Heard From The Hag

Heard from my Workers Compensation case manager, aka 'The Hag'.

Basically, the IME (Independent Medical Exam) said the exam was incomplete or some crud. Can't even remember the term she used now. Basically, because he chose not to do the full exam because it was causing me pain, he didn't have enough info to render any decisions.

BUT...he did say that apparently I don't have CRPS any more. To have CRPS, I need a score of 8, I scored 4. I didn't show all the physical symptoms needed for a score of 8.

I want to scream. Or kick the cat. One of the issues with CRPS is that the physical symptoms are NOT static. They come and go, and that basically means squat...unless you're dealing with WCB. The Hag compared it to leukemia today, and said I was in remission. They just can't figure out why the pain. And why I'm on so many drugs and still have pain.

Uh, my pain specialist explained this crap to me almost a year ago. RSD/CPRS is a nervous system issue. IT DOESN'T GO AWAY, despite physical symptoms being present or not (skin discolouration, skin temp, swelling) pain is an issue, and for ME, the best he hoped for was a 30% reduction. He's the SPECIALIST, that is known in my city for dealing with the hardest cases, RSD and oncology. And that was HIS optimum outcome for me. And this Hag thinks because the physical symptoms aren't present for the IME, then its in remission.

And I don't get the freaking not present either. My hand was swollen and purple and cold that day. I suppose that accounts for THREE of the four flipping check marks on his list.

So now they're trying to decide if they're sending me away to a pain clinic for 5 weeks or not. At which point I'll be forced to refuse, which will have me non-compliant, cut off benefits, and without my income until appeals are completed. Yippee.

I want to cry.

I WISH MY RSD WERE GONE. WHAT BENEFIT IS THERE TO ME AND MY FAMILY IN BEING ONE ARMED AND HURTING EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY WITHOUT END?