I’ve Had A Set Back

Thanks Chief. Actually I had the truck and my car at the Prime East parking lot. I got the truck cleaned out and turned in today. It went well actually. My arm is healing. Took my time and very careful.

A nice cross breeze was blowing to cool the cab. A lot cooler than down in southern Arkansas!

Drove 604 miles round trip in about 11 hours driving.

I see my doctor on Monday. Go from there.

Hope all goes well man. You work to hard to have to stop so abruptly. God bless.

Thanks George B.

Hope all goes well man. You work to hard to have to stop so abruptly. God bless.

Thanks George B.

Dennis L.;

I / we agree, man.

Sure hoping you rest up as much as possible, and Monday goes really well.

~ Anne & Tom ~

Man...that's a bummer. I wish you the best in your recovery and trucking. I'm sure you'll be back on the road again when you've recovered.

I was on days off on July 20th when I tore my right arm bicep muscle or tendons. My last load was on July 16.

As of today my doctor says 2 more weeks off without surgery or up to two months with surgery.

I’ve had an MRI today, but it didn’t cover the elbow which is what my Orthopedic Surgeon needs to see. His visual exam suggests a muscle tissue tear only.

He may order a second MRI tomorrow to determine if the tendons are torn.

If only a muscle tear I could be cleared to return to work after 2 weeks (Aug 8). If tendons torn requiring surgery could be up to two months.

I will clean out and return my truck to Prime this week. When I’m able to return will be assigned a different truck.

If I go over 30 days from July 16, then I will be terminated after Aug 15 because under one year I don’t qualify for Family and Medical Leave Act.

I can be rehired to the fleet later.

I’ll know more in a couple days.

We are wishing you the best Dennis!

I have known a good many setbacks in this career. I was out for over one year with an eye injury. You can get back in. You just have to be both patient and persistent. Resilience is a hallmark characteristic of a successful truck driver.

Keep at it and don't let it get you down. You just fell off the horse as you were coming out the gate. It's not the end of the world. Get back in the saddle when you're ready and make it happen just the way you've been imagining it would.

Thanks all for the support and well wishes.

My arm is feeling a lot better. Gaining more mobility each day. I’m being very careful not to forget and strain it again.

Hopefully my doctor appointment tomorrow will go well and I can get back to work soon without surgery before my FM has to let me go on 8/15/22.

My health insurance benefits are not tied to Prime, so I don’t have that concern.

If I do end up going through a termination and rehire process I don’t lose a lot since only an employee since 3/3/22 and benefits since 6/1/22.

If I’m terminated and end up hiring on with a different carrier, then I owe Prime $ for the balances on my interest free loan during PSD and cost of my CDL training.

Plan A: Get back in a Prime truck before 8/15/22.

Plan B: Rehire with Prime when I’m healed enough ( if I’m terminated 8/15/22).

Plan C: Apply to and hopefully Hire on with a new carrier that requires only 3 months driving experience and offers a $5,000 sign on bonus. Example in my area is J. B. Hunt. The bonus covers what I owe Prime.

I put off jumping into truck driving last year to get through two cataract surgeries last August and getting my blood pressure reduced.

I’m definitely not giving up over this.

I’m going to have surgery on Friday 8/5/22 to repair the bicep tendons.

Recovery will be 2-3 months of healing and therapy before I can return to driving.

Will start out in an arm splint for ~10 days, then switch to a brace for 6-8 weeks. Will be challenging since I’m right handed.

My FM told me today that I can return to Prime when medically released in Oct-Nov through my Recruiter to handle the rehire process. I need to renew my DOT medical card in early OCT, too.

I won’t be surprised if I’m required to do some refresher training miles with a Trainer since I’ll be off the road for 3-4 months.

Don't rush the recovery. I've done that more than once and wished later that I had waited. I tore my ACL again last December and after at least two times before, it will probably need surgery and recovery to heal properly. It's been causing problems for more than 30 years.

I hear ya, PackRat. I’m not a youngster neither, so recovery could be slower.

It is just frustrating. I was off to a good start with Prime and I enjoy the work. At least my FM makes it sound like they will stand by me allowing me to come back.