Need advice on medical fallout

[extarbags]

Ok, long story short (details available upon request), I had minor surgery in my groin a couple weeks ago, leaving me with a painful incision that has to be packed every day. This has complicated my life in the following ways:

1. I can't take a shower until right before the wound gets packed.

2. My girlfriend has to pack it, and occasionally she is unavailable, meaning that I have to wait for a visiting nurse to come do it.

3. I'm taking Oxycodone (Perkoset (tm)) for the often-quite-intense pain, meaning that I can't really drive or, like, not be high a lot of the time.

4. Even with the painkillers, it's basically unbearable to wear normal pants (i.e. anything other than pajama pants/basketball shorts), and it's still quite painful to do intense physical activities, such as walking.

Now, here's what I need advice with: because of the factors above, I've called out of work the past two weekends (I normally work only Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Some of those factors are more surmountable than others, but (3) really isn't at all, and plus the pain mentioned in (4) is no good even for a desk job, which still requires more walking then I do at home, even if I did manage to take the painkillers at work.

And sitting here right now, I'm thinking, "hey, work is only two days away, and if I'm in the same condition then that I'm in now, I'm taking another weekend off, looks like." Now, I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob, but I didn't get this job for fun, and this will make three full weeks that I haven't been to work. Because I'm part time, I'm ineligible for any employer-provided disability whatsits. What should I do? Is there anything or anyone else that will bail me out?

I know some or all of you are going to be tempted to tell me to suck it up and go in, but I wouldn't be asking if that seemed like a really viable option.

[Stroker Ace]

solicit donations on qt3!

[extarbags]

solicit donations on qt3!

I'm still looking for other advice, but I'll certainly accept any donations that show up at my paypal address.

[VegasRobb]

Sounds like you need to stay home until you're well enough to work. Going to work with an open wound doesn't seem like the best idea.

Hopefully you have a good enough relationship with your employer that they will work with you and provide you with the time you need to properly recover.

In terms of financial assistance, your note was a little unclear. If you need food, there are food banks and places like meals on wheels who can provide temporary assistance for free or for a sharply reduced cost.

Get well soon.

[extarbags]

Sounds like you need to stay home until you're well enough to work. Going to work with an open wound doesn't seem like the best idea.

Hopefully you have a good enough relationship with your employer that they will work with you and provide you with the time you need to properly recover.

Well, I'm not entirely sure, but I think the advantage of being part time is that I might not get shitcanned for calling out week after week. The disadvantage is that I also don't get paid.

In terms of financial assistance, your note was a little unclear. If you need food, there are food banks and places like meals on wheels who can provide temporary assistance for free or for a sharply reduced cost.

It's not that bad, thankfully. My girlfriend is working, and my mom bought me some groceries a few days ago, so we're eating ok. The problem is more like paying rent, utilities, etc. Both of which are a few hundred dollars, do in about a week, and my checking account is overdrawn as it is.

Also, I don't have a credit card, and I don't really want one, but I've thought about getting one to help me out of this hole. But, as someone whose job it is to call people who don't make credit card payments and collect, I know as well as anyone how much of a bad idea that can turn out to be.

Get well soon.

Thanks! I'm actually tearing up at the kindness of this sentiment. No, really. But that's also a side effect of the drugs, so.

[Ephraim]

If you ever get really desperate, I've heard pretty good things about prosper.com (https://www.prosper.com/).

It's a site where you tell your story, post your needs in terms of a loan, and people who want to lend you money will make offers.

Oh, and get well soon!

[shift6]

And no touching yourself while your pee-pee heals.

[extarbags]

And no touching yourself while your pee-pee heals.

Well it's not on my pee-pee, it's kind of right between my groin and my leg.

[madkevin]

The sidetaint?

[Stroker Ace]

What a relief, I was afraid your girlfriend might have to touch your privates!

[Mark Crump]

Hernia?

Can your Mom front you a loan?

[fire]

Yeah, I'd rely on family and close friends for financial stuff. Don't do the credit card thing. That's all bad.

Keep an open line of communication with your manager; usually people like to be reasonable and/or accommodating about stuff like this.

Feel better soon! One of my friends had surgery similar to this. He recovered pretty fast; hopefully you will, too.

