Worker's comp

Several years ago, I was injured at work. I ruptured my Achilles tendon. My employer sent me to a health clinic that they have a contract with. In the lobby of this clinic is a sign which reads: "We specialize at getting your employees back to work." This attitude of the personnel at this clinic seems to be that all employees are goldbricking fakers that need to go back to work.

I told them that it felt like there was a problem with my Achilles tendon. Feeling the back of my swollen ankle, I could feel where the tendon was not there. They wanted to take an xray. I told them that a ruptured Achilles tendon won't show on an xray. They argued with me and took it anyway. They saw nothing, diagnosed me with a sprain and sent me back to work on light duty. My employer gives no option of staying home sick when given light duty for an on the job injury.

Three weeks later, I finally demanded and got an MRI. Diagnosis? There was a fluid filled gap where the tendon is supposed to be. The ankle specialist that they finally sent me to said that it would probably be a career ending injury, and that I would never walk properly again, because there is a time limit of 10 days for repairing this sort of injury. He offered to try the surgery anyway, with the understanding that if it did not work I would need a cane for walking for the rest of my life. I went ahead with it. He said that even if the operation was a success, it would be 6 months before I could walk, and 18 months before I could work again.

It was 8 painful months later that I returned to full duty. I endured surgery, nauseating drugs, excruciating physical therapy, and unbelievable amounts of pain, followed by a month of weaning myself off the narcotics.

I was injured again this afternoon while responding to a burning Denny's restaurant. This time, the other ankle. I am being sent to the same clinic that almost crippled me before. I am overjoyed.