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[dobbslc]

Don't go nuts with work whatever you do or you'll be worse off!
To me personally it all sounds a bit optimistic getting back to work that fast, what if your back goes just as you lift your foot to brake in the crane?
Best wishes though

 

[Dapph2]

The closest one only prescribes to current ward patients, the one I was in is a 30 min car ride away because the health board thought it a good idea to close 3 community based a&e departments and replace them with 1 in the middle of nowhere and you have to wait in the a&e queue as a cat 5 non urgent visitor before seeing a prescribing doctor, which means a 10-12 hour wait just to be given a slip of paper that you cant get filled til monday anyway...when I was prescribed them on Tuesday I had to take the script to a local pharmacy Wednesday to actually get them.

I resorted to a few healthy / non healthy doses of weed stuff from a friend who grew it for themselves when I got into a similar predicament, but do be careful ..... my lass became pregnant after 16 yrs of us trying after one prolonged ingestion period of it .

Had to stop taking it after 15 weeks on my pain management teams advice , as I was getting very very shaky and slightly neurotic apparently .

 

[minimutly]

So, today's update.

Phoned the GP for a sick note...got told I cant have one and have to self certify. Explained I wanted a note as a way of proving the drugs I have taken were prescribed incase of a random test, was told to come back to them if I fail a test...bit bloody late then though as I will have already been banned from that site and have a mark on file for a year so likely cant work for that contractor either.

Spoke to work. I'm getting paid a full week last week, and even without a note they are putting me on SSP for this week, and a good will payment on top because they dont want to see me struggle given how many favours I do them, which I thought was nice.

They have also advised to take the rest of this week off and wont entertain listening to me talk about going back earlier, and have also reassured me that the tattoo I have booked saturday wont be used as some sort of way to try and claim I only wanted the time off for the tattoo (because my previous employer would have done exactly that, and my depot manager there is now the general manager here).

They are going to check in with me friday and all going well I will return monday on what we are calling light duties, which will be small scale contract lifts, so quick little 3-5 lift jobs and I will have minimum of 2 of our guys with me on every job so they can do the lifting of mats and what not, all I gotta do is drive and operate, which im happy with.

So, im off the diazepam, im off the codeine and now have the week tonfocus on exercises and gaining back some strength.

I've been for a little walk this morning to the shop, more juat to get out than anything, and have done my round of exercises so now resting again, bired out if my skull but happier knowing work is on my side and all is well there

But you still aren't sure what caused this? Sorry, but if that's true it's madness!

 

[Dapph2]

So, today's update.

Phoned the GP for a sick note...got told I cant have one and have to self certify. Explained I wanted a note as a way of proving the drugs I have taken were prescribed incase of a random test, was told to come back to them if I fail a test...bit bloody late then though as I will have already been banned from that site and have a mark on file for a year so likely cant work for that contractor either.

Spoke to work. I'm getting paid a full week last week, and even without a note they are putting me on SSP for this week, and a good will payment on top because they dont want to see me struggle given how many favours I do them, which I thought was nice.

They have also advised to take the rest of this week off and wont entertain listening to me talk about going back earlier, and have also reassured me that the tattoo I have booked saturday wont be used as some sort of way to try and claim I only wanted the time off for the tattoo (because my previous employer would have done exactly that, and my depot manager there is now the general manager here).

They are going to check in with me friday and all going well I will return monday on what we are calling light duties, which will be small scale contract lifts, so quick little 3-5 lift jobs and I will have minimum of 2 of our guys with me on every job so they can do the lifting of mats and what not, all I gotta do is drive and operate, which im happy with.

So, im off the diazepam, im off the codeine and now have the week tonfocus on exercises and gaining back some strength.

I've been for a little walk this morning to the shop, more juat to get out than anything, and have done my round of exercises so now resting again, bired out if my skull but happier knowing work is on my side and all is well there

Unfortunately any back problem you get never quite returns you to full fitness /health it will always be there and over time will usually impinge on your life even more and more as it develops into a bigger problem for you further down the line. .

Do take the time to think thing through and plan ahead for your family and finances .no more heavy lifting , twisting with a weight in both hands , sitting or standing still for long periods are all thing I had to eventually take on board , T'would have been better for us if we'd had had some foresight of my future .

