My DMP Journey...

Monkeyballs

Wednesday 11th June

So, I had a session at the gym in the hospital today to do a back work out! It was actually good fun and although a few movements were painful I put in a good effort and rather amusingly was telling the therapist leading the session how to do some of the exercises as she seemed a little... Vague whereas I've months of experience of doing the Superman on a gym ball LOL

I did get annoyed a couple of times when my old physio told me to sit down on a reclining exercise bike to warm up as it agitated my back and she was telling me off for wriggling and being lopsided - have you not listened to me for the last 6 months? Grrr... I know it's for my own good but don't put me down for not being entirely comfortable doing something you know I've been struggling with!

Also, rather bizarrely she said I need to start to consider going back into work but doing something less sedentary... I have a desk job! Should I carry it around with me? Sadly I don't have the sort of job that I can just stop doing every five minutes and going for a walk or doing some exercises - some days I sit in the same position for up to 8 hours with only the occasional loo break

Ok, rant over - I know she is trying to just encourage me but me being able to do an hours work out on the floor and on a gym ball doesn't mean I'm cured I wish it did, I'd have gone back months ago just hush up and get me an MRI sorted out, it's been frikken ages...

Anyway, all that aside it was great having an activity to do in a group (which was free ) and I'm already looking forward to next week!

On a financial note, I finally managed to get a reply from the Cheque Centre - not an official response to my complaint but I asked last Friday if there was an update or if they needed more info from me as their complaint process says I can ask for an update on progress anytime and expect a prompt response...I chased again this morning and got an apology for the lack of reply and telling me that it's still being investigated but within the next month I'll get an email to tell me a final response has been posted out to me...

I'm glad to get a reply and I'm not angry about the delay as I know they have 8 weeks and don't need to communicate in that time but I have a feeling it's going to have to be raised to the FOS as I don't predict a positive response from them - call me a pessimist although if they did bung me a couple of grand then it'll be great to see a substantial dip in my total debts balance!

Laters all,

MB of G x

arsenalbarnie

Sorry to butt in, have been reading your diary for a while now. Have every sympathy with your back, my oh has had issues for a while now and mine would fall apart if I didn't do pilates. Re your desk job. Would work not consider getting you one of those fancy new desks that raise up, so you could work whilst standing? It may enable you to go back maybe part time?

Some companies seem to be trialling them for their staff as they are more healthy for everyone to use.

Monkeyballs

arsenalbarnie wrote: »

Sorry to butt in, have been reading your diary for a while now. Have every sympathy with your back, my oh has had issues for a while now and mine would fall apart if I didn't do pilates. Re your desk job. Would work not consider getting you one of those fancy new desks that raise up, so you could work whilst standing? It may enable you to go back maybe part time?

Some companies seem to be trialling them for their staff as they are more healthy for everyone to use.

Hi AB,

Feel free to butt in any time

At the moment one of my problems is actually getting to work as I'm limited to either cycling (can't get my leg over *ooer*) or the bus which cripples my back with the vibrations I recently had to pad the washing machine with tea towels and chopping boards because it developed a fault and was jiving around the kitchen causing havoc to my back!

Changes are however afoot and I may soon be able to get to a more easily accessible office and then it's just a case of going in and seeing what I can do and getting the necessary changes made to my workstation

I doubt that getting one of those rising desks will be an option just yet (I have pain standing too long anyway) but whether that will change in the near future is a different matter I've been told that they are unwilling to pay for me to have an MRI done privately as well so I just need to grin (or grimace through gritted teeth lol) for the moment but as far as being unable to do any work at all then fingers crossed those days are limited, even if it's just part time to begin with

MB

ShirePiskie

Monkeyballs wrote: »

I recently had to pad the washing machine with tea towels and chopping boards because it developed a fault and was jiving around the kitchen causing havoc to my back!

In no way want to detract from all the pain and trouble you're having with your back... BUT.... What were you doing on the washing machine????!!!!!:p

Monkeyballs

ShirePiskie wrote: »

In no way want to detract from all the pain and trouble you're having with your back... BUT.... What were you doing on the washing machine????!!!!!:p

LOL, it's cheaper than Alton Towers...

MB

ShirePiskie

But probably still better than Flambards (Cornwall's Alton Towers).

Seasidegal58

Hi MB - glad to hear that you enjoyed your gym session - although I sympathise with your reaction to the physio's comments. I put my back out a year or so ago (nothing as awful as your predicament!) and that's all you need when you're in pain - someone telling you can do something when it's agonising and there's no way you can!


