Work Injury: and I am stressing
Gm i am a lupus warrior was diagnosed in 2019 just to give you a little history of myself 💜🤓
this is a very serious question that has been heavy on my mind for some weeks now I was hurt at work on July 7, 2024. I fell out of a chair. To make a long story short, I have a small tear in my right rotator cuff and I re-injured my right hand, which I’ve injured before in the past at work back in 2016…. I live in Jersey and here when you get hurt on the job, you see a doctor called Worker’s Comp.. I’ve only had two weeks of physical therapy and now they are trying to send me back to work. No I don’t believe I’m ready to go back and on top of that they are asking me to take a test called FCE
If you aren’t familiar with the term it is a facility capacity exam That will determine if I’m fit or unfit for duty! So my concerns are with my Lupus I don’t think I will be able to take it much less in order to return to work!
That test if you look it up can be very strenuous. It can take 4 to 6 hours straight and it can also take one or two days.. So with that being said my question to the advisers or Doctors the rheumatologist, can you please advise what do you think I should do in this matter and to my fellow lupies has anyone else taking this test before and if so, what was your experience? Thanks in advance.
P.S. If an advocate or a professional person in this field, could please give me a call I would also like to speak to someone in person one🫶🏾
Hi,
!
I'm sorry you are in this situation. I live in a right-to-work state (Indiana), so I can empathize a bit with the situation you are in. Right-to-work is a misnomer -- it's definitely not about worker's rights. And my husband has had to use Workman's Comp doctors in the past, so I know what that's like.
All that to say is, I can't really advise you much. I would definitely be in touch with your regular physicians and maybe ask them to right letters for you, attesting to your unpreparedness to return to the workplace. If your body isn't ready; it's not ready. But, if you think even the testing would be too strenuous, perhaps your rheumatologist can write a letter for you stating that. New Jersey appears to be a worker friendly state, so you have that on your side. And, this is pretty basic information, but this link provides some data on your rights as an employee -- https://lupus.net/resources-work. It's not much, but I hope it helps.
I am not familiar with the test you have mentioned, so I am unable to offer any guidance on that. I do hope other community members with more useful knowledge than I can chime in here!
Please keep us posted, if you feel comfortable doing so.
Best, Erin, Team Member.Thank you so much for replying. I really appreciate it and I will definitely look up that website.
,
As Erin mentioned, your doctor (or rheumatologist) would be your best resource.
I do hope others that have been through this process will be able to chime in here and share their experiences.
I wish you all the best as you search for answers and resolution.
~Doreen (Team Member)
thank you so much to responding
