Dedicated Dad Needs Help

[Baja boy]

Got it --will take from here !! THANKS !!!

[Dedicated_Dad]

Hi guys - I'm sorry for the unnecessary worry...

I SWEAR I posted something very like this at least a week ago, but... I don't know what happened to it!

I met with "SuperDoc" and his successor/surgeon (SD doesn't operate any more) on 8/21. I'd decided to try to convince them to just fix it, skipping the arthroscopy and going right to putting in the thicker plastic bearing component ("spacer") -- let's just get it over with.

It turned out that wasn't necessary - when I realized they were trying to convince ME I just sorta cut them off, told them we were in agreement and let's move on. I got a bit worried when Surgeon explained they don't use or know anything about the implant I have, and thus he's not too sure how this can/will go. He's going to order a selection of thicker plastic parts from the manufacturer, but he was quite clear that he isn't going to be party to a band-aid solution.

He's going to open it up, clean up any adhesions, scar tissue, etc. then try the thicker plastic. If he doesn't like the looks of it, he's going to tear the whole thing out and do it over. This worries me for reasons I'll explain, but ... After thinking a bit I just said "at this point, whatever it takes -- just FIX it."

The reason this worries me is that they've made it plain to me for years that I'm only going to get (2) because of how my bones are broken and pasted back together. This is one of the reasons I tried to put it off - they last 10-15 years, x2= 20-30 years from the first until the last one is shot. If he has to tear this one out and do it over, then that's my (2) - meaning if I am SUPER-lucky I'll get 20 years out of this one - most likely closer to 10.

I am 42 -- 42+20/30 is not a great number, considering that at that point (somewhere between 62 and 72) my choices are (a) wheelchair (b) amputation or (c) "arthrodesis" - cut out the trashed implant and fuse what's left into a much shorter leg with no knee joint. No good options, there... Still - what's the point of being crippled now? I may not live long enough to wear this one out...

I can't figure out how -- if everything else is OK, as I've been told repeatedly it is -- completely redoing the knee can yield any better outcome than just installing a thicker plastic component. I've wondered since if this was just his way of being sure I wasn't exaggerating the pain - if I'm willing to go through a total revision - which is guaranteed to be MORE painful than the original surgery -- then it must really be bothering me. I am, and it is.

As to my "online absence" - as Mike said, I've been depressed and sleeping all day. I'm pretty much stuck to my sofa until 9/22 and unable to support my family - this is eating the heck out of me. I've read so many books I have a chronic headache, sat around so long my @$$ is sore... I didn't know the clock could move so slow. I've been stuck pretty much at home since March 4 and am going stir-crazy... The weather has been beautiful and I'd LOVE to ride my scoot, but... Maybe next summer... All of this is just getting the best of me at the moment, but no reason for worry - I'll snap out of it when the time comes...

Baja: I also swear I haven't gotten any mail from you. I check my SPAM folder occasionally and haven't seen anything there either -- are you sure you're using the right addy? It's my user-name (dedicated_dad) at yahoo dot com - I would be incredibly grateful for the sort of help you describe - I'm trying to put together my "appeal" now and could definitely use the advice. Send me a number and I'll reply with mine!

Thanks so much to all for the help!!

DD

[randy]

One thing to keep in mind is how medical technology keeps moving forward. In 10 to 20 years who knows what they'll be able to do?

I remember when having any cancer was an automatic death sentence, and a heart attack or anything requiring heart surgery was the next closest thing. These days there are phenomenal survival rates on both, and it sometimes seems like repairing the damage of heart attack is damned near an outpatient procedure.

My point is don't work up too much worry about what's 10-20 years down the road, especially since it doesn't sound like you have too many viable options about what to do now.

[Baja boy]

DD, I will be getting to you thru snail mail with a check this coming week. I wrote both thru the old gun board and direct to your yahoo address !!

My replacements--- Both at the same time, was at age 58 and my doctor who does these things everyday said with the technology available at that date (2001) they would be good for at least 20 years --as long as I didn't abuse them by running and jumping all the time.
Since then, I had a left SHOULDER REPLACEMENT done by the same guy !

[Dedicated_Dad]

Hi guys. Figured I'd better "check in..."

I hear you about tech progression, but the problem here is due to the shape my bones are in. They have to cut some bone out to do #1. More bone must be removed to remove #1 and install #2, I'm not sure if in my case it will be more or less than if it had worn out and loosened from bone resorption as they usually do.

