All ready for surgery...maybe

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kyma3

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Paula sorry to hear about all the problems with the insurance. I don't blame doctors for getting upset with insurance companies because it is like the insurance company thinks they know more than the doctors. I am sure everything will work out but I know how frustrating it is because my EKG came back abnormal which has always shown abnormal and the anesthesiologist group at the hospital said they would not let the surgery happen until they talked to my family doctor and saw my previous EKG's. It all got worked out at 3:00 p.m. the day before my surgery.

I just want you to know that I will be thinking of you and praying for you also. Try to get it off your mind this weekend (I know that is pretty much impossible) but try. Let us know how things go.

Gentle Hugs
Linda:angel:
 
Ha ha ha! :D That's how it is in my house, too! My husband has often said, "what would I do if I didn't have you to take care of all the "stuff" around here?" He's so right! He's like the absent minded professor. Get him talking about his field, and he's a genius, but as for everyday stuff, forget it!

Nice to be needed, huh?

Emily
 
Hi guys. I'm all ready, everything done, everything purchased, pre-op testing and blood given, work arranged, FMLA arranged, but I won't know until Monday if surgery will happen Tuesday morning.

Insurance and my doctor's office had a loss of communication (that's an understatement) that now requires my doctor and their doctor have a peer to peer review before they'll authorize surgery - and catching my doctor between surgeries seems to require a miracle. Normally I wouldn't be involved in this but, his nurses involved me in this on Thursday. I've been in a panic ever since even though they keep telling me not to worry.

On a bright note (and I'm working really hard to find any) I found an over-bed table at Amazon for $42.00 :-) Hubby hopes to move my desktop onto it so I can stay online.

Grrr...if all this gets postponed and I have to do all the testing and blood-letting again I'm not going to be a happy camper.
 
Hi there,

Just wanted to wish you all the best. I sure hope it all goes as planned (on schedule). Keep us posted on your recovery. Look forward to hearing from you. Take care of yourself, take it slow and best of luck.

Beachgirl ;)
 
Hi Linda,

Funny you should mention EKG...I had a stress test last fall after I had some chest pains that could have been a muscle pull, but they didn't want to take a chance. Nuclear stress test, everything came back fine - I just glowed in the dark for a bit.

I had minor surgery last January, went through the whole pre-op mess with no problems, as far as I knew. When I went for pre-op this time I told them not to bother with the EKG, just contact the other hospital because it was less then 6 months old. Well, the other hospital sent over the EKG and it seems it was abnormal back in January and they had to get the stress test results before they'd approve me for surgery. No one told me any of this in January.

Anyway, I'm trying to stay calm, and act as if I still have to be at the hospital 6 a.m. on Tuesday. Trying to get last minute stuff done around the house, taking lots of vicodin to make that happen...
 
Paula, I'm sure you didn't need this extra stress! Try to keep yourself really busy over the next few days so you don't have time to dwell on it. Proceed as though it's going to happen as scheduled. The doctors don't like to have to reschedule a surgery unnecessarily --- it leaves them with an open surgical spot at the last minute, and that doesn't make them happy! Surgery is what they do best and what they love. (Not to mention that they won't be making money.) I'm sure the nurses will do everything they can to make sure that conversation takes place.

Hang in there, sweetie! If it does get delayed, try to think of it as a blessing! Maybe the surgeon was going to have a fight with his wife that morning, or have a bad sleep the night before, or who knows what. I think things happen for a reason, and sometimes we'll never know why, but I believe the Lord is looking after me!

One day at a time...

Breathe...

Emily (((((hugs)))))
 
Hooray!!!!! Now you can just focus on the real things, not the nonsense! I wish you all the best tomorrow. Post when you feel up to it afterwarRAB and let us know how you're doing.

I'm really glad this has been cleared up and you're on the way towarRAB improvement!

:wave: Emily
 
Hi paula456,
I am thinking of you and wishing you all the luck for your coming op. I bet you are sooo fed up,understanderbly to.

