What are my chances with this injury?

[lonegreywolf20]

I'm sorry in advance if this ends up long.

Back on May31, 2010 while cooking breakfast for my me and my wife, I accidently put a steak knife through my hand. I severed two of the tendons, both of which control my middle finger's bending ability. Right now it's stuck in the up position and the only way it bends is by me pushing it with my other fingers or hand.

I have been to an orthopedic surgeon and he told me there is nothing he can do and I need to see a hand surgeon/specialist. What needs to be done is is the two tendons need to be reconstructed since they have retracted back into my hand and finger. The county public insurance will not pay for anyone outside the county and no one inside the county will take the insurance that's able to do the surgeries required. So I have to pay for it on my own, and I don't have that kind of money nor am I able to get a loan for that much. I have been told that it's equivalent to a mortgage in cost for these surgeries and subsequent months of rehab.

I am a current EMT-B in the state of Florida. My NREMT cert will not run out till 2012 and my Florida cert will renew this year, of which I only need to take an HIV course because it's my first renewal. I was an EMT for 3 1/2 years from 2002 - 2005, but let my cert lapse when living in NYS.

The reason why I am asking is because I'm not sure that anyone will want to hire me. My injured hand/finger has weakened and I have been told that rehab will not do anything until my finger is fixed. That one one part of your hand is injured, the rest will essentially be injured right along with it. I still have pain where the knife went through. I am a competent EMT and love being one. I am still going through with the pre-reqs to start Medic class.

This seems to be the only field that I excel in and comes easy to me. Other than warehousing, which I am now unable to do per ortho orders, I have no other skills. The ortho recommended that I stick to a desk job or work at home until my hand is fixed or I retire. I have no desk job skills and all the work at home jobs I have found are scams. As it is, I have been unable to find a job, even after getting my EMT cert back in December before my injury. I blame that on the economy and the fact that the only EMS is county EMS and they haven't been hiring.

Is there a chance someone will hire me, or should I just accept what the ortho says and just find a desk job somewhere?

 

[Ryano]

Hey,

I still bet you will get hiried, There was a paramedic I clinicaled with that was missing a finger so I bet you will be fine, in my opinion.

 

[lonegreywolf20]

Hey,

I still bet you will get hiried, There was a paramedic I clinicaled with that was missing a finger so I bet you will be fine, in my opinion.

Thanks for the confidence.

I can see one issue though with me. The gentleman that was missing a finger had his injury done and over with so to speak. My finger sticks out and since I am unable to bend it, the finger would become a hazard, no? Can get broken, crushed, torn, etc... I don't have the ability to close my hand completely leaving that finger exposed to many dangers.

I normally wear a splint on the finger, but if I was working I couldn't since I would have to put gloves on and gloves will not fit over that splint.

I'm just trying to think of what an employer may say.

 

[Tizzy]

Get rid of the finger.

 

[lonegreywolf20]

Get rid of the finger.

I don't have the money to get the other surgery, yet you want me to get rid of the finger? It may be cheaper, but I don't have that kind of money either, nor am I ready to part with my finger. I haven't lost feeling in it, it's just unbendable.

 

[firetender]

Dealing with a Perpetual Bird Finger?

(I'm not mocking here, but, realistically, if it is often misconstrued that way, it could be a built-in hurdle that could conceivably consume time on every call!)

When I think of your question, I don't worry whether or not you'll get hired, I worry if by doing the work you would HURT the mobility and function you have left to work with.

You're on your way to mending, you aren't there yet so you still have quite a bit of adjustment to do before you put it to the test of actual situations where YOUR ability to function could mean the difference between life and death. Ultimately, my first thought is don't do anything rash that will damage yourself. Next comes be realistic about your ability to perform; there are lots of things you can do in EMS (ER, dispatch) where that wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Tizzy]

You could research alternative healing methods, which would take a long time and possibly not work, pay a mortgage, or get rid of the finger.

I'm assuming the finger can't bend at the first two joints, only the knuckle if it's pushed on? If you taped your forefinger to your gimp finger, would it follow the flex of the forefinger?

I don't know.

 

[lonegreywolf20]

(I'm not mocking here, but, realistically, if it is often misconstrued that way, it could be a built-in hurdle that could conceivably consume time on every call!)

When I think of your question, I don't worry whether or not you'll get hired, I worry if by doing the work you would HURT the mobility and function you have left to work with.

