Thanks to all that have helped!!!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Your Voice Changes Things...Oh and 30,000 views!!!

Wow...I've had this site up for about 3 months and I'm up to over 30,000 page views. This got me thinking about voice. We all have a voice, we use it for many things, good, bad, and indifferent. I've been lucky enough that I have been able to reach more people than I have ever thought possible. I've been blessed enough to achieve most of my goals, all of which, have been accomplished because when I needed your help and asked, you were there. I needed the Genium leg, thanks to the outpouring of support from the people who read this blog I was approved directly by Humana, which prior to my case was unheard of. I want you to know, this is changing the way Humana is doing business and they are approving others for the Genium and other microprocessor prosthetics. We used our voices and have changed the world for many others in my position who haven't had these opportunities. I needed more time to return to work, once again I asked you to use your voice, and today I received a letter in the mail confirming my medical leave extension through August 31st. There is so much power in speaking out. We can change the world with our voices. I once disbelieved that the "little guy" could ever change the minds of large companies or government agencies, this has proved me wrong and given me so much hope for the future. One approval, changed the system for many others. One extension, changed my life and allowed me to keep that all important insurance. So for 30,000 views, changing the lives of myself and possibly countless others,  One word spoken in love or hate or compassion can alter an entire course of events.

Now, on to the main point. Your voice sometimes is all you have. This experience has taught me that you can speak up or refuse to speak and both can equally change worlds. Moreover, I've been mulling the thought of the EMS 2.0 movement, which I recently learned about, and how this affects us as a profession. Quick primer for those who are uninitiated as I was to this ideology, the quick way to describe it is attempting to make EMS more than a job, make it a career, change patient care standards to reflect our high level of training, and use evidence based medicine to move EMS to the cutting edge of true prehospital care. Now, this is an area where we as a profession need to use our voices, Nurses, Firefighters, Police officers, they all have a voice and a loud one. They have representation on a national level. We need to stop the in-house bickering, City, Volunteer, Private service, we all have the same training and deserve the same rights. Use your voice to change things, one word can change the world.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Preparation

Sorry for the break in transmission over the past few days. I've had to take some time off of here to clear my head and prepare for the fight ahead in the coming months. I'm so excited to get this opportunity, to have the chance to return to LMEMS and prove that I am capable of doing this job at the service I love. Now I have to get prepared for the job ahead. I'm going to start a "work hardening" program in the coming weeks, which will not only help me learn how to do my job with the prosthetic, my therapist is an above knee amputee as well, so he can show me how he would do it and let me decide if that will work for me. It gives me a lot of hope to see other AK's out and moving with ease. I hope with my new socket I'll be able to do that as well. Speaking of the new socket, I'll be going on Monday to start the process, was supposed to go yesterday but I had so much going on that I just couldn't make it.

I've got to start sleeping...I've had insomnia over the past few weeks and now my days and nights are blurring, this makes getting things done and exercising very difficult. I'm up on my leg for at least 5-8 hours a day now, so that has increased significantly, but I'm a long way off from the 16 hours plus I'll need for my work schedule. I have a ton of conditioning and strength building to do before August gets here. I'm learning how to use my leg and all of it's amazing functions, I can go up and down stairs, walk in any direction, I'm learning to lift, kneel, get up from a prone position. I'm getting there, its just a slower process than I would like. I know I've not had my prosthetic that long but I have to constantly push myself. I want to be ahead of the curve. I want to be better everyday than I was the one prior. Until tomorrow...thank you all for your support and for reading this crazy journey I've been on.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Victory!!! Part 2

Well the impossible has happened. Thanks to the hard work and determination of many Louisville Metro Government has decided to give me the time I need to return to work. I got the call from HR yesterday that they will give me until August 31st to start with, and more time if it is needed. I can't believe that they decided to give me the chance after all this time and fighting. I'm not sure really how to feel; I'm cautiously optimistic that I can make it back to the streets and prove that I am able to do this.

