DouglasB.
Senior Member
A little over a month ago, I busted up my right knee pretty good at work. Had to go to the ER night of, had x-rays, was told to schedule MRI and then go to Orthopedic Surgeon.
Well, Workmans Comp wasn't on par with that. Sent me to an Orthopedic Surgeon, who first said it was just a sprain who sent me to physical therapy.
3 weeks of physical therapy and the whole time my knee is still extremely swollen and in pain. Go back to the Ortho for a checkup, and he says it's a torn Meniscus, and FINALLY orders an MRI.
Again, workmans comp is in no rush... 2 weeks go by before I get scheduled for the MRI.
Just left the recap with my Ortho, and the final diagnoses? I managed to rip the cartiledge from the backside of my knee cap. Now a huge chunk of that is just floating around in my knee joint causing me all types of pain. My options? (And what I'd like to know what you would do.)
1.) Go in and take out the floater. 2 weeks recovery time. Bad thing, in 10 years I can expect arthritis to set in. Losing weight can help extend that 10 years.
2.) Cartiledge transplant. Recovery time 8 weeks. Extreme physical therapy. Afterwards it should be fixed.
Things to consider... I am the only breadwinner for my family. We are slated to move into a new house on September 1st. While workmans comp will pay for my lost wages, they will only pay my lost wages from the job it took place at, which is a part time job.
I'm honestly scared that we will lose our house if I have the big surgery... but from what I understand arthritis is pretty rough, too.
Well, Workmans Comp wasn't on par with that. Sent me to an Orthopedic Surgeon, who first said it was just a sprain who sent me to physical therapy.
3 weeks of physical therapy and the whole time my knee is still extremely swollen and in pain. Go back to the Ortho for a checkup, and he says it's a torn Meniscus, and FINALLY orders an MRI.
Again, workmans comp is in no rush... 2 weeks go by before I get scheduled for the MRI.
Just left the recap with my Ortho, and the final diagnoses? I managed to rip the cartiledge from the backside of my knee cap. Now a huge chunk of that is just floating around in my knee joint causing me all types of pain. My options? (And what I'd like to know what you would do.)
1.) Go in and take out the floater. 2 weeks recovery time. Bad thing, in 10 years I can expect arthritis to set in. Losing weight can help extend that 10 years.
2.) Cartiledge transplant. Recovery time 8 weeks. Extreme physical therapy. Afterwards it should be fixed.
Things to consider... I am the only breadwinner for my family. We are slated to move into a new house on September 1st. While workmans comp will pay for my lost wages, they will only pay my lost wages from the job it took place at, which is a part time job.
I'm honestly scared that we will lose our house if I have the big surgery... but from what I understand arthritis is pretty rough, too.