Oh, and come hang out in IRC. I hear it's best when you're high.

[extarbags]

Hernia?

Can your Mom front you a loan?

No it was an absess caused by an infection (probably of an ingrown hair).


Oh, and come hang out in IRC. I hear it's best when you're high.

k.

[Talisker]

re: rent, bills, etc -- you might try contacting your landlord, utility companies, etc, tell them what's going on, and see if they're able to make some sort of medical-hardship payment arrangement for the month's bills. They're not obligated to, but, many businesses are able to accomodate these sorts of situations if you fill 'em in. They'll definitely be more understanding if you let them know what's up *before* checks start bouncing, etc.

That aside, hang in there, that sounds really, really sucky.

[Stroker Ace]

Chat with extarbags about his groin in #qt3! Limited time only!

[Flowers]

No it was an absess caused by an infection (probably of an ingrown hair).



k.
Dude bics it. Chicka chicka bow bow.

[extarbags]

I don't understand what that means.

[Ephraim]

I don't understand what that means.

He's implying that you shave "down below", which is the typical cause of ingrown hairs.

Then he made porno music sounds, implying that you're some sort of stunt cock? I'm not quite sure about that part.

[extarbags]

I don't, but I guess that makes more sense. I was thinking bic lighters.

Edit: also, if I was a stunt cock, the festering wound right next to my junk would be a fifth reason that I can't go to work.

[Mark Crump]

I don't, but I guess that makes more sense. I was thinking bic lighters.

Edit: also, if I was a stunt cock, the festering wound right next to my junk would be a fifth reason that I can't go to work.

There's probably a market for this type of porn.

[extarbags]

There's probably a market for this type of porn.

Are you saying that by way of offering advice about my financial situation?

[Mark Crump]

If you can get work doing that, and have no shame, go for it!

[extarbags]

Dude, I make collection calls for a "sub-prime" credit card company for a living. Anything is a step up.

[Mark Crump]

Shit. mop guy at a peep show is a step up.

[shift6]

And what, precisely, is wrong with keeping it smooth down under?

[Lunch of Kong]

Some people consider it vain and hold vanity to be a vice.

[Union Carbide]

Some people are fucking stupid.

[arctangent]

Some people have ingrown hairs.

[amiller320]

re: rent, bills, etc -- you might try contacting your landlord, utility companies, etc, tell them what's going on, and see if they're able to make some sort of medical-hardship payment arrangement for the month's bills. They're not obligated to, but, many businesses are able to accomodate these sorts of situations if you fill 'em in. They'll definitely be more understanding if you let them know what's up *before* checks start bouncing, etc.

That aside, hang in there, that sounds really, really sucky.

+1 on this advice. Try to head off the issue before it becomes a problem.

[Bill Dungsroman]

Some people have sweaty balls.

[Elton]

I can't be the only dickhead who saw the thread title and though it would be a flamewar about the effectiveness of the First Aid and Doctor skills in a series of post-nuclear RPGs.

Sorry to hear about the problems, extarbags. Can't offer any advice besides urging you not to go to work when you're doped up and can't walk straight. At least you have a nurse coming to your house to help pack your stunt cock. Probably not as exciting as it sounds though.

[extarbags]

So check this out: I got a letter in the mail yesterday from my now-previous employer stating that, because I didn't show up for work three times in a row without calling out, they're taking that as notice that I've quit. The catch? I called the attendance line every Friday and told them I wouldn't be coming in for the weekend, and only this past weekend, after I was officially no longer with the company, was I told to call back on Saturday and Sunday (which I didn't, because the person who told me that didn't seem to know what they were talking about). They didn't once call me on the number I left them to ask me what was going on or anything. So tomorrow I'm going to call them, explain the situation just so they know, get nowhere, and then file for unemployment. Wicked.

Another fun story from yesterday: I'm almost out of Percocet, so I called the surgeon asking for a refill. The nurse said she'd check with the doctor and call me back. When she did call me back a few minutes later, she informed me that, unfortunately, they aren't allowed to call in prescriptions for Percocet... so she just went ahead and upgraded me to Vicodin.

Edit: so uh, hey, any tips on taking this? I imagine it'll be a smaller dose, but from what I understand, Vicodin is quite a bit more serious stuff... anything I should be worried about?