So, I just want to say thank you to everyone who emailed, facebooked, and tweeted Mayor Fischer or who just supported me throughout this long, arduous process. I'm going to keep working hard to get through physical therapy, start the work hardening process and back to the streets.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Insomnia

Can't sleep tonight. Have thousands of things running through my mind. I've got so much on my plate right now. I'm rapidly approaching one year since I fell. That's 366 days (gotta count leap day) of highs and lows, a year of triumph and Hell. That means that my family and friends have had to deal with this for a year as well. Pressure like this can really put a strain on any relationship, but I have to say that despite a few bumps in the road Kate has been a warrior. Everyday she gets up and pushes on, somedays it's her going in to work when she is mentally and physically exaughsted, sometimes it's her keeping me going. I am amazed at the resolve she has shown. For the past year she has had to be the anchor of this family, a role she was forced into, but she has taken it on with fearless abandon and I couldn't be prouder of her. She amazes me everyday. She always knows when I need a push and when I need to just be told "it's ok, we'll get there." I just want to thank her, but there's no way I can ever repay all she has done for me in this past year. She has literally picked me up off the floor countless times both physically and emotionally. All I can do I say, Kate I love you, I couldn't have done this without you.

That can be said of my mom, Kate's mom, and my brother and sister in law as well. They have all been amazing during this time. I know that dealing with me can be frustrating, as my mom says "You're very direct and you have a tone sometimes that just gets people mad even when you're not trying to do that." I'm sorry for the frustrations. I'm trying my best to get back to being me again. Honestly, somedays I wake up and I don't have the mental strength to get out of bed, but I do. I know that I have you there, waiting and wishing for me to get better. This Thursday will be 3 months since the amputation, 3 months since I've started on this path of rehabilitation. I've come a long way in those 3 months, but I have a very long road ahead of me still. Thank you all for your support and not only "dealing" with me when I get frustrating, but loving me no matter what I'm going through at the time.

To all my friends and supporters both here and abroad. Thank you as well. I'm going to continue to write and work on achieving my goals, and you all give me the drive to do so. Just thought I'd take my inability to sleep tonight to reflect and thank you for all the messages and visits over the past year. Can't wait till I can write on here about my first day back to work. First, I have to get walking on my own. I promise that will be soon.

Joe

Friday, April 20, 2012

Call from Dr Ross and Looking Toward the Future

Got a call from the surgeon who performed my amputation today. Dr Ross was the surgeon who saved my leg after my fall and performed my amputation, as a review for those who are new here. He has a patient that he wants me to speak to about having an amputation and life afterwards. This will be my first time speaking to a "prospective amputee" as it were, I'm honored and excited to do this. One of the most helpful things that helped me make the decision to have my leg amputated was being able to speak to several amputees who are living a wonderful and active life post surgery. Most of them have been amputees for years and I'm thinking that being a relatively new amputee I'll be able to help prepare him for what's to come. One of the best parts of the amputee community is how we rally around one another and welcome in others. The support I have received from others and knowing what to expect made the choice an easy one, I hope he calls, and that I can be as beneficial to him as everyone was to me. Those of you out there who spoke to me, and continue to help me, I may have him contact you as well. I can give him my view as an amputee for a few months, but hearing how you can have a normal life after will be very helpful as well.

On another note, I haven't heard from LMEMS, and really I don't expect to. I hate this, I want to stay there, it was my home for 6 years, I loved that service and sacrificed myself to get back there...that being said, I know that with the doors that have been opened since my surgery I will find another service and be happy there. I will miss the people I worked with. I made some great friends there, and honestly, that is what I will miss the most. Yes, working in an urban/suburban service can be very exciting. Yes, there is a massive abuse of the 911 system and it gets old quick, but there is ample opportunity to do some real good and actually make a difference every once in awhile. I'm saving my actual goodbye for when I am terminated from the service, so I'll stop going on about this for now. For those Medics/EMT's in the area who are thinking of applying for LMEMS, I still say it's a wonderful service that has it's problems, but could be great and will be again.

Spoke with Matt at Kentucky Prosthetics, start designing the new socket next week...any suggestions for what I should have put on it? I'm open to any ideas...I'm thinking about my tattoo design I'd decided on..."Pain is inevitable, Suffering is optional" of course I'm going to get it designed with a Celtic Oak Knot.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Almost Socket Time

Had a good day today. Went to PT, Kate went with me so she got to see me actually work out and what I'm doing when I'm there. Also, started to bottom out on this socket, so it's almost time for another new socket. The design on the next one will be radically different than the rigid suction socket I'm currently using. The next design will be a carbon fiber frame and a silicon liner. This will let me be able to contract my leg muscles more normally and be able to feel more when I sit down and not have as many pinches as I do now. I'm excited to try the new style socket. I'm working towards my goal of August and trying to get ready to rejoin the workforce.