You're on your way to mending, you aren't there yet so you still have quite a bit of adjustment to do before you put it to the test of actual situations where YOUR ability to function could mean the difference between life and death. Ultimately, my first thought is don't do anything rash that will damage yourself. Next comes be realistic about your ability to perform; there are lots of things you can do in EMS (ER, dispatch) where that wouldn't be an issue.

I know that you're not mocking, as we have joked about that fact since it happened.

Yes, I am worried about the mobility and function I do currently have.

Can you tell me the things I could do in the ER? Are you talking Patient Care Tech or Medical Assistnat type jobs?

 

[lonegreywolf20]

You could research alternative healing methods, which would take a long time and possibly not work, pay a mortgage, or get rid of the finger.

I'm assuming the finger can't bend at the first two joints, only the knuckle if it's pushed on? If you taped your forefinger to your gimp finger, would it follow the flex of the forefinger?

I don't know.

Unfortuneately, unless the alternate healing methods would reattach the tendons, those are out. I'm not even considering getting rid of the finger. That would be a rash decision.

You're pretty much correct in your assumption in regards to the mobility. I can move it up and down at the knuckle on it's own, but I can not curl my finger (if that makes better sense). It would follow the flex of that finger, yes, but I have tried taping it already and because they don't bend at the spots it's very disjointed in it's bend.

It's also very stiff. I bend/stretch it each day to retain some flexibility in it.

 

[medicdan]

Is it your left or right hand? Does it interfere with work as an EMT (including lifting a stretcher, lifting a stair chair, doing paperwork, etc?

 

[emt seeking first job]

I'm sorry in advance if this ends up long.

Back on May31, 2010 while cooking breakfast for my me and my wife, I accidently put a steak knife through my hand. I severed two of the tendons, both of which control my middle finger's bending ability. Right now it's stuck in the up position and the only way it bends is by me pushing it with my other fingers or hand.

I have been to an orthopedic surgeon and he told me there is nothing he can do and I need to see a hand surgeon/specialist. What needs to be done is is the two tendons need to be reconstructed since they have retracted back into my hand and finger. The county public insurance will not pay for anyone outside the county and no one inside the county will take the insurance that's able to do the surgeries required. So I have to pay for it on my own, and I don't have that kind of money nor am I able to get a loan for that much. I have been told that it's equivalent to a mortgage in cost for these surgeries and subsequent months of rehab.

I am a current EMT-B in the state of Florida. My NREMT cert will not run out till 2012 and my Florida cert will renew this year, of which I only need to take an HIV course because it's my first renewal. I was an EMT for 3 1/2 years from 2002 - 2005, but let my cert lapse when living in NYS.

The reason why I am asking is because I'm not sure that anyone will want to hire me. My injured hand/finger has weakened and I have been told that rehab will not do anything until my finger is fixed. That one one part of your hand is injured, the rest will essentially be injured right along with it. I still have pain where the knife went through. I am a competent EMT and love being one. I am still going through with the pre-reqs to start Medic class.

This seems to be the only field that I excel in and comes easy to me. Other than warehousing, which I am now unable to do per ortho orders, I have no other skills. The ortho recommended that I stick to a desk job or work at home until my hand is fixed or I retire. I have no desk job skills and all the work at home jobs I have found are scams. As it is, I have been unable to find a job, even after getting my EMT cert back in December before my injury. I blame that on the economy and the fact that the only EMS is county EMS and they haven't been hiring.

Is there a chance someone will hire me, or should I just accept what the ortho says and just find a desk job somewhere?

Are you 100% sure your insurance plan will not cover an out of county provider if non in the county can do the operation?

May I suggest going to the in county hospital which can do any surgery, speak to the social worker or patient rep and explain the situation and see if they offer any options? Would you qualify for emergency medicaid?

IMHO, go there Monday AM and ask.

As far as someone employing you, I would think, IMHO, its a matter of applying, going through the process and let who ever the gate-keepr is let you know.

Best wishes and I hope everything works out for you.

 

[emt seeking first job]

Something seemes fishy about the coverage, as I said. If your policy WOULD cover the surgery, but nobody in the county will take your plan, and the plan only covers providers in the county, it seems as if there should be some option.

In addition to the hospital social worker (they have an incentive to get your plan to pay them, or have you qualify for emergency medicaid), can you see a county social worker, your local state senator/assembly/US Congress.

Would'nt your plan have to cover emergency stabilizing care if you were anywhere in the USA....?

Something just seems odd about that, if reconstructive surgery is covered under the plan, in general, wouldnt they be obligated to refer you to a provider.

Also, did you call every surgeon?

