September 9th surgery

[mabeckoff]

Yes I have been fused that way since July 2011. It is not pleasant by any stretch of the imagination. Dr Bederman is trying to help me . If this surgery does not help me, he has a couple of other ideas that he can try. He really wants to help me.

Thanks Ed... How are you feeling? What did you decide to do about your pain situation?

Melissa

[titaniumed]

I am taking Diclofenac and it is working ok. I still have arm pain but it is much less now. My left index finger is numb most of the time.

I will post a video on my neck thread from Dr Grossi from Duke. He answers many questions in this video.

I am going to wait....I think its all about frequency of pain events and how much we can tolerate. I can hang, but I will bet that I will be in trouble once again here in the near future. I am no stranger to disc problems.

Before my surgeries on my scoliosis, I suffered with major pain and waiting probably wasn’t a great idea. Now that my neck is acting up, it’s the exact opposite situation......Funny how these things work.

Ed

[mabeckoff]

I am taking Diclofenac and it is working ok. I still have arm pain but it is much less now. My left index finger is numb most of the time.

I will post a video on my neck thread from Dr Grossi from Duke. He answers many questions in this video.

I am going to wait....I think its all about frequency of pain events and how much we can tolerate. I can hang, but I will bet that I will be in trouble once again here in the near future. I am no stranger to disc problems.

Before my surgeries on my scoliosis, I suffered with major pain and waiting probably wasn’t a great idea. Now that my neck is acting up, it’s the exact opposite situation......Funny how these things work.

Ed

Ed, I wish you luck and hope that your pain situation stays the same for a while

Melissa

[mabeckoff]

I looked thru our new insurance plan and it does not cover the rehab at UCI. I now have to research the few that they do cover and decide

[jackieg412]

Here they go again giving you another problem. You have been through so much---Why Make it harder!! I tried to send you a PM, but your box may be full. Let me know when I can do that--something I would like to ask. My prayers are going with you!Jackie

[Susie*Bee]

Sorry to hear about this latest problem, Melissa. Hopefully you will find a good place that is covered.

[mabeckoff]

Well I checked out the rehab places that are covered. HealthNet only covers places that are chains. All of them have gotten very bad reviews. Plus the fact that they are not the type of rehab that I am looking for or need. These places are either for older people or people with very serious injuries that they are healing from. I do not want a room mate on a ventilator. I am going to call Monday and see what my out of network benefits offer. Why can't my life be easier?

Thanks everyone for your good wishes and prayers

Melissa

[rohrer01]

It'll work out, Melissa. It always has. =)

[scooter950]

so sorry to hear about your insurance woes.... I completely sympathize. I *HATE* having MY personal health care dictated by an insurance company - whose main concern is profit, for themselves. Which is the main reason I work. To have health benefits. I joke- I need a sign to hang over my work station " will work for health benefits"/ I have had enough experience with a middle man telling ME what I can and cannot have done. grrrrr...... sending sympathy & prayers that this surgery will correct your neck problems! jamie in TX

[dalmatica]

Well, it looks like I will be celebrating my birthday , June 3rd, by having surgery.

Dr Bederman does not feel that having the catscan is that important.

Neck surgery does not have the blood loss issue as hip surgery does.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement and good wishes and prayers

Melissa

Melissa, I too will be having some revision done on June 3rd in Pittsburgh. I will keep you in my prayers, Krysi

[AMom]

Well I checked out the rehab places that are covered. HealthNet only covers places that are chains. All of them have gotten very bad reviews. Plus the fact that they are not the type of rehab that I am looking for or need. These places are either for older people or people with very serious injuries that they are healing from. I do not want a room mate on a ventilator. I am going to call Monday and see what my out of network benefits offer. Why can't my life be easier?

Thanks everyone for your good wishes and prayers

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

I’ve had several different insurance carriers over the years (not Healthnet), but whenever the services they preferred to offer (read: in-network) did not specifically address my child’s needs, I was able to request they place another agency temporarily “in-network.” Sometimes it was more work than others! I was able to do so at the basic level most often (first contact person told me what they required to make the written request) and other times I had to appeal the denial, also in writing. As a matter of course, I never accept an insurance company’s first denial—I appeal 3x without a second thought and to date have only been turned down once (it was a grey area request.)

The easiest way I’ve found to have an agency temporarily deemed in-network is if A) the services offered do not meet the needs as stated by the doctor and/ or B) the there is no other service within X number of miles available within network. (Distance is determined by your policy.)

FYI: I knew her pediatrician well and that he didn’t want to deal with paperwork anymore than necessary so I quickly learned to ask the insurance department specifically what the doctor needed to state to get the correct service, typed it up and gave it to the doctor to review, copy to their letterhead, and sign.

When time was of the essence, I would call the billing department of my daughter’s pediatrician and ask them if they wanted a small side job. I would pay them directly to process the request and they could get it taken care of very quickly. It didn’t cost much, reduced the stress that I didn’t need at that time allowing me to focus on my child’s needs. Since I’ve never worked with Healthnet, I don’t know how helpful this information will be….

Good luck.

A Mom

[mabeckoff]

I found out that I can use my out of network benefits to go to UCI Rehab . So things seem to be falling into place. So I have about 10 days to get everything done at home that needs to be .

Melissa

[loves to skate]

Melissa,
I am glad to hear that things are falling into place for you for this next surgery. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Sally

[Doodles]

That's great, Melissa. The rehab will help. Hope things keep going better for you. Thinking of you. Janet

[rohrer01]

I found out that I can use my out of network benefits to go to UCI Rehab . So things seem to be falling into place. So I have about 10 days to get everything done at home that needs to be .

Melissa

See! I told you it would work out. It always has, even though it's been a hard road. Sending you good thoughts and a positive spirit!

Hugs!