Also, my physical therapist has mentioned me to a person who can help me get "work hardend" and show me some exercises to help prepare me for the daily grind of being back on the ambulance. Amazingly, this therapist is also an above knee amp so he can actually perform some of the tasks and show me how he would do them, and let me adapt my way that works best for me. He's also on the C-Leg, which is similar to my knee as well. I'm very happy to meet this guy and get his input, also he lost his leg while in the military, so he went through the military training to get back up and moving, and uses that training in his program to get people ready to go back to work. Tomorrow, until I bottom out, I'm going to try to spend a few hours without the cane and get the house clean.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Open Doors

It's amazing how things work out. It seems as my termination from LMEMS draws closer doors are opening in other services. Today I spoke with Todd Early who was one of my instructors in paramedic school and former head of the education department at LMEMS, he is now Car 1 (Operations chief) at Shelby County EMS. He saw my article in the Courier Journal and took it to his boss at Shelby County. The judge and Todd have given me an open offer to come work for Shelby County EMS as soon as I'm ready. It would be a part time position to start, then full time whenever a spot opened up. This is amazing to me. To hear of the amazing way this service treats it's employees has shown me that if I am forced out of Metro EMS that my career is far from over and there are other places that have recognized my determination and are willing to award it. I have heard stories of employees there going thru tough times, medical conditions amongst others, and instead of forcing them out, they helped make sure they had a job and the full support of the service. It's heart warming to hear this and gives me hope that there are companies out there who believe that employees come first.

Also, yesterday I walked for as long as I could without my cane. It was my first attempt at walking for an extended period without any assistance. My walk still needs help, my hip flexor muscles are still weak and I'm working on strengthening them. That's the hard part of my physical therapy now, I have to get my stamina up and learn to trust my prosthetic.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Courier Journal Article and Foot Update

Link to the Courier Journal Story

Above is the link to the Courier Journal's story about me. I have to admit, I'm shocked at how well it came out, so thank you to Matt Frassica and the Courier Journal for the exposure. This should go a long way towards showing Metro Government how badly I want this and how hard I am working for this. This has also shown me that I have a great support system at LMEMS. Sadly, most of the advice I am getting from them is that despite wanting me to return to work with them, LMEMS doesn't deserve me. I have mixed feelings about that statement, I loved my coworkers there, I tried to stay off of command's radar as best I could, but I wouldn't trade those people for anything. That being said, I view the potential and from the statements from my own command staff, eventual firing to be a severing of ties. I can't go back there, if I did, I would be going back wearing a target. I'm going to be targeted even if they keep me. I'm ready for that fight, I'm ready to prove that I'm missing a leg, I'm not handicapped. If need be, then I'll prove that at another service, at another time. Most important to me is safety. The safety of my partner and those around me. I won't go back until I'm confident that I can go back on the truck without putting anyone at risk. As it has been said, an injured/dead medic is no medic. I'd be doing a disservice to everyone if I went back on the truck because I was rushed and then wasn't able to do the job because I wasn't ready.

Update on the foot...I took my prosthetic to the office today. Matt is going to call Otto Bock in the AM and hopefully have me back up and walking by Tuesday morning. 

Oh well, Thank you to everyone who continues to support me, and to all the new readers...Hello and I hope you enjoy the show.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Good day and bad...

Had a great time at the aquarium today. Wish my son had been here to go with us, but he's at Dollywood with his mother, so I know he's having a great time too. Now on to the good and bad of the day. Good...I was able to walk the entire aquarium without any problems. My endurance is getting better and I'm starting to feel more comfortable on the leg. Matt, my prosthetist, has helped me identify one major obstacle. Learning to trust the leg to not fail me. I'm going to fall...that's a part of it. If you are an amp then gravity is against you. After all, walking is nothing more than falling gracefully. I messaged Sienna, my other prosthesist, it seems they've never seen this before in the Triton Harmony foot. At least I'm still doing new things and coming up with new problems. Let's see how Otto Bock decides to fix this issue. At least, this will help others. So, go to Kentucky Prosthetics tomorrow and have the foot repaired or replaced which ever they decide. My foot has a section at the top that creates a vacuum inside the socket that holds the entire prosthetic to my leg, without that section the knee becomes unstable (it rotates with each step), and there's no suction so nothing to hold the socket to my leg. This is a major issue, I'm so happy that I chose Kentucky Prosthetics because I don't know of any other office that would come in on a Sunday just for one patient.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Walked Today...

