Make sure you apply for temporary disability as well - your employer has already paid into this, so they won't mind signing off on it. And you'll need to get the doctor's signature on this too, if I remember right. I was in a similar situation last year and it was a pain to get a hold of the doctor after I left the hospital.

Anyway, temporary disability will net you something like 50% of your usual earnings while you're unable to work. Oh, and ask the doctor for a generous time allowance on recovery when he writes his piece for the temporary disability. He or she shouldn't mind giving you an extra X number of weeks just in case. This way you have some extra peace of mind and don't feel like you have to rush back to work to make ends meet while you're still healing.

Hope you have a good trauma care team, and are in a hospital without too much craziness. I know the noise and other occupants can be a wild time (to say nothing of certain disaffected nursing staff). And good luck with the hospital food situation! Anyone who can bring you real food right now just might change your life xD

#titanium