1) What was the BEST thing that happened to you during your spinal ordeal?
A: Finding my calling: launching the ADRSupport web site, discussion board and the non-profit. This has given me the opportunity to help others, learn and hopefully make a difference in our woefully inadequate healthcare system.
2) What was the WORST thing that happened during your spinal ordeal?
A: Battling insurance and BEGGING for healthcare coverage.
3) What did you find was the MOST helpful in your recovery?
A: Learning from other patients; talking to them on the phone was the most helpful. There are so many dimensions of complex medical information; much of it not easily revealed by email or posts. Listening to my body – and learning how to this – is a lesson that will continue to help me the rest of my life. Above all this, my loving and caring wife gave me the comfort and support I desperately needed to become well again.
4) What was the LEAST helpful in your recovery?
A: Same as the answer in #2 – having to worry about coming up with tens of thousands of dollars for surgery is not conducive to healing!
5) Is there anything you wish you did or wish you were able to do before surgery that would have made life easier during recovery?
A: Nope – I talked to a zillion people to think through all the things I needed for a smooth recovery. Every conversation I had contributed to a smooth and safe recovery.
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