Back in 2000 I had a hernia, the surgeon someone recommended was not part of my plan, yet when I called him, his office said they would take whatever my plan will pay for an outside provider as full payment....

 

[mcdonl]

I saw a medic at the ED yesterday who looked like he had RSD... his left hand and left foot both "curled" up. He limped, and had obvious lack of ability with one of his hands, but he is a medic for the busiest service in our state.

 

[lonegreywolf20]

It's a county public healthcare plan. The county provides it for people who don't have any insurance and who are unable to pay for medical care. This is what the social workers have set me up with. I am ineligible for Medicaid because I don't have any children that live with me.

This is the only kind of healthcare I can get right now. They don't have any contracts with anyone out of county. They even say in the member handbook that they will not cover anything out of county. Everyone in county that they have is an ortho surgeon and everyone of those that I spoke with told me they will not do the surgery. I have called hand surgoens in the county and they will not take this healthplan.

"Would'nt your plan have to cover emergency stabilizing care if you were anywhere in the USA....?"

No, they only cover in county hospitals. Again, that is in the handbook.

"May I suggest going to the in county hospital which can do any surgery, speak to the social worker or patient rep and explain the situation and see if they offer any options? Would you qualify for emergency medicaid?"

I have talked with all the hospitals, there is no "county" hospital and none of them have a hand surgeon that is on staff except for one and because my injuury is so old, I would have to see him in his out of hospital office like a normal client. His office doesn't take the county healthplan either.

The only option that they provided was this county healthplan.

The main problem is that it took so long to get this county healthplan that no ortho wants to touch my hand. Had it been within 10 days of the unjury they would have done it, but because it's now over 2 months since the unjury, they say I need a hand surgeon. Someone that works exclusively on hands.

 

[medic417]

If your state has a workers commission or a rehab department go see them. In Texas we have http://www.twc.state.tx.us/ and http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ they have been known to help workers get the treatments they need so they can return to work. Perhaps your state has something similar.

 

[emt seeking first job]

It's a county public healthcare plan. The county provides it for people who don't have any insurance and who are unable to pay for medical care. This is what the social workers have set me up with. I am ineligible for Medicaid because I don't have any children that live with me.

This is the only kind of healthcare I can get right now. They don't have any contracts with anyone out of county. They even say in the member handbook that they will not cover anything out of county. Everyone in county that they have is an ortho surgeon and everyone of those that I spoke with told me they will not do the surgery. I have called hand surgoens in the county and they will not take this healthplan.

"Would'nt your plan have to cover emergency stabilizing care if you were anywhere in the USA....?"

No, they only cover in county hospitals. Again, that is in the handbook.

"May I suggest going to the in county hospital which can do any surgery, speak to the social worker or patient rep and explain the situation and see if they offer any options? Would you qualify for emergency medicaid?"

I have talked with all the hospitals, there is no "county" hospital and none of them have a hand surgeon that is on staff except for one and because my injuury is so old, I would have to see him in his out of hospital office like a normal client. His office doesn't take the county healthplan either.

The only option that they provided was this county healthplan.

The main problem is that it took so long to get this county healthplan that no ortho wants to touch my hand. Had it been within 10 days of the unjury they would have done it, but because it's now over 2 months since the unjury, they say I need a hand surgeon. Someone that works exclusively on hands.

So you did not have the coverage at the time of the accident ?

Re: Medicaid, I know may people who have no children who are on medicaid.

It goes by income, I thought.

 

[emt seeking first job]

different thought

is there anywhere you can vollie ?

if you can handle working on a vollie bus, and get a refrence to attest to it, why couldnt you work on a paid one?

 

[lonegreywolf20]

So you did not have the coverage at the time of the accident ?

Re: Medicaid, I know may people who have no children who are on medicaid.

It goes by income, I thought.

I did not have coverage that that time, no.

In Florida after talking with the social workers and doing research, the onyl way you get Medicaid is if you have Children and make under a certain amount of money, but you have to have both criteria or are clearly disabled. My wife has SSDI and is classified as disbaled because of her MS. She has Medicare and Medicaid.

 

[lonegreywolf20]

is there anywhere you can vollie ?

if you can handle working on a vollie bus, and get a refrence to attest to it, why couldnt you work on a paid one?

There is one place to to be a volunteer at the auxillary, but it's hard to get into them, but that is a route to go when I am healed more.

 

[emt seeking first job]

There is one place to to be a volunteer at the auxillary, but it's hard to get into them, but that is a route to go when I am healed more.

Is there a vollie service out of your community yet within travel range?

See if you can start, maybe as dispatcher, or got through the training.