 Today I walked about 30 yards without a cane. As before, it's not pretty, I'm still off balance walking without the cane, but as I strengthen my hip muscles and continue to practice I'll get there. I'm working now on endurance, balance, strength, and weight loss. I was able to spend 15 minutes on the treadmill at the last physical therapy appointment, 5 as a warm up at a slow speed, 5 doing interval training, then 5 with a 5% incline. Needless to say, it kicked my butt. I feel like I'm making progress by leaps and bounds from where I was a few months ago. I'm curious to see how the article in the paper goes, well more to the point, I'm curious how it will be received by the powers that be. If this doesn't get their attention then nothing will. I'm just tired of the worry. I've decided to stop worrying about it, I'm leaving it up to them. If they want me, then my position will be there, if not, then I'll find another service who needs a very determined paramedic.

Pushing towards that August goal of being back to work.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Call from HR...

I received a call from Metro HR today. The call was regarding my Americans with disabilities paperwork. The form was left rather vague by my physician, and she wanted me to list what accommodations I think I may need. I explained to her that the medical team expects me to be able to function close to 100% by August and I won't know what, if any accommodations I may need until I am actually attempting to do the job. I also found out that they will be working with EMS to decide if it will be "detrimental or infeasible for the service to make arrangements in my employment." This all seems to me to be a very nice way of saying, HR is leaving it up to EMS to decide if you have a career here. So, I continue my uphill battle against the grain here. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to return to LMEMS, I sure hope to continue my career there. It seems that nobody knows when or if I'm being terminated. Nobody knows the date they have chosen to use, as a refresher, I was injured in May but was able to work light (modified duty) for a little while in October. So, which date they choose will make the date I'm terminated. If I am let go I have had several people tell me that "you can just reapply," I'm just not sure I can do that. If they want me, if I'm family, then why not just give me the time? I'm just hoping that the Dr and Physician's estimates are correct and I am ready by August. I am able to put all my weight on the prosthetic side now. I'm able to walk a few steps, the problem is they aren't pretty by any means. I'd rather take 3 perfect steps than take 1,000 ones that aren't perfect. My goal is to get to the point where when I walk you can't distinguish that I'm walking on a prosthetic. An integral part of being a paramedic is gaining the trust of your patient. I don't want anything to get in my way of forming that trust. In a matter of seconds a patient has decided if they are going to trust you or not, all patient care is derived from that trust.

Another day of PT tomorrow. Still no word from the Mayor's office, remember this Sunday April 15th I'll be in the Courier Journal

Monday, April 9, 2012

Tired of stressing

I'm so tired of being stressed. It seems I make a decision to stop worrying about one thing and another decides to rear its  ugly head. It never fails. The past year I have on a regular basis had one trail replaced with another. I had decided that I'm not going to worry about where I work or even if I'm going to be a medic, that gets replaced with more stress from a personal issue that I can't go into here. Just needless to say I'm ready for a break that doesn't involve one of my bones.

On a more positive note, tomorrow is another day of physical therapy. At least I know that I can use some of this frustration to better myself. In high school our football program had the motto "Bigger, Stronger, Faster" this is my goal. I want to be bigger, stronger, and faster than I was prior to the fall. Hey I'm already one leg lighter so I'm more aerodynamic. I've started working on a balance ball, with and without the leg on. This is helping me find where my center of gravity has switched to, in most above knee amputees it moves up and to the right. This is true of me as well. Now I have to train my center of gravity to get back down where it belongs when I'm wearing the leg, and back up when I take the leg off. It's been recommended that I do some sort of martial art, this will help me find my center of gravity, switch it when needed, and help me defend myself when needed at work...it get's hairy in the field from time to time.

Tomorrow's a new day. Hopefully, it will be better than today.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

11 Stories, 11 months

It's been 11 months to the day since I fell. It's hard to believe that 11 months ago my life was going great. I was dating my best friend, I was about to start my vacation. I had decided that I was going to take a month off for the first time in six years. It was going great. I was precepting an amazing new paramedic, I loved being able to teach him and prepare him for the busy and pressure filled world of Metro EMS. I was excited for my vacation to recharge my batteries and then go back refreshed and ready to move up the ranks at metro EMS. I had no idea that one month later, what started as an amazing day would change my life forever.