[Sharpe]

I missed this thread initially, but does your state have some form of State Disability Insurance? You mentioned that you are now going to file for unemployment, but a lot of states also have disability insurance in addition to unemployment. If you don't know it's probably worth a google of your state name and "state disability insurance" to see. Depending on the rules, it might not be too late to file for state disability, which might pay you some of your lost wages. In CA you would probably be eligible for 2/3 of your lost wages tax free.

Also, in hindsight calling in sick when you have a medical reason to be out is not the best plan. It's usually better in that situation to tell your employer in writing, with a doctor's note if one is requested. That avoids the whole "oops, misunderstanding, YOU'RE FIRED!" scenario.

Lastly as to Vicodin, it seems to have a strong effect on certain people (it can be psychologically addictive for some from what I understand) but not much effect on others. Just take it as prescribed and if you start to take more than prescribed or feel a strong craving for it, call your doctor.

[extarbags]

I missed this thread initially, but does your state have some form of State Disability Insurance? You mentioned that you are now going to file for unemployment, but a lot of states also have disability insurance in addition to unemployment. If you don't know it's probably worth a google of your state name and "state disability insurance" to see. Depending on the rules, it might not be too late to file for state disability, which might pay you some of your lost wages. In CA you would probably be eligible for 2/3 of your lost wages tax free.

A quick Google search seems to indicate that this is only available in PA if I'm going to be unable to work during the whole next year, which isn't the case (I may, in fact, have been ready to work this weekend or probably next).

Also, in hindsight calling in sick when you have a medical reason to be out is not the best plan. It's usually better in that situation to tell your employer in writing, with a doctor's note if one is requested. That avoids the whole "oops, misunderstanding, YOU'RE FIRED!" scenario.

Yeah, could be. Whatev. I kind of figured they might not invite me back anyway, and I guess it's better that I found out now rather than when I showed up for work one day. I'm just a little pissed that they didn't, like, call me, or tell me when I called them. But, you know, I'm going to call them and explain the situation, mostly just to smooth over the conditions of my leaving. But I was looking for a new job anyway, so it's not like I'm exactly heartbroken that my exciting career in collections has come to a close.

Lastly as to Vicodin, it seems to have a strong effect on certain people (it can be psychologically addictive for some from what I understand) but not much effect on others. Just take it as prescribed and if you start to take more than prescribed or feel a strong craving for it, call your doctor.

Thanks for the tip. I'm sure it'll be fine, I'm just a little intimidated, because I'm normally extremely drug-free. Actually, I didn't want to take the Percocet either, and initially tried Tylenol, of all things, but quickly realized that that wouldn't fly. I'm just a worriwort, I guess, and I just want to know what I'm getting into, since every site I can find about it is either a dry scientific list of potential side effects, a site trying to sell me some drugs, or accounts of recreational drug use.

[Charlatan]

When I had my knee arthroscopy in March, I initially was given Percoset. But I also got the Vicodin refills. I was taking them pretty sparingly, but I tell ya, it got to the point (really quickly) where I was feeling like crap and then I took a Vicodin to feel better. After a few days of this I realized I was feeling like crap because the Vicodin was wearing off, and I was getting a little addicted to them. So I decided the heck with it and just stopped taking them altogether - I felt like I had an extreme case of the flu for maybe 3 days (I mean achy all over, complete lack of motivation, and incredible lethargy) before it got out of my system. Bottomline is, be careful taking them (I could take Percosets like candy and they never seemed to have this addictive effect on me, so the Vicodin's effet was quite a shock).

[extarbags]

When I had my knee arthroscopy in March, I initially was given Percoset. But I also got the Vicodin refills. I was taking them pretty sparingly, but I tell ya, it got to the point (really quickly) where I was feeling like crap and then I took a Vicodin to feel better. After a few days of this I realized I was feeling like crap because the Vicodin was wearing off, and I was getting a little addicted to them. So I decided the heck with it and just stopped taking them altogether - I felt like I had the flu for maybe 3 days before they got out of my system. Bottomline is, be careful taking them (I could take Percosets like candy and they never seemed to have this addictive effect on me, so the Vicodin's effet was quite a shock).

