YET ANOTHER INJURY PART 2 FEMORAL HERNIA

Once I had handed in the official Workers' Comp form I thought it would be a simple, fast procedure to have an approval arranged so I could see a Specialist.

I was wrong again. Under NSW Workers' Comp law whether I was a 'contractor' or an 'employee' of Associated Express Couriers wasn't cut and dried. I sent several text messages, and made phone calls to get more information, and was told that I may not be covered under the Company insurance. At this point a mild panic set in, waiting lists for surgery here are quite long. I didn't want the added stress of wondering when, not if the henia may include incarcerated bowel or intestine that leads to necrosis. That is when it can turn into a life threatening condition, and requires immediate emergency surgery. I didn't want it to get that far. I was preparing for a long drawn out battle to have this issue resolved in a timely manner. I had initally made an appointment with my Surgeon, Dr Ahmed with a referral from my GP after he viewed the ultrasound results. Because the Workers' Comp issue was not resolved I had to cancel that appointment.

Fast forward to Friday, 14th February[yep, Valentine's Day]and after many non returned messages the insurance company finally wrote to me accepting 'provisional' liability to allow the injury to be further investigated ie see a Specialist. The same Surgeon who performed my bi-lateral inguinal laproscopic surgery in 2009 following the Star Track Express injury.

Since the first injury in 2007 to my lumbar spine, and the following fall in 2008 I had been in the care of a Disability Support Australia organisation, called Ability Options. These guys are great. Helpful, inderstanding and compassionate. Their role is to find suitable full time work for workers with permanent impairments[like me]as I am a client of Centrelink, because I often don't earn enough at my current workafter costs I often fall below the minimum wage.

Courier work is a hard slog. Costs are very high and rewards can be there, but not being 100 percent fit severely limits what freight one can handle.

I am seeing my Surgeon on Tuesday afternoonthe 18th of February. There is a chance I will be offered fulltime work, at a local business when I have an interview at their workplace on Monday morning, the 17th February at 0900. Regardless of what happens at the interview, I will not make any decisions until I talk to the surgeon on Tuesday. I have read that a 'reducible' femoral hernia is a Good Thing, but there is no guarantee it will stay that way. Indeed, everything I read from all over the world says these hernias always get worse with time, and surgical repair is the only option. BTW every comment I read says these type of hernias are rare in males, much more common in females. Typical.

We'll see what the next week brings!

posted from Bloggeroid

YET ANOTHER INJURY...

Three weeks ago I was diagnosed with a right side femoral hernia. In my work as a sub contract Courier in Sydney I do a LOT of lifting, and despite my restrictions I have often found myself in a situation where I have had to exceed my 15kg lift restriction by a large amount.

I have been in almost daily pain since October 2007 after a L5/S1 disc prolapse, added to that a slip from a tailgate loader that resulted in torn left ankle ligaments, torn left knee cartilage in April 2008 with the same Employer. Those injuries were originally diagnosed by the Company Doctor as a 'sprain' and would take a long time to get better. I waited a year, still with daily pain and swelling before at my Wife's insistance I had an MRI that revealed the true state of my enkle and knee. I had the ankle undergo an open repair in May 2009, and the knee by laproscopic three months later. Those injuries still cause constant pain, and my left ankle now 'rolls' with very little provocation. I also had bi lateral inguinal hernia repair in 2010....also resulting from over exertion for that same Employer. Star Track Express. I also suffered a CVA[stroke]on the 27th of December 2009....and although it can't be proved medically, in my mind the stress, worry and depression of the previous three years must have had something to do with it.

On the 16th Jan this year I was completing a delivery of an upright freezer from a retail store here in western Sydney, to a private address in a nearby suburb. The allocator knew of my restrictions but sent me the job regardless. I accepted it assuming there would be someone at the other end to assist with unloading. I was wrong. The receiver was an elderly couple. It was late in the day, I had other work to complete so I unloaded the freezer by myself.

