In October 2011, I fell head first out of my recliner when I fell asleep as I was starting to get up. It didn't knock me out but it sure did bruise my face badly. I went to the doctor a couple of days later and he got mad that I hadn't gone to the ER to be checked for a concussion. About a month later, I was at work when all of a sudden I fell and hit my head (same side as the other) on the travertine tile. I passed out at that time but don't know if I passed out before or after my head hit the floor. I was in the hospital with a deep brain bleed and serious concussion. I stayed in the ICU for a couple of days before I was sent home. I talked to the workers compensation people and they picked a neurologist for me to see. An appointment was made and I went to see Dr. Vehra for the first time. He didn't have much to say but was wondering more about the vertigo I had afterwards. He did do another CAT scan to make sure the brain bleed was dispersing. He had me see an ENT about the vertigo and he said it wasn't an ear problem and sent the report to the neurologist. Vehra disagreed with the ENT and I spent 2 months going to him just to report that the vertigo hadn't changed. He gave me exercises to do but they never did work. I saw my PCP and he did some tests for balance which I failed miserably. After 2 months, I was able to pass the standard drunk tests (with a little cheating on my part). I begged to go back to work but my PCP wouldn't sign off on it without the neurologist saying it was ok. Went back to the neurologist and he signed the back to work order with no problem.
Long story short, I started having problems with my memory. I work in a bank and prided myself in knowing my customers names. That was very hard to do now. I was constantly making mistakes, my personality changed where I had no patience and even had run ins with my supervisor. I was the best cross-seller of products before the accident and afterwards, I struggled to even make the minimum. In January 2013 so I wouldn't get fired for insubordination, I went to a new neurologist. He had me see all kinds of doctors and had them do the personality and other tests. They all told me that I should have never gone back to work because the damage was too great. This neurologist allowed me back to work because he was afraid I wouldn't get disability. The psychiatrist though said that he would do everything he could to make sure the disability came through. I finally finished my FMLA leave of 12 weeks, signed up for early social security and s/s disability as well as long term disability from the bank. I was approved for the early s/s and long term disability. I haven't heard from s/s on that disability.
I went to my pcp today to get checked out after gall bladder surgery & bile duct stent was put it. I told my pcp that I was no longer working and I thought he was going to cheer. He said that he also had thought I shouldn't go back to work at the time but I was so eager. I believe if he had told me his reasons and that he would help me, I would have stayed home and pursued the disability and filed for workers comp appeal since I was turned down. I spent 15 months wondering what was wrong with me and thinking that I was going nuts. Nope, I have a touch of dementia and my brain looks like I suffered a stroke and it won't regenerate that area. I just wish that all the doctors had told me the truth and let me & my husband make the decision on whether or not to go back to work. As it was, I took care of everything that I needed to, got my health insurance in place and am now enjoying being off work.
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