for my psychological condition’. And the fact this system provides no appropriate measures for me to be assessed fairly for neuropathic pain is appalling. But I’m glad to hear there is an Own Motion investigation with the Victorian Ombudsman (twitter:@VicOmbudsman). For those fortunate enough not to encounter this monstrous [...]
Resources for Treating Chronic Pain by the Pain Specialists Australia (PSA) …MY pain team!
Forgive my bossiness but this post comes from a desperate experience that I lived for 4.5 years. That’s a long time for someone with increasing chronic pain levels and not much hope. I felt isolated and alone in a very foreign world without appropriate treatment, compassion and understanding. Nine years later, I’m hopeful a situation like mine can be prevented with the knowledge provided in the following resources. Pain Specialists Australia are leaders in pain treatment and management, I can certainly vouch for that! Please read the resources, learn them, share them… and if you require information on chronic [...]
Adventures of a stim controller
Ever wondered what a stim’s controller’s day looks like? Firstly, let me clarify that I’m talking about my Boston Scientific Sacral Stimulation Implant controller (BSSSIC), not my St. Jude’s Peripheral Stimulation Implant controller (SJPSIC otherwise known as, the one that saved my life). I’m experimenting at this 7 month post implant stage in order to figure out whether I need the SJPSIC by not using it at all. Two devices in one backside cheek is quite tricky at times. Someone without a chronic health issue would probably complain endlessly as this situation does have a few uncomfortable limitations. For [...]
Time to exercise – but how?
It took six full months for me to feel I was ready to have my follow up appointment with Dr Nick Christelis after my Sacral Stimulation Implant. I got a few ticks at the appointment: Device incision healed Leads incision healed Both areas feeling cushy and a bit more robust Honeymoon period helped with setting up the new life I’ve learned a few of my new limits I also got a few concerned looks expressing the following: I’m more fatigued I’m sad I’m feeling like I can’t get up in the morning My mood is really low I feel [...]
Who am I going to be – Soula ‘a’, ‘b’ or ‘c’?
My new stim’s changed everything. I’m grateful. Can you imagine if the whole process (from trial to permanent implant) hadn’t change anything? In addition to the stim changing everything, I’m living a whole new life that Theo and I attempted to plan in great detail. We’re trying to make me the best I can be so we can be… someway, somehow. Life is unrecognisable and the path ahead is totally unfamiliar. To top that off, I need to figure out exactly how I can best be. I have choices. Post op After living with my sacral stim for six [...]
Drug dependency lessons from Pharma ads and my two mothers
I can’t stand TV as it hurts to sit or lie back and watch but recently, while tuning in to one of the very few shows I do watch, I caught a message from a Pharmaceutical (Pharma) advertisement about pain medication. It made me think about my personal situation and about my two ageing mothers who are in daily pain – both drug dependent and waiting for a pill to pop out of the sky and into their weekly pill box to ‘make them better’. It made me think about the way they’re currently trying to dodge the countless [...]