Cheryl's Blogspot

Last weekend my college aged daughter was reminiscing playing the game of Clue as we used to do on family game nights – before teen social calendars became too busy.  Clue was one of our favorite games, where you play detective to solve a murder mystery by ruling out possible suspects and murder weapons.  During the course of the game, if you think you have solved the mystery, you can lay down your cards and make the accusation of the murderer, but if you’re wrong, you lose the game! Solving the source of an injured worker’s back pain is much like the game of Clue.  The physical exam, diagnostics, and conservative treatment measures including medications, therapy, and injections will hopefully alleviate the pain source.  The general public has a misconception that surgery will “fix” their back.  Injured workers many times don’t like it when a second surgical opinion is recommended; it feels like the insurance carrier is cheaping out and won’t let them get their back “fixed.”  What

Visit Our Website                                                          Connect with me on LinkedIn It’s kind of an inside joke around our office that I’ve been called “brilliant” by a physician for my interpretation of a lumbar MRI.  This story happened several years ago when Stacy Mathis, RN working with me in training, and was my witness!  This physician is known for his eccentric personality, and he went all out to make me feel as though my critical thinking skills really were brilliant!  I was attending a clinic visit for MMI and PPI assignment of a shoulder and lumbar injury.  The shoulder had been complicated by a postoperative infection, and was now healed.  The lumbar injury had been diagnosed as a strain, although an MRI had been obtained to rule out a disc herniation.  I was expecting a high rating on the shoulder, as the IW did have limited ROM that was permanent.  I was not sure how the physician would approach the disc bulge.   I had done my homework to review t