Best wishes to you for Tuesday keep us all posted we are all thinking about you.

Tracy:cool:
 
Oh Emily, this is so true!!!!!!!!

Last week I told him I'd have envelopes ready to mail for this coming Friday. He said "for what?" I said "for bills." He said "are you not going to be able to write?" I said "not if I'm still in the hospital."

He said "oh."
 
Paula that is so weird about your EKG also. When they called me on mind I told them that I had already had 2 neck surgeries with the same EKG results and they weren't concerned but they still insisted on a letter from my family doctor. I know all of that was for my benefit but it made me so nervous not knowing until the end of the day of the last day before my surgery.

I am sure everything will work out just fine. You have a good next couple of days and let us know what you find out on Monday.

Linda:angel:
 
Paula,
I wish you the best possible luck and strenght to go through this. I know how uneasy pre-op and post-op are, but days go so fast and before you realize you will be walking again and dealing with symptoms much better.

I am pretty sure your family knows what to expect when you come home and they all prepared to help and support you - we need this a lot during recovery.

Best wishes....:angel:
 
You know, there's almost a good side to all this. Almost.

You see, many of us here wonder if fusion was the way to go, even though we know we have good doctors. In retrospect it's comforting to know the doctor who works for the insurance company who has to pay for all this agrees it's the way to go too. I can choose to believe they were pigs (well, the various nasty people there were) or I can choose to believe I just got good confirmation that the treatment is appropriate.

Of course, it could also be the meRAB talking :D
 
oh Paula, what a horror story. I am so pleased for you that all of the nonsense has been resolved and that they are going ahead with your surgery.
It is bad enough having surgery without all of that...
Good luck to you tomorrow...I am praying that eveything will go well for you.
Will check back with you in a couple of weeks.....if I can get to the puter by then!!

Leslie
 
Oh Paula, I am so sorry. Just have hubby call the insurance company and let him take care of it. I am sure at this point he would gladly talk to them. ;)

I am going to be praying that this messi is straightened out on Monday so that everything can proceed on Tuesday morning.

Are you ready for the big day?
 
These are the times that try men's souls...

They're also times of great personal growth, as we wade through the red tape and nonsense! I know it's frustrating. Please let us know when you hear something. :( Keep busy!

Emily
 
The doctor's office called to let me know it was their #1 priority today. Seems my surgeon did phone on Friday, left a message and his cell nuraber, and they never called him back.

Emily, if I was able to wade through this red tape I would. I spent last thursday and friday calling everyone, from my insurance co to my HR department - I work for the second biggest corp in the US. No one can do anything, it has to be doctor to doctor because the info got to them so late. At one point I called the physicians line myself - they weren't too happy with the idea of a patient calling.

I told my doctor's nurse this is the last thing I needed before surgery. I am desperately trying to stay calm and busy, doing everything I have on my list as if surgery really will happen. I have meRAB to take before surgery, taking them and just praying this all happens. blah

:(
 
Well, today is the day I find out if I have surgery tomorrow. I was already a nervous wreck over the surgery, now I'm a nervous wreck over whether or not it will happen tomorrow. All I can do it keep doing what I've been doing to be ready for tomorrow, and pray for the best.

The worst part of this, the absolute worst, is the idea I will have to continue sitting all day at work while all this sorts out. The pain has gotten so much worse the past few weeks that all I was doing was counting the days. The surgeon and I did nothing about it because - hey - surgery was scheduled for the 24th. Ah well, I'll know by the end of the day. And, try to keep my anger in check because none of this was necessary, and my doctor's nurses know it.
 
And Leslie, good luck to you! We'll both be fine, better living through chemistry. That is, if we can figure out how to get home from the hospital. :cool:

I've decided all this mess was the Universe's way of distracting me from worrying about the fusion. :D
 
Paula I am sure you won't see this until you get back home but I am so glad everything worked out for you. Do everything they tell you to do and take those meRAB and get home soon.

Linda:angel:
 
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