Tweet
Soon To Be Getting The Last Laugh
I don't know if you all remember my posts over the past 15 months but back in February of last year, I was released from my job for medical investigations. It originated with my celluitus, which is not a cause of disability, and somehow transpired to my heart condition, which was, is, and have always been normal.
Briefly, I'll explain:
February 13th, 2007: Relieved of duty from work
March, 2007: Saw the company doctor 2 hours after I had breakfast and minutes after drinking a 20 ounce bottle of Coca-Cola. Dr. Idiot claimed that my heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar was extremely high and basically said that I was knocking on death's door. After talking to my personal doctor, I stayed in the hospital for week to have several exams performed for the heart and the celluitis. Passed them all.
May 25th: For inexplicable reasons, the company felt that I needed to have a stress test conducted. One was performed at my cost. However, Dr. Idiot #2 spoke to Idiot #1 and stated his 3 month old evaluation word for word. He stated that I should return to work but with several restrictions, which caused me to be removed from payroll. When he realized what he'd done, he tried to rectify the matter by submitting a corrected evaluation, but the damage was already done. Instead of returning to work, I had to wait, and wait, and wait, for a company paid stress test to be conducted.
September, 2007: Company paid stress test is conducted. Again, regardless of my overall results, this crap for brains said everything that Dr. Idiot #1 said. He even claimed that my heart was beating at 120 beats per minute about 14 minutes after completion. Funny thing is, I walked on the treadmill for about 12 minutes. Hell I normally did that regularly at the gym for 30 minutes, so I knew that I was fit for the task. But this Crap For Brains actually stated in his report that even with weight loss, he don't feel that I'm fit for work. Do you honestly think a 45 year old guy is capable of receiving permanent disability or SSI with a report like that?
February, 2008: After the previous stress test, I remembered the settings on the treadmill and began setting the treadmill at the gym the same. Now several pounds lighter and 50% more energetic, I was schedule to take another stress test at my own expense. And what do you know!!! I passed it with flying colors. The nurse told me that the only problem that they had was getting my heart rate at 150. But after walking the treadmill for the first few minutes, my heart rate only raised to 147 and settled back down. So she had to take the readings from that. Once completed, my normal heart rate returned shortly after the training. He even took an EKG the following week and handed me a copy of my results to submit to my job as proof that I was very fit and well to return to work. But it wasn't good enough, of course.
June 20th: The Union, the company, and I agreed upon a final cardiologist to ONCE AGAIN, take a stress test to prove my physical ability for the job that I've been doing since Dec., 2000. To prepare for the test, I did EVERYTHING to avoid any type of stress, including minimizing my internet time, phone time, and concentrated solely on my diet and cardio exercises at the gym. In addition, I increased my cardio from 30 minutes treadmill to 20 minutes stairmaster/20 minutes threadmill. My weight dropped drastically. In fact, I had an appointment at the weight loss clinic the week before the test and managed to lose 6 pounds in a week since the clinic visit. My stomach is smaller and my upper body appearance has improved tremendously.
Anyhow after being there for hours and having several different exams conducted (heart x-ray, EKG, heart pictures, bp, etc.), I asked the doctor about the stress test. He replied, "Well, I see that you took one in February of this year and passed so I don't see a reason to give you one now. Besides, according to the tests, you seem to be in good health. And from reading your past records, you've made great improvements in your health and weight. So you've done everything and more to prove to them that you're able to do the job that you're supposed to do. Unless your blood test says differently, you're good to go."
OOOOOkay, one week later, he called to tell me that my thyroids are abnormally high for someone my size. I pretended to have no idea why and suggested that it may be from my cardio increase. But after seeing the results for myself, that didn't cut it. I guess the T-3 was still kicking, despite being clean of everything for about a month.
OVERALL RESULTS: I passed
Unfortunately, I'm still sitting home waiting for the official word to get to the Union and company so that I can get back to work.
GOOD NEWS TO ALL OF THIS? By the time I return to work, the company will have to pay me backpay since June, 2007 (when I was removed from payroll). You see, my personal doctor at the time (now deceased) and cardiologist both suggested that I was able to return to work at the time, but the company called their decision "wishy-washy", since the cardiologist screwed up his 1st report.