 

[BrokenBiker]

But you still aren't sure what caused this? Sorry, but if that's true it's madness!

Not yet, but there are plans in motion to get to the bottom of it.

I am booking a CT privately and then with the results of that looking to the best course of action whether thats proper physio, medical intervention or just a change of lifestyle etc.

I won't just be returning to work and calling it a day

 

[BrokenBiker]

Don't go nuts with work whatever you do or you'll be worse off!
To me personally it all sounds a bit optimistic getting back to work that fast, what if your back goes just as you lift your foot to brake in the crane?
Best wishes though

I see your point, but honestly driving the crane is the least of my concerns...the brakes are immense in it and by the time I need the foot brake I'm barely moving as it is...in an emergency situation I have the uand brake which will slow it down at the sma rate as stamping on the pedal.

I need to get back to normality, even if it is slowly with people helping and if it does become too much I can discuss that with my employer at the time

 

[Turbo]

You are struggling to walk properly now, how are you going to climb into the cab of a crane?
If you take a spasm in the crane how do they get you out again! Fire brigade and cutting gear?

I would take another week or 2 off work, build up your exercise routine and not go back until you are well recovered.

I definitely would not be driving a crane until you were 100% fit. Too much responsibility if something goes wrong. Stick to slinging and yard duties for a while.

 

[RichardM]

I was off for months, when you get mobile walking is good.
Don't go back to work too early and start to think about what you need to change to lessen the chance of reccurance.

 

[BrokenBiker]

so...it has now been a week to the day, infact a week to the hour that i arrived at a&e, and im not entirely sure how to explain this...but im fine today...well maybe fine is the wrong word, but...

i had a relatively bad night last night as i have now also contracted a cold, so coughing kept me up, and every cough tweaked my back...ended up with a hot water bottle under my back and that seemed to help me get off to sleep, along with some cough medicine and a glass of bourbon.

now, ive woken up today and initally felt like i wasnt going to be able to get out of bed, however after realising i was very hungry i made the effort and it wasnt nearly as bad as it has been to sit then stand from the bed...got dressed, came donwstairs with no real pain at all. ive sat on the sofa for a bit and then decided to do some exercises, except it wasnt until i was up and halfway to the kitchen i realised not only did it not hurt, i was walking normally as well, back straight, no limp, no lean to the side as i have had previously. im still carrying a stick with me just in case, but so far so good, ive not needed it.

now, tell me off as much as you want, but going stir crazy in the house and now my new found ability to walk normally again, ive been out to the shed just now. the half welded table that i am blaming for this whole thing is still stood on end outside the shed doors, half rusted and after shaking the grinder at it a few times i think it has learnt its lesson now...but the reason i went out, apart from the fact i needed to get out, was becasue i just needed to know that things i have bought are going to work before its too late to send them back. so, i lit the forge, placed the anvil near it and chucked a bit of mild steel in. one of the things i wanted to test was a new thermocouple that claims to read up to 1300C...and i can confirm it does...the temp in the non flame areas of the forge read at 899-908C consistently, and the flame area read at 1350C...so, when the steel was about the same colour as the inside of the forge i assumed it to be about 900 degrees, took it out and gave it a leathering on the anvil with a lump hammer, and would you believe it, it actually deformed the way i would expect it to. gave it a second heat and then flattened it back out a bit, quenched it and then packed up as i didnt want to over do anything.

the other small bonus is that i have seen that i only had 4 welds left on the table, and they can all be done with the table in its normal orientation with no bending, twitsting or being out of position (which if id taken 10 seconds to look at it last week, i wouldnt be in this position now) so when i am fully ready for that, its getting a going over with a wire wheel and a paint prep wheel, a coat of orwell blue and then being thrown into place. ive sprayed it down with some light oil for now to hopefully keep the rust from getting worse.

but most importantly, i feel much better for having half hour with a hammer in my hand and being outside in fresh air

 

[BrokenBiker]

I have also just succesfully walked to the school and picked my daughter up. granted its only 10 mins each way, but its the furthest i have walked since taking her to school last tuesday so taking that was a win

 

[zzr1200]

It sounds like your back might have clicked back in place POSSIBLY, I have been in a semi-similar position before, I'd be careful for the next few days, let it settle and don't try doing too much.