Now I'm on the precipice of another life altering decision. I'm fighting tooth and nail to go back to a service who is making it obvious has no interest in my return. Don't get me wrong, my coworkers are very supportive, for the most part. There are a few who are unsupportive, but I realize I'll encounter that anywhere I go. For the rest of my life I'll have to prove myself, I'm ok with that. I have just realized that even if LMEMS takes me back, I'll spend every shift walking on eggshells because I'll be a target for command. They say "even if we fire you, we will take you back as soon as you're ready." Now, my biggest supporter, our former Car 1 (operations command) has retired and with that coupled with the mayors office ignoring my every request to speak with the mayor and the radio silence that has met every message on the social media front, do I really want to go back there. What keeps me wanting to return are the amazing people I worked with. I had the pleasure of working with some of the finest EMT's and Patamedics in the state. I hate to lose that but I deserve better. I'm no hero, but I've had enough stressing over this and losing sleep worrying about pleasing them. I will go back to the streets. I may be on a truck or fly, but I'll be there somewhere. 11 months ago I nearly died. The laws of physics were against me, and you know Gravity is the law and you can't break it, but it surely tried to break me. I fell 11 stories, worked for months to save a leg that didn't work, amputated said leg, and now am well ahead of where I should be. That's not good enough for an exception or extension then I'll find an agency that would love to have a Prosthetic Medic.

In one month I'll be one year out. I will be off of the cane and proudly walk out of my house that day. I hope to return to Tioga Falls, the bottom this time, and not the fast way I took last time. I just want to go there and bury this, look my demon in the eye and get on with life. 11 stories, 11 months, and I'm alive. I'm going to make the best of it if you don't want me, somebody else does.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

So sore...but it's worth it

I am so sore. I fell at physical therapy on Thursday and feel like I've been in a car wreck. I've upped my physicality at PT, started practicing how to lunge down to a patient's side, how to get up quickly and move on, and of course walking on the treadmill with my physical therapist while he changes the speed so I have to adapt my gait quickly. I'm hoping to lose the cane within the next 2 weeks to a month and start working on endurance and uneven surfaces. I have a goal. I have a plan. I am going to return to work in August, where I'll be working is yet to be seen. I have heard exactly nothing from Metro Government other than a letter each month when it's time to pay my insurance fees. At least I get to keep my health insurance for another month, I'm trying to just face each day one at a time and make the best of it. Tomorrow my goal is to work on lifting a stretcher into the ambulance over at Kate's agency. I've been welcomed to come over there and work anytime I'm ready. Tomorrow, I just want to get the feel for how the leg will react to this, to see how I have to adjust my body mechanics to work on loading and unloading patients to get ready for the future.


Thursday, April 5, 2012

Upping the Ante

Ok....another day and still no word from anyone at Metro Government. So...once again. Mayor Greg Fischer's social network information is @LouisvilleMayor on Twitter and Mayor Greg Fischer on Facebook.  I know posts are being deleted, but I'm hopeful that a few get through to Mayor Fischer's eyes. If all else fails I'll move on to email. Louisville was just voted one of the "Most Compassionate Cities in the US," I just want some of that compassion extended to me, not that I've earned it, but I'm working my tail off to come back and just would like that chance. If all else fails I'll post his email address.

I will be featured in the local newspaper on Sunday April 15th, they are doing a story about my fight to return to work as a paramedic and where I am now. As always, I have remained positive about my employer, since I honestly love working at Louisville Metro EMS and consider it my home. I have spent the last 6 years serving the city of Louisville's residents. I have touched countless lives with my care and wish to continue to do so. Tomorrow will be a new experience for me. While I have my normal physical therapy, tomorrow I'll be doing it with a photographer. For those of you reading from outside the Louisville/Kentucky area the reporter told me that it will be featured online as well. I'll let you know when the story is up. This is the big news I was referring to recently. I may also be doing another Wave 3 interview to show there where I am now and bring more attention to my goal. I'm going to start swimming soon and have started the work towards getting my balance and strength down. Sunday I'm going to try out working on getting the stretcher in and out of the ambulance, I have to figure out how to do the tasks I did before with the prosthetic on.