Briefly, I'll explain:
February 13th, 2007: Relieved of duty from work
March, 2007: Saw the company doctor 2 hours after I had breakfast and minutes after drinking a 20 ounce bottle of Coca-Cola. Dr. Idiot claimed that my heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar was extremely high and basically said that I was knocking on death's door. After talking to my personal doctor, I stayed in the hospital for week to have several exams performed for the heart and the celluitis. Passed them all.
May 25th: For inexplicable reasons, the company felt that I needed to have a stress test conducted. One was performed at my cost. However, Dr. Idiot #2 spoke to Idiot #1 and stated his 3 month old evaluation word for word. He stated that I should return to work but with several restrictions, which caused me to be removed from payroll. When he realized what he'd done, he tried to rectify the matter by submitting a corrected evaluation, but the damage was already done. Instead of returning to work, I had to wait, and wait, and wait, for a company paid stress test to be conducted.
September, 2007: Company paid stress test is conducted. Again, regardless of my overall results, this crap for brains said everything that Dr. Idiot #1 said. He even claimed that my heart was beating at 120 beats per minute about 14 minutes after completion. Funny thing is, I walked on the treadmill for about 12 minutes. Hell I normally did that regularly at the gym for 30 minutes, so I knew that I was fit for the task. But this Crap For Brains actually stated in his report that even with weight loss, he don't feel that I'm fit for work. Do you honestly think a 45 year old guy is capable of receiving permanent disability or SSI with a report like that?
February, 2008: After the previous stress test, I remembered the settings on the treadmill and began setting the treadmill at the gym the same. Now several pounds lighter and 50% more energetic, I was schedule to take another stress test at my own expense. And what do you know!!! I passed it with flying colors. The nurse told me that the only problem that they had was getting my heart rate at 150. But after walking the treadmill for the first few minutes, my heart rate only raised to 147 and settled back down. So she had to take the readings from that. Once completed, my normal heart rate returned shortly after the training. He even took an EKG the following week and handed me a copy of my results to submit to my job as proof that I was very fit and well to return to work. But it wasn't good enough, of course.
June 20th: The Union, the company, and I agreed upon a final cardiologist to ONCE AGAIN, take a stress test to prove my physical ability for the job that I've been doing since Dec., 2000. To prepare for the test, I did EVERYTHING to avoid any type of stress, including minimizing my internet time, phone time, and concentrated solely on my diet and cardio exercises at the gym. In addition, I increased my cardio from 30 minutes treadmill to 20 minutes stairmaster/20 minutes threadmill. My weight dropped drastically. In fact, I had an appointment at the weight loss clinic the week before the test and managed to lose 6 pounds in a week since the clinic visit. My stomach is smaller and my upper body appearance has improved tremendously.
Anyhow after being there for hours and having several different exams conducted (heart x-ray, EKG, heart pictures, bp, etc.), I asked the doctor about the stress test. He replied, "Well, I see that you took one in February of this year and passed so I don't see a reason to give you one now. Besides, according to the tests, you seem to be in good health. And from reading your past records, you've made great improvements in your health and weight. So you've done everything and more to prove to them that you're able to do the job that you're supposed to do. Unless your blood test says differently, you're good to go."
OOOOOkay, one week later, he called to tell me that my thyroids are abnormally high for someone my size. I pretended to have no idea why and suggested that it may be from my cardio increase. But after seeing the results for myself, that didn't cut it. I guess the T-3 was still kicking, despite being clean of everything for about a month.
OVERALL RESULTS: I passed
Unfortunately, I'm still sitting home waiting for the official word to get to the Union and company so that I can get back to work.
GOOD NEWS TO ALL OF THIS? By the time I return to work, the company will have to pay me backpay since June, 2007 (when I was removed from payroll). You see, my personal doctor at the time (now deceased) and cardiologist both suggested that I was able to return to work at the time, but the company called their decision "wishy-washy", since the cardiologist screwed up his 1st report.
Comment