For any "normal" person, #3 requires a long rod down through the tibia and up through the femur to support the implant. Not only is the "success" (patient says they're better off after than before) of this statistically very poor, but my bones are screwed up in such a way as to make this pretty much impossible. There's just not enough there to support it.

They may make advances in materials, shape/geometry of implants, etc. but nothing is going to make me grow new bone, so the odds are overwhelming that it just won't matter for me. I'm only going to get 2.

That said, I DON'T REALLY CARE. At this point I just need my life back. Get me on my feet, make it the best it can be, and let me get on with my life. By the time it's shot my mortgage should be paid off, kids should be through college, and if I am crippled then so be it. I may not even live that long... I can't possibly live with it the way it is, I'd eat my gun before I wore it out and got a new one, so all I can say is "whatever it takes, just fix it" - d*mn the torpedos, full speed ahead.

I'm currently trying to deal with the disability insurance appeal - I don't think there's any question as to the validity of my claim. If I can convince them that it will cost them more to fight than to pay - IOW if I can come off sounding like a lawyer - then I'm confident they'll pay.

Eventually.

Thanks again for everything...

DD

[FastRope71]

DD, Don't you read Harry potter? Just get yourself a bottle of skele-grow, from Madame Pomfrey and you'll be right as rain in short order. Though the rumor is: the stuff tastes nasty.


Sigh, to live in a fictional world full of such wonders.

[Dedicated_Dad]

Hi guys. Sorry for not checking in sooner... I figure I owe you guys an update.

My laptop died - the one I just bought at the end of March - so I've been screwed there too... Naturally the warranty is up by just a few days - I've contacted the vendor hoping they'll do the right thing, but I'm not counting on it... I managed to borrow an old LT from my Bro. so I'll have some entertainment while I am laid up.

I'm having my knee revision surgery Monday AM 9/22. Doc says he is going to try installing a thicker plastic bearing component, but if he doesn't like the way it looks he's going to take the whole thing out and do it over. The OR staffer who has been calling me this week finalizing all the details says all of her stuff indicates he's planning a total revision - makes me wonder if the bit about the thicker plastic was just to mollify my worries...

In any case, I am praying that when I wake up Monday afternoon, though I'll no doubt be in some significant pain, my knee will finally be "right" and I'll be able to get on with my life. I'd appreciate your joining the chorus if you're so inclined...

On the "financial" front things are still bad, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. My former employer wrote to the disability-insurer and clarified that their categorization of my duties as "sedentary" were way off - they explained I had to lift and carry 35-85 pounds, crawl around on hands & knees/on ladders/etc pulling cables, stand for hours at a rack-console, etc... The "case manager" or whatever he is seems a bit chagrined, he's offered repeatedly "if there's anything I can do to help with your appeal..." Of course he might just be playing me, so I have to make sure I dot all the I's and cross all the T's...

That said, I found a "sample appeal" on an ERISA lawyer's website, and am editing it to fit me instead of Jane Doe with a head-injury. I've collected all my medical records and have some notarized affidavits coming from friends, clients and family. I'm actually feeling good about the appeal - if this process is a genuine attempt to correct mistakes I am 100% confident they'll pay me. If it's just a game they play - pretending impartial review as required by law but really rubber-stamping the original denial - then I am screwed. Won't really know which it is until it's over, but I'm optimistic... In either case it's still going to take a couple-3 months - I won't have everything in time to get the appeal in this weekend, and figure it will take me a few weeks to be coherent enough to finish it, then they have 90 days to respond...

Other than that, life continues as it has since March... I must admit being pretty scared about the upcoming surgery - I didn't have time to get scared the first time, not enough notice to think about it. This time I've had lots of time on my @$$ with predictable psychological results... I'm going to be OK but can use all the prayers you guys can muster...

Thanks again for all your help...

DD

[Fivetoes]

Best of wishes for your surgery DD. I would say "Good luck" but I don't think you want to rely on just luck. THe surgeon is probably just being cautious in case he has to re-do the whold thing.
Your insurance company are real bastards putting you thru this. I imagine that their first reaction to any claim is to deny it. Hopefully you will be back on your feet and kicking their asses soon.

[308Mike]

Our fingers and toes are crossed over here, and we'll say a prayer for your surgery tomorrow morning.

I wish there was more we could do to help.

[randy]

Good luck, hang in there, check in when you can