Hmm. How often were you taking them? I'm allowed one Percoset (5mg) every four hours, but I don't take them that often. I usually take two a day.

[Charlatan]

The Percosets didn't phase me - I was allowed 2 every 8 hours or so (don't recall the strength). I only took 2 once or twice, right after the surgery, then I ended up taking one a day roughly - typically at night, when my knee started to hurt.

[extarbags]

How often were you taking the Vicodin, I mean. Just once a day? And you started having withdrawal symptoms after a couple days? Jeepers.

[Mark Crump]

Depending on your state, you may not qualify for unemployment if the company says you quit.

[extarbags]

Well, the way it works in PA is that you file for unemployment, you tell them what happened, and then they notify the company and the company has the option to fight it. But if I say "I called them every weekend and called out, they never told me there was a problem, and I had a legitimate medical reason to not be at work, and those phone calls were recorded and the attendance department just never gave the message to my supervisor" and they just say "he quit," I don't think I'd be declined. They don't automatically take the company's word for it, at any rate. Also, I'm hoping (but possibly in vain, because you know how corporate beauracracies are) that my smoothing-it-over-with-them phone call will help avoid any of that trouble, because anyone who cares to go over what happened will plainly arrive at the conclusion that there was a miscommunication between the attendance department and my department.

[shift6]

I filed for unemployment once in Nevada based on my previous employment being termed (the external contract was cut off early, so they let me go). My employer "fought it" for some reason. Their HR person showed up to a mediation with me and asked me what was going on, and of course I didn't know. We both told the mediator that yes, I was in fact termed early but not for a performance reason. He even asked why we were all there that day, and no one knew.

I still don't think anyone at the company knows who "challenged" the unemployment claim. So extarbags, if you are legitimately qualified for it and need it, I say follow up on it.

[extarbags]

And so I shall.

[HUMBY50]

Vicodin doesn't seem to be licensed in the UK so I don't have any experience in it's use.

However, what i'd normally say to someone taking strong opioids on a regular basisi would be to take the maximum dose of paracetamol (TWO up to FOUR times a day) and possibly a non-steroidal (eg. ibuprofen 400mg THREE times a day) before going to the opioid.

I say possibly for a non-steroidal because of the potential problems they can cause in the stomach (take with food to minimise this) and interactions with other medicines/conditions such as asthma and blood pressure tablets. Neither of these types of painkillers are physiologically addictive and may mean you don't need to go to the Vicodin quite so often.

From what i've just looked up briefly on google Vicodin does seem to be one of the more frequently abused opiates in the US so maybe be cautious about using it but i wouldn't let it stop you using it altogether if you need it for the pain. If it's really worrying you is there no way you can have a word with the Doctor to ask for an alternative?

[extarbags]

However, what i'd normally say to someone taking strong opioids on a regular basisi would be to take the maximum dose of paracetamol (TWO up to FOUR times a day) and possibly a non-steroidal (eg. ibuprofen 400mg THREE times a day) before going to the opioid.

Yeah, they don't help.

From what i've just looked up briefly on google Vicodin does seem to be one of the more frequently abused opiates in the US so maybe be cautious about using it but i wouldn't let it stop you using it altogether if you need it for the pain. If it's really worrying you is there no way you can have a word with the Doctor to ask for an alternative?

Well, I will if there's a problem. I'd just feel like a first class ass asking them to change it before I've even tried it.

[Robert Sharp]

Vicodin is a narcotic, which means it's physcially addictive. Be careful with that stuff. Yes, even one a day will cause withdrawal symptoms when you stop.

[Tyjenks]

I missed this thread, initially, and here I was whining about some little painful bumps on my arm. What a douche!

Hope you get to feeling better extar.

[extarbags]

Thanks for the well-wishing, Ty.

[Ben]

I got Vicodin when I had my wisdom teeth crack and they didn't do shit for me. Pop them like aspirin.

[Robert Sharp]

I'm pretty sure Vicodin is a general name for a class of pills. The dosage of these pills differ. For wisdom teeth, the dosage is usually pretty small.

[Mark Crump]

I hope the unemployment thing works out. It's sucks when companies are pricks about this sort of thing and contest it.