Left Hand

The wheels turn slow at the Bureau of Workers Compensation. 

Three weeks after my fall, they finally approved occupational therapy.  Three weeks.  And it only took about 10 sessions of OT before they decided I needed to see, you know, an actual ortho doctor....four days short of two months from the accident. 

But wait - you just can't see said doc. BWC has to approve it. Mind you, I had already made the appointment before that. Ruckiry (not Jon's boss), they came through with the approval a few days prior to the appointment, which was two days ago.

That initial 'nothing broken' diagnosis is seemingly incorrect. 

Blobby has a fractured scaphoid. 

Not only have I been told by every doctor I've seen in the last few weeks - mostly ones who work for me, who are not orthopaedic docs - that that type of fracture is easily missed (and can turn the hand necrotic(!) if not treated). While with the initial set of x-rays weren't sure what they were looking for, you'd still think a radiologist might have said something to the effect that - some of these fractures don't show up on "film" for weeks after the injury. 

The image on the left was my original x-ray. The one on the right is the Tuesday one.  You can now see the break. What we can't see is the full extent - and if the blood flow has been damaged. The radiology report seems to think so as the words, "altered vascularity" appear twice. 

But they don't know. Only a CT scan will show this.  {sigh}. 

Blobby can't just get a CT. BWC has to approve this. Naturally.  And between the holidays, no one is around to do the approval. I don't suspect I will get the scan in 2017.  I mean, tick tick tick. 

When / If I get the scan, and depending on the 'altered vascularity' status, surgery could be in my near future. Me, being me, has already resigned myself to this fate. I needed another scar. I mean, chicks dig them. 

But this entire event is exactly what is wrong with BWC and insurance today. They don't want to pay for the smaller stuff up front, like therapy. So a patient is in agony for weeks, setting their healing process back, which extends treatment and ultimately increases cost - the very thing they were trying to avoid. Now let's triple that with delay of treatment and testing (and no doubt surgery). 

That all said - there is a silver lining:  my transition to the dark side is coming along nicely. 

Song by: Crowded House