I lifted it up over the edge of ute's tray, whilst standing on the back of the ute. The plan was to let it slide againt the tray side to the ground slowly. The styrofoam packing around the unit got caught on the sharp alloy tray edge and was stuck fast. I had to lift the freezer's full weight to free it, as it was now hanging in mid air...then lower it to the ground.

I am in constant pain most of the time, so the 'twinge' I felt in my groin didn't concern me at the time. I just wanted to get the job done and move on to the next one. That was on a Thursday afternoon. I worked as usual the next day, still a bit sore in the groin but took a pain pill[Tramal SR 150mg]and worked the full day.

Friday night I felt a different type of pain from what I was used to, so I went to see my regular GP on the Sat morning. He only does three days a week. He thought I may have a 'femoral hernia' and gave me a referral for an ultrasound[that's how the inguinal hernias were diagnosed]and although I could have had the test done on the upcoming Wednesday I made the appointment for the following Saturday so I would not lose any work...things were a little quiet. The Monday after my GP visit was a holiday here in Oz[Australia Day]so I was available for work at 0600 on the Tuesday. At this time I also took the WorkCover medical certificate into my Employers' office and advised my allocator of what the Doctor had said, and the 25kg lifting restriction he now placed on me until the source of the new pain could be confirmed.

I worked for the rest of the week, having to reject jobs sent to me because of the restriction which cost me money and caused a lot of stress and worry. I attended the ultrasound appointment Saturday morning as arranged, and the Sonographer confirmed what my Doctor suspected. A right side femoral hernia thankfully it was 'reduceable'. I advised my Employer of the ultrasound results and my intention to claim Workers' Compensation for the injury.

That's when the shit hit the fan, so to speak. My Boss said he wasn't happy I a) didn't ask for help, b)didn't report the injury when it happened, and he didn't think I would qualify for Workers' Comp as I operate as a 'Sole Trader'.

Once I knew what the problem was, I did my own research and was I've got say, quite concerned. I asked for my Employers' Workers Comp details, and was met with a frosty reception but I kept my cool. Once again I was told I should not have accepted the job allocated to me.but my argument was there was no weight or dimensions on the job details, and that's why I took the job without question. AND I should never have been offered the job if there was a risk of it being outside my then current restrictions.

posted from Bloggeroid

SYDNEY BASED BIKING IN THE NOUGHTIES & BEYOND

2000-2006. I can't remember! There was a Honda NX650 Dominator in here some where, in late 2005 I think.

2007. Dominator was traded on a new Honda XL650V Transalp. Was a good bike solo, but a little underpowered with my fat arse on it, and worse two up with my Son on board! The Transalp was only kept for six months, it was traded on a new 2007 model Yamaha TDM900. This was kept until I had a stroke in late 2009. Sold under consignment by my local Dealer, who ripped me off badly. At this time I also had a Yamaha RD250A, a 1974 model. I resurrected the RD and had it road registered, but due to injuries from a work accident Icouldn't ride it properly. It was sold along with a heap of parts to a local RD enthusiast.

2009. I bought a little late 1960's Yamaha 80cc road bike, to commute the short 4km to work. I did that for a while, before buying a ew MadAss 125 in late 2009 to take over the commute to work. Later that year I had a stroke, and gave up bikes until 2012

2012. Feeling OK enough to start riding again, and missing it terribly I began the search for a cheap 250cc road bike to relearn my lost skills on. I ended up buying a 'grey import' Honda VT250F privately, it was in good nick and scrubbed up really well. I eeven used it in my job as a sub contract courier for awhile after my Great Wall ute was damaged by a hit and run on Sydney. It was by far the best performing small bike I ever had. Kept it until early 2013, by which time I was convinced I could ride something bigger with more space.

2013. Found an old 1983 Yamaha XT600Z Tenere on Gumtree. Looked salvageable in the photo, so drove the 200km round trip to pick it up. Spent a lot of cash buying parts, including $970 for a rebuilt new front wheel & tyre but decided if I wanted to use the bike in my work as a Courier it would need to be capable of long distance road running, have plenty of room for luggage and to stretch out, and be electric start. The decision was made to sell the Yamaha, with all the amassed parts. It was bought by a member of an enthusiasts forum, and yes I did lose a lot of moolah!
After the sale of the Tenere was negotiated, I began researching bigger old road bikes in my $2K budget. They were very thin on the ground! Most of what I saw in that price range either wasn't roadworthy, or running, or both and was missing bits!

