Surgery Date Soon

[Ouch!]

As I get everything in order for my up coming surgery, I have been traveling a lot.

As some of you may remember I flew out to Texas May 8 & saw Dr. Zigler on the 9th. It was a fast trip; I had called the Friday before to see when I could get an initial appointment. I was shocked when they said next Wednesday. (Here it takes at least 2 weeks to get in to see your regular family doctor & longer for a specialist.)

Skipping forward, I am currently scheduled for surgery for a Pro-disk at L-5/S-1 on July 19 with Dr. Zigler at TBI. He did say that there was a chance he would have to do a fusion instead. I have no disk left between that space & if he can't get the space open enough for the disk he will have to do a fusion. I really hope that he can do the ADR instead but I understand that at that point there will not be a choice.

Since scheduling surgery I have moved my travel plans up as much as possible & canceled all work travel for the rest of the year post-op. I'd like to clean & straighten my office & do some major house cleaning, but I don't think that is going to happen. I have one more trip I have to do after I get back from the one I am on now, then I will have about 5 days before I fly to Texas for the surgery.

I have already reviewed some of the surgery suggestions posted on this forum.

I think keeping busy is helping me to not think about it all the time & not get too nervous or anxious. But some of the trips have been harder than others. This one has been more painful & more tiring.

The doctor & TBI do not accept my insurance, so I will be paying out of pocket & hoping for some reimbursement. The hospital does accept my insurance so I hope I don't have too much to pay there.

Jane

[Harrison]

Jane, I am sorry to hear about the insurance issue -- who is your insurance company?

Hey, it's OK to be a bit nervous now, it's only natural! How are you getting to TBI...are you driving? That may be too far on the way back!?

[Ouch!]

Thanks, Harrison.

We have Tri-care Standard for retired military. It hasn't been that good the last 15 years. The payments to the doctor & our reimbursement are all based on a percent of what they determine should be the charge for that procedure. So now many doctors will not accept it because it pays slowly & not very much.

We thought about driving out to TBI & back until very recently. We had a 4 hour trip back from Atlanta; I was in such pain & so miserable that we have reconsidered. (There are not a lot of great places to take a break and walk around between Atlanta and where we live.) We have now decided it might be best to fly and get the trip over as soon as possible.

We fly out to Texas July 17. Doctor appointments at TBI on the 18th & surgery on the 19th.

Jane