waiting for news....

Best wishes for a good outcome.

Praying for Hubby and you Lady M.

I hope you're not going out of your mind thinking about it and that you hear some clarification really soon.

Praying for you both.

Thanks one and all! I am not going out of my mind, he is still walking and breathing so everything is okay, lol. It's just been a long road to get the VA to realize he is really bad off. He does not complain about his aches and pains, no one sees him stuck in bed after drill weekends, etc. so everyone thinks he is okay.

Hubby is good about returning calls, however he called the doctor back, got transferred 5 times and ended up leaving two messages, but they never got back to him. He will try again first thing in the morning when he gets to work. He has told them multiple times to call his work number, but they still insist on calling his cell.

no idea at this point. the pain is in his trapezius muscle, kind of closer to his neck. It hurts mostly when his arm is lifted straight out and he is pulling something toward him.

All the best! Doctors - blech!

thanks!

I hope your husband feels better by morning. Did this occur over this past weekend when you two had the house to yourselves??? Remember, as we get older we’re no longer contortionists.....lol

  nope -- he did it in March while at annual training.  though certain activities can aggravate it   His trip two weeks ago did a number on it, he had to pack, load, unload, unpack photo equipment to do his job out of town.  Most of the time it isn't bad, just once in awhile it gives him a twinge.

Lady Margaret you’re in my thoughts and I hope it works out .

Just for some clarification here, I am not really worried, just curious as to what they have to say. Hubby and I know what shape his back is in, it's just a matter of getting his health professionals to take a careful look at him instead of dismissing him as another guy looking for pain medication. He goes in complaining about back pain, but because he doesn't act like they think someone in pain should, or because he's still working and being physical, they dismiss what he says. Unless hubby is paralyzed, he is going to continue doing physical work because it's in his nature. He can't sit still. It hurts him, but he works through the pain. People don't understand that. Sometimes I want to scream at them -- Marines don't acknowledge pain and they don't let it hold them back!!! He's stubborn, and he will remain stubborn until he can no longer get out of bed.

He was first awarded disability ratings on his back and knees (service connected) in 2010. It was a year after we submitted the paperwork. He went for his exam in February and was awarded his disability a month later (which was crazy fast, we didn't expect that at all) and he got a year of back pay since we had submitted the request a year prior. At 30% it wasn't a huge check, but it was nice since he was unemployed at the time. Gradually over the years we requested reviews and he's been gradually upgraded. He is currently at 60% but his back was not properly evaluated last time. His back condition is degenerative, so we know it is continually getting worse, but they are not monitoring it.

Three years ago he hurt his back while at a carpentry school with the Army. They sent him to the hospital in town and they xrayed his back. An LOD was done, which meant once he got home there would be follow up. They authorized a doctor visit. We went to a friend of a friend. He sent hubby for another xray. He compared the two and told him that he could make an argument for rheumatoid arthritis right now. He recommended he see his doctor. A few months later hubby did go in to see his doctor and complained about his hands -- he has been having tingling, burning and numbness. He was an admin clerk in the Marines and typed every day, so he suspected carpal tunnel. She was going to send him in for xrays for his wrists and I said he needed a new xray on his back (the VA hadn't done one since his intact in 2010, it was now roughly 2015) She commented they didn't like to do a lot of xrays because it increases risk of cancer, blah blah blah, to which I firmly stated, his condition is degenerative and it hasn't been checked in five years, he needs a new back xray, so she put in for a back xray. Hubby went up the following week for the xrays. A day later the Clinic was blowing up our phones trying to get in touch with hubby and when he talked to them they were in a frenzy, falling all over themselves and offering him narcotics for his back. Obviously the xray revealed to them what we'd been trying to tell them all along. He refused the narcotics. He wanted physical therapy and to discuss alternatives. The doctor never followed up with him. I'm not sure she ever saw the xray.

Fast forward to this week, they did a new xray on his back, which the doctor obviously saw this time, and she's blowing up hubby's cell phone. So, I am highly curious to hear what she has to say, and that really is all this is about, curiosity to see if the VA will finally take his condition seriously. They may recommend surgery, which hubby will NOT go for. Know too many people that back surgery did more harm than good.

Hubby is supposed to call this morning, so I'm still waiting, lol.

Agreed. I know several people who have had major improvement from back surgery. The methods are better now. But all had to give up physical work before they had the surgery. Time marches om, as does entropy.

I've got the same rubber ball Mark has. I also have an ergonomic knee chair, as well as a stand-up desk. I've tried lots of things, have been thru physical therapy, lots of chiropractic, pain meds, muscle relaxers...you name it. I turn 56 next time, but have had back stuff since I was 30 or so...due to my previous work. I deal with it everyday, so I can certainly relate.

As to the surgery options...you have to do what's right for you. While I don't deny some excellent outcomes others have, the results are fairly even between "doing great" and "doing worse" amongst the folks I know, since back surgery...including my sister-in-law. She's had 2 surgeries now, the most recent just a few months ago...and she's having some major issues. Not meant to provoke fear at all, just proceed with an informed choice once you've done your homework.

Yep, sounds like a good plan. So he and I are in a similar season.