Then I stumbled upon the Honda VF1000F at my local bike mechanic/wreckers. It ticked all the boxes, and was  in my budget so I put a deposit on it. It passed rego as is,  and the biggest expense I've had was for a new reproduction seat cover as the fitted one is a bit sad from our harsh Aussie sun.

SYDNEY BASED BIKING

1992. After a move from Newcastle to Sydney, the decision was made to get another road bike. There was as brief flirtation with an early '80's CB750F, then another Yamaha XJ550.

1993. I still had the Yamaha XJ!

1994. The Yamaha was traded on a late model Honda CB Seven Fifty F2N, the Charcoal grey one. This was a great bike, and was also the bike I had my second 'off' on. Two up, with my new Bride on the back we hit some bodgy roadwork on WisemansFerry Road and went down at low speed. Wife still has the scars, bike was ridden home minus a few pieces and wasoff the road waiting on parts for nearly three months. Wife has never been on a bike again since :-(

1995. Still had the Honda, but traded it on a 1990 model Kawasaki ZZ-R1100.

1996. Sold the big Kwaka, and bought a new Yamaha DT175 for the short km commute to work. Kept it a few years. It was sold with low km's and I bought a 1991 Suzuki GSX1100G shaftie. I rode this for a couple of years, before putting it into storage at my then workplace before selling it privately in about 1999.

PAST MOTORCYCLES.................

I'm sitting here listening to the rain outside, looking forward to getting my Honda VF1000F on the road and trying to remember what other machines I have had over the years. Here goes....

1974. I think, learnt to ride on a Honda C70 step through. That was  farm in Scone, NSW. Riding around on the dirt with road tyres taught good balancing skills!

1975. Back in Newcastle, I picked up a Suzuki TC125, and my Brother had a TC120. Both were really AG bikes, with dual range gearboxes and a two stroke motor.

1975. Rode my first 'big bike', my Uncle's Honda CB550F when he was too drunk to ride it home from the local Club. That was a real hoot!

1978. Early in the year bought an old Honda MT125 motocrosser, later that year at 16 and nine months I passed my Learners test and bought a Honda XL250 Motorsport, the Silver one. This ws also the first cycle I was to crash on the roads, I was riding home from work in Newcastle's CBD area and travelling too close to the vehicle in front. Wet roads, Universal Trials tyres[remember them?]and a amber light I couldn't stop for. It was the brand new[then]Holden Commodore, and luckily for the car I hit the towbar and did very little damage to the car itself. I rode the Honda home the rest of the way with a flat front tyre, and a severely bent front wheel. It was a slow trip at walking pace but a lesson was learnt!
I kept the Honda until I passed my P plate test later that year.

1979. Now on a fullbike licence, my next bike was a Yamaha RD400. That blue bike was fast. It also had an appetite for pistons, little did I know it was jetted very leanand after piston number three I sold it thinking there was something inherently wrong with it.  Would jave been nice to still have it! That was my last bike for a couple of yearsI gotmy car license n '79 as well, and drove an assortment of cars for a while.

1981. I think this year I bought a Suzuki TS185, and rode it on and off mostly on trails.
1982. This year I bought a Honda XL185S, the red and white one. This was nearly new when I bought it and stayed in the family for a while after my youngest brother bought it.

1987. This year I bought an old Honda CX500, it was a rough as guts. Painted mostly matt black featuring chrome 'shotgun' pipes. It was LOUD! Rode that for a while, then progressed to a Yamaha XJ550, the naked one. This was my first XJ550.

1988. This year I bought a mate's Kawasaki KLR650, and had this about two years. It was ridden hard all the time, and crashed offroad a few times as well but never let me down. This was the machine I had when I first moved to Sydney from Newcastle. It was a great commuter bike in heavy traffic.