Ease into your new found pain relief slowly, it's not unknown for it to come back with vengeance...

 

[BrokenBiker]

that may be the case. i will still be taking it easy for the next few days but looking and feeling good so far

 

[minimutly]

I was once told that back pain exits via your leg, which I took to mean sciatica, obviously not in your case.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I was once told that back pain exits via your leg, which I took to mean sciatica, obviously not in your case.

i have had aching legs since the day it happened. my thighs are still aching a little bit although not as much as they have been

 

[pedrobedro]

I have also just succesfully walked to the school and picked my daughter up. granted its only 10 mins each way, but its the furthest i have walked since taking her to school last tuesday so taking that was a win

When I get a bit of back ache I find that a gentle ride on my pushbike helps to ease it a lot.

 

[BrokenBiker]

When I get a bit of back ache I find that a gentle ride on my pushbike helps to ease it a lot.

its been years since i last rode anything with pedals. not even sure if i still have a push bike anymore

 

[Onoff]

Now I'm almost 75 I have to be careful the maggots don't take up residence .

What comes first, the maggots or vultures?

 

[Morris]

What comes first, the maggots or vultures?

Maggots first then the relatives.

 

[atomant48]

Glad you’re feeling better. You mentioned random drug tests - is your profession under the road and transport act or whatever it’s called ? Might be worth double checking what meds you have been on and what the half life is so you’re sure they’re out of your system before you operate any equipment. Most likely the dr has gone through that with you but just checking.

 

[Dapph2]

Not yet, but there are plans in motion to get to the bottom of it.

I am booking a CT privately and then with the results of that looking to the best course of action whether thats proper physio, medical intervention or just a change of lifestyle etc.

I won't just be returning to work and calling it a day

Must confess getting wrecked was perhaps the second best event in my life as I was forced to change from work work busy bang bang & lift heavy things way beyond safe limits . Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that each week I'd be organising the mating of six hundred or more small pet shop mammals each week from 22.00 hrs. to 03.00 hrs . The money was good too , then suddenly the back injury turned on me big time & I even had to stop doing that and come onto disability stuff w. That opened my mind as to what else I could try to do and discover how to plan it well and get the finances organised properly . I then ran a small internet based fishing tackle shop till I could no longer walk 10m unaided .

Which saw me import things from all over the world . then at 61 I had a stroke that wiped my memory for several months so I had to close the business .
It was at that time it was found I had a bad case of type 2 diabetes ( the cause of the stroke . )

So I undertook to educated myself better for a few years while I was unable to do much, by signing up for MOOC programmed to broaden my scope & knowledge ".Massive Open Online Content " courses that I'd found on the internet . from top universities & thinkers from all over the world .

Now adays I play several sites on the computer , have discovered some very intelligent reliable friends and still have ambitions & ability to plan to great detail with costings etc. to build a 3.5 x 8m sectional prefabbed fibre glass , insulated , lined mancupboard with power & water before this Christmas and decant all my gear out the garage into it .


Each day ( though not always successful ) I try to do something towards it ..I've ben at if for just under 13 months . Today, I moved a four-wheeled trolley half-filled with 6mm grit , having spent the last three months moving a few kiddies sand spades of grit most days to get half the base area very level , eventually it will be filled with 5 inches of pumped fibreglass reinforced waterproof concrete .

Later today I watched Starmer's and Mandelson's characters and their practices get put through the wringer big time & not just by their own party back stabbers either , all very revealing indeed .

Tonight I finished using my cube floating laser level as dusk approached to set the height of the slab pins ( within 3mm over 6m ) ready for the second half of the floor slab shutting.
What may surprise you is I've had to have five half hour breaks laid flat on my bed on my tum under the heat lamp in 3 x 4 min slots to get past muscle spasms & fatigue .


It took me serval years to discover that there was always something I could do , even if it was for a few minutes at a time rather than vegetate & moan about my miserable lot in front of the one eyed monster / income reducer in the corner of the room .