Shame your firm won't pay for the private MRI - it would certainly speed things up - it's rotten just waiting and waiting...


Hope you don't mind me asking, but how did you put your back out in first place? Was it one of those daft things where you do something that gives you a slight twinge and then all hell breaks out sometime later?

Monkeyballs

Morning SSG,

Her comments made me feel guilty, that's the worst of it... Like I'm wasting her time or like I'm making it up! I've tried to be as honest as possible and while the Orthopedic specialist is joking (which I don't mind) and telling me that something like this might take 18 months I have a physio who seemingly is ignoring what I'm telling her? Grrr...

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the help I've received but what was probably intended as a throw away remark to me while I've been feeling quite low about the whole thing felt like a kick in the teeth

Anyway, enough whining since it's not even 7.30... How did it start? I was cycling, looked over my shoulder and BOOM! PAIN!

But it's changed a lot, in the beginning it was was pretty much completely immobilizing whereas now it seems to just be weight bearing so when I'm laying I'm fine but when I sit I get discomfort which slowly builds up to lower back pain (I'm probably exasperating this with my fidgeting to get comfy which is why I prefer not sitting which may be dragging it out), when I stand I need to hop around from one foot to the other (or just stand on my right leg and lean against something) and eventually I'm rocking around like I'm doing a hula LOL.

The worst is walking, I was walking like Quasimodo sort of stooped and limping (while holding my stomach in for support) but this was as much for speed as it was for comfort LOL. Then I was told to stop doing that and to concentrate walking upright (heel to toe, heel to toe, etc) which means I look normal but I either go very sloooooooowly taking pain free baby steps until my back goes or normal speed at which point my hip starts to ache (and it feels like it's sticking?) and my back goes and I need to slow down anyway!

Hopefully the recent changes with more pain being generated in my hip will make my GP go "Aha! I know what this is!" and I'll be given a magic pill and it will go away LOL but knowing my luck she'l go "Aha! I know what it is, I'll request an appointment with someone who has a long waiting list!"

I probably shouldn't complain because I know there are people in a worse state than me but my housemate wrapped it up beautifully yesterday "If I felt ill then I wouldn't want to be at work, but I don't, I want to but I can't"

Hand on heart, I miss the people and couldn't give a stuff about my job LOL the one thing this time has given me is the realisation that I'm doing this job for the money and nothing else... I'm hoping redundancy comes up so I can take VR and I can do something more enjoyable. I have a nasty feeling that even when I get back to work this is something that is going to be bothering me for years to come and having an overly stressful job I don't enjoy will only contribute to my pain

Thinking out loud, I could earn £500 pcm less and still afford rent, food, bills and debt repayment (at a lower rate obviously) and be comfy! I wouldn't miss the money as I've never had it LOL hmmmm... could this be a new beginning for Monkeyballs?

MB x

Monkeyballs

Soooooo... What did the rest of today bring?

I had a GP appointment today and had a bit of a whinge about some of the comments I've had from my physio of late... My GP is lovely, she told me to ignore her because she doesn't understand how me laying on the floor and doing stretches would mean I shouldn't be getting pain from something load bearing like walking either! She reckons it's just a "medical professional being frustrated over lack of results" which I totally get

All that said, I've been signed off for another 6 weeks and told to continue doing what I'm doing (as in what I'm told to do LOL) but agrees that it could be up to 18 months... That'd be this time next year!!!!! LOL lets pray it's not, I'm not religious but I'm on my knees and as I can't get up I may as well do something

The next bit of news is that Barclaycard seem to have frozen interest Hurrah!!! They never told me they were going to but as I'm now paying less than I had been before (about 0.5% of balance) then it was more or less expected... Still nice to see though

I do however have some more Amitriptyline which hopefully means I can sleep tonight!!!!!! I can't wait fr a full nights sleep.... Ahhhhh....

And finally, I got a quick message today from the Cheque Centre to confirm that they have a final response which has been posted so it should arrive in the next few days...

I'm a realist and am expecting a "we apologise but no compensation is due" type letter which is fine as I'll happily contact the FOS if I need to but it is a bit exciting I think, even though I paid in total about £7k over the course of a few years I'd be happy if they said here's a tenner now jog on LOL my mood may have changed tomorrow after a good nights sleep when my fighting spirit returns

Ciao bella!

MB of G x

nextyeartina

Could Barclaycard have reduced the interest due to your SC payment going down? That's what happened to me. Fingers crossed with the Cheque Centre


Tina xxx