In the
hospital, at every morning and evening shift change, the entire staff
would come in my room, say hello and ask me how I was doing. During my
stay one nurse gave me the wrong pill at the wrong
time and another thought she was giving me Celebrex, which I'm allergic
to. The physiotherapist (PT)
was giving me electric stimulation when I told him the pads on my back
and
neck weren't working.
The TV didn’t work the entire time I was there and that's the main
reason Peace
Corps gave me a private room. First world problems in a developing county!
After
6 days on drugs, in traction and with VERY little PT,
the pain was reduced, but I still had significant issues. The Peace
Corps put
me in a hotel and I continued PT, but couldn’t get beyond the numbness
in my
fingers and pain down my arm and back. Dr. Shava, the Peace Corps Medical
Officer (PCMO), asked me how I felt about going home for continued care?
Within 2 days I was on Medical Evacuation (Medevac) to the US. I’ve
been back in Chicago for over 6
weeks now, which is the maximum time allowed for medical leave and I’m
in the
process of administering everything for my Close Of Service (COS).
I’ve gone
from only being comfortable in a recliner, or lying down and not being able to
type at the computer, to just a little stiffness and slight pain in my upper
back. But, that’s not the kicker! During the PT for my back we were also
working on my shoulder and, well, the shoulder never got better. The pain wasn’t
nearly as bad as the issues resulting from my neck, but not being able to sleep
well, or do basic things without pain was not fun. So, last Friday I finally
had an MRI and I have what they call a full thickness rotator cuff tendon tear. The
recommendation, surgery.
As of the 28th of March I’m no longer a Peace Corps
Volunteer (PCV) and I'm currently working on a Federal Employment Compensation
Act (FECA) workman’s comp claim and possible disability through the
Department Of Labor (DOL). I’m returning to Truckee as a Returned Peace Corps
Volunteer (RPCV) and I didn’t receive an Early Termination (ET)
since it was a medical separation. I have an option to complete my PC service when I'm medically cleared. Enough acronyms for ya?
