So, I'm 7 weeks post-op now for FAI on my right hip. The miserable crutches & walker days are behind me (hooray). According to my PT I am doing great, range of motion ahead of what is expected. According to records, I'm improving, on schedule, all is well. And don't get me wrong I am very thankful of that...very thankful. But here's the rub.
Life has moved on, help has moved out, and to the casual onlookers there's nothing wrong with me, no special need, etc. But there is still pain, a lot of weakness and stiffness in the hip. Simple tasks like getting my three year old to school in the morning leave me wiped out. I'm gonna be honest here, dishes piled up, laundry undone, chaos in the kids room and everywhere else for that matter. I went on a cleaning & organizing spree the week before my surgery and there's nothing to show for it now. And the part that really stinks is, there is no way I am physically capable of catching up...no way. I write it down on my planner everyday, but where I used to push through I am simply not physically able. And I think the restrictions on activity that have been in place for so long have left me weak in general.
So, I think this might be as tough of a time as those first post-op weeks in many ways. At least during that time there was help & support and others cheering you on. These days are very much like the pre-op days. My PT says that there will come a time, maybe around 9 weeks where we will start "pushing through", but right now the site is still healing, still fragile. There's no reason to compromise it...so I sit here typing blog posts to keep from losing my mind.
As soon as I do get caught up on my 600 item to do list, I am going to start a fight with Aetna to appeal covering my left hip. Now that I see and feel how much better it can be post-op I am going to fight them to the bitter end.
WIll let you know how that goes.
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Recent Comments
14 comments:
Was that for my sake, Are you really cartwheeling and cleaning like a loonatic??!
only teasing. I think the initial fuss helps but in style with this whole condition as it DRAGS on people tire and that's very much when I felt it. My Mum virtually walked out when I still needed her and that really knocked my the beginning of last week. Keep your chin up and I really would say with all the commitments of a young family this bit is actually harder still! xx
Oh Louisa, if only...I remember my PT telling me I'd hit a wall and it would be around the 9 week or so mark. I think I slammed into it about 5 days ago. I know that I'm still doing well, and I feel pretty good. But I'm soooo tired and my house is such a mess!! It's driving me crazy.
Oh no. I've posted to you before how HP won't cover my surgery. Did AETNA not cover your right hip?
You are so strong - I know you'll push through this and be okay. Don't worry about your house. Just do what you can and take care of you. You don't want to reinjure yourself.
Thanks,
Aetna covered some, but not all. Still left with a very large bill to deal with. But hoping they will cover FAI in the next year or two so I can get the left side done.
Almost everyone covers it now but Aetna.
Crap, I have Aetna. I responded to you in the PMS thread. Did you know prior to surgery that the were not going to cover everything or was it a suprise? Crap, crap, crap. My surgery is next week. Don't they have to get these pre-approved? Don't they have to let me know if they don't cover FAI? Did I say crap?!
M
M,
Crap, sorry. Yes, they should have absolutely contacted Aetna, but don't freak out yet. Aetna will cover SOME of the surgery, but they do not cover anything relating to FAI.
Will cover debridement, the scope and cleaning debris.
may come synovectomy
will not cover osteoplasty, labral repair or microfracture.
email me and i'll tell you more or suggest what can be done. You may only end up paying your surgeon's cost usually about $1,000-3,200 per procedure not covered. Most surgeons will work a discount for you when you're paying out of pocket like this. You don't pay hospital cost, etc.
vanalynch@bellsouth.net
United Health Care also does not cover FAI. They will cover the scope, debridement and cleaning as well. Blue Cross is supposed to be better, but no one has run the surgery through to determine cost for me yet. I'll know more on Tuesday - my first consult with Dr. Byrd (YAY!!!!!). In the meantime, I've been seeing a pain specialist in Murfreesboro named Dr. Ashok Saha...would recommend him to anyone.
Vanessa, I just answered a few questions on www.letsrun.com regarding FAI and pointed some folks to your blog because it was what really made me comfortable with this whole situation. I'm amazed and thankful for you having the discipline to write in this often and share your experience with the world.
One note frome me to everyone - I've reached the point where if BCBS decides not to cover it, I don't care. It will suck because I'm sure it's expensive, but at the end of the day it needs to be fixed.
Also, on another note about a previous post of yours - how your husband didn't understand the severity of the situation until he talked with Dr. Byrd, well I'm taking my wife with me to my consultation...she's been supportive, but has no clue what this is and how much damage has been done. I'm very excited to have surgery and begin the recovery process. Fortunately for me, my wife is the neat freak and I'm the slob so our house will stay clean! Oh, and I've run out and gotten one of those grabber things as well and I've taken your advice and am trying to lose the weight I've put on since my activity has been restricted - about 20 lbs.
Thanks again for your blog!
Sam Ferrise
sam@ferrise.net
Sam,
I am so glad to hear you are finding this helpful. Writing is my stress relief, so it's good for me too.
As for Blue Cross Blue Shield, you are in luck!! They do cover FAI treatment. There is a girl in PT with me who has BCBS and only had a $250 co-pay for labral repair. So, you probably have nothing to worry about.
As for taking the wife, that is a great idea and you are fortunate she will be with you. But I want to warn you Dr. Bryd is not going to give you much at your first visit. He is very conservative and will not tell you much until every test, option, etc has been done. He might have you do PT for a few weeks to see how your hip responds. I can't remember exactly what you've done yet. I'm sure he'll order MR Arthrogram if you haven't had one yet.
I've had people who read this blog call or email me scathingly mad at Dr. Byrd for not booking their surgery at the first visit (I'm not speaking of out of town patients, that's totally different). He's not knife happy, but that is a good thing!! It's not that he's saying no to surgery, but he's not saying yes before he's even had a chance to work with you.
I think we've already talked about this, but I also wanted to write it for those reading. I like Dr. Byrd a lot and he's been a fantastic surgeon, but like most OS he's doesn't spend a ton of time with you explaining things. My husband got the low down while I was in post-op recovery and alseep. Kay, his nurse on the other hand does and she's the one you want to help your wife understand. She's very caring and informative.
Please let us know how your appt. goes.
Vanessa
I've had the arthrogram which read "Significant Cam impingement". My labrum is also frayed and Dr. Fitch at Vanderbilt did not think it was repairable