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  • #16
    THANK YOU EVERYONE! (capslock intended )

    I will see about second opinions. I very much appreciate how helpful his office has been, but I worry a lot about continuing like this. The depression is overwhelming.

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    • #17
      Originally posted by thesteelsage View Post
      Thanks.

      It's getting the best of me. I've attached a lot of hope to this and ya know.. it's tough.

      I'm in Arkansas US. I'm not sure how tolerable my Medicaid (disability insurance) will be about a second opinion. I'm afraid to make waves. It also took me 7 months to get to this appointment, because of Medicaid approval and from what I can find, noone in Arkansas is really talked about for scoliosis expertise.



      I believe he's pretty new. Noone talks about him on the internet, and he joined his partnership last year. However, he trained with, and under, Dr. Lenke as well as another prominent spine surgeon.



      Oh, he's willing to do the surgery, he wants to preserve my health (which I do as well) he just said he doesn't think there's much at all he can do for the shape of my spine, fearing that he might paralyze me/otherwise damage my spine, if he tries to do too much. I appreciate his position, I'm just disappointed.

      --------------------

      Thanks to everyone. I've had a rough time. I don't blame my doctor and appreciate his stance, but this was pretty crushing news.
      Hi

      Don't be worried about 'making waves' this surgery would be happening to you so of course you want to know everything about the surgery and what hopefully can be done. You want the best result and the best people to operate on you.
      I didn't ask for a second opinion so slightly different but my surgeon had no problem telling me he would be consulting a number of colleagues to decide how best to do my surgery to try and achieve the best results.
      Don't be scared to ask your surgeon to speak with Dr Lenke and as I said, ask for bending and stretching xrays. They really showed how flexible I was so this may mean he changes his opinion about how stiff your spine is.
      I can understand he wants to preserve your health and I'm no doctor but I don't understand how he thinks he cannot improve the shape of your spine. So many people on here have had really stiff spines that are older than you and have achieved an amazing correction which has in turn changed the shaope of their spine and their general appearence for the better.
      Deep breath and go for it. Get your questions answered and as many opinons from others as you need. Keep us updated. Good Luck
      27 yr old Female.
      Scoliosis since 12yrs, fusion to lower curve in 1998, costioplast 2001 and further corrective surgery 26 July 2012.
      Now the proud owner of a very straight spine. T1- L5 fusion.
      Mr Dunsmuir, Orthopaedic Surgeon, LGI Leeds.

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      • #18
        The problem might be Medicaid

        Medicaid is supposed to help those with the least financial resources however many doctors, even a particular state's Medicaid plan, do not take Medicaid because the doctor reimbursements are so poor. It often do not cover the administrative costs of the office visit. Many doctors do not even take Medicare for us seniors. This is a problems for those on permanent disability when they go on Medicare after 2 years.

        Is there any way you could get treatment via a scoliosis clinic at a nearby university hospital?

        I do not believe that you cannot be helped. So many of us, myself included, had severe deformities and previously fused spines. We were very much improved.

        Today I was looking at old photos and I could really see how tilted and twisted I was despite creative ways to "dress the curves".

        Is there any way you could get affordable insurance? The new Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare allows those with pre-existing conditions to purchase insurance.
        Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
        Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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