On an unrelated note...Please keep 2 of my coworkers in your prayers. They were involved in an accident while running code 3. Both were transported to the University of Louisville ER and are expected to be OK.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Still No Word

OK....Still no response from Mayor Fischer...I think that this speaks volumes to where I actually stand. Many months ago, in fact, just shy of 11 months ago I had the entire command staff at Louisville Metro EMS standing next to me in the hospital bed at University of Louisville Hospital. They came in there with my friends, my family, and my fiance, they came in and said I was family and that they will do what ever I need. Whatever....I....Need


I need insurance, I need my retirement, I need you to fulfill what you had told me. I'm what most people would describe as a "country boy" so to me when you give your word about something, I trust that you are going to follow through with whatever you said you'll do. Guess that makes me odd for this area. If I give me word I follow through, as best as I can. If I tell you that you're family, then I will do whatever is necessary to help you. It's just frustrating, but I'm not done fighting for what I want, for where I'm supposed to be.


On a completely different note, I'm going to start training to up my endurance, my strength, and my balance. My physical therapist has told me that if I can strengthen my hip flexor muscles and start training them to act as my ankle. When standing on one leg, the prosthetic that is, then my muscles in my hip have to act like an ankle. Want to know how this feels, try balancing on your knee on the edge of your couch. That's how it feels. So, hopefully tomorrow I'll start swimming and try working out different exercises to get ambulance ready by August, no matter where I go, whichever service I am at, I will be the best medic I can be, and my patients will receive the best care possible.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

ADA and A little more time

So I turned in my American's with disabilities act paperwork, just as I was "ordered" to do, also, since I know that I am being terminated in May I decided to see if public opinion will sway things with the Mayor. I had emailed him and asked for a private one on one discussion a few weeks ago and received no response from him or his office. So, that's why I decided to go ahead and post his contact information here. I'm sure it will fall upon deaf ears, especially since many of the posts have been promptly deleted from his Facebook and Twitter pages already. I'm am resigned to my fate, but if I didn't try everything possible to stay on at the service I love then I would have a regret, and honestly going through this has made me realize I don't want to have any regrets. The cities rule states that you have one year to return to work, technically I returned to work in October, albeit on modified duty, I wasn't acting as a paramedic other than I was reading EKG's from cardiac arrests. The issue I have is there seems to be a grey area here. I've heard of some people getting a year to return from the day they started modified duty, while others from the day they first went off injured if they didn't return to full duty. My physical therapist and physician both agree that I should be ready for full duty by August if I continue on with the progress I'm making now. I can't rush my body anymore than I already am. It just isn't physically possible. I refuse to return to the job just to injure myself, or worse, injure a patient or my partner because I wasn't physically ready to do the job. So, I'm throwing my Hail Mary pass, I've followed their rules, and now I'm just going to continue to work at getting myself back into fighting shape and I will return to work...somewhere.

So, for those from Metro Government that read this (I know some of you do), give me the chance. I'm going to continue to be a paramedic, I hope that you will give me the chance to continue my career with you. If not then, I will save my goodbyes for when the time comes. Thank you all for messaging the Mayor, hopefully a few get through and he gets the chance to read them. Thank you all for helping me out, and I promise I will continue to fight to get back. Ah well, tomorrow is another day and I will get stronger and one day closer to the freedom of walking unassisted. I guess I'll see where the ADA form goes and continue on living life and working toward my goal.

Again, Thank you all...I have another surprise coming, but it's still a few weeks out. More to come

Joe

Time to Fight!!!

It seems my days are numbered at Louisville Metro EMS. I want my chance to come back and prove that I can do this. So...Want to put some pressure on Louisville Metro Government to give me the time to heal and get back to work saving the citizens of Louisville Kentucky. Here's the man to make it happen. I've been passive long enough. Time to fight.

Louisville Kentucky Mayor Greg Fischer is on Facebook at Mayor Greg Fischer and Twitter at @LouisvilleMayor. Time to tell them to give me the time to heal and extend my year. The task I'm taking on is worthy of this. All I'm asking is to keep my job, let me keep my health insurance. I'm not asking them for anything but to pay the employer portion of the health insurance. I'll continue to pay mine. Please help me show him I have your support!!! I need till roughly August. That's when they are projecting that I'll be back to 100%. If he wants he can use the date I went to modified duty to count my year, that gives me October. Please message Mayor Greg Fischer and ask him to give me an extension for a few months so I can do the job I love.