It's not too often that you get to hear good news about someone who has come back from a workplace injury, but this story is about a man who has done just that. If you're a veteran from Maryland, then this may sound familiar; the man was injured during his time in Iraq, and he had to have his foot amputated due to pain and ongoing surgeries. Now, he's returning to work as a firefighter and proving that a workplace injury doesn't have to stop you.
When you're hurt in the military, you're usually treated through Veterans Affairs hospitals. This man was on watch duty in Iraq in 2009 when he fell 40 feet to the ground and crushed the talus bone in this ankle. He was treated multiple times over the next four years, and he had six surgeries just to keep his ankle functioning. All of those took place at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
When he had enough of the pain, he decided to have an amputation. He claims that his life is much easier now, and he has trained to be recertified in firefighting. He had to prove that he could meet some very specific standards, including being able to carry hoses, get on and off the fire trucks and move patients. He also had to be able to get dressed quickly; all firefighters must be able to get into gear within 2 minutes and 30 seconds. He was able to do it in a minute and 15 seconds.
All this shows is that if you have the right support for your recovery, you may be able to get back to work and back to what you love to do. If you're hurt at work, you deserve to have workers' compensation or other funds cover you needs while you recover, so you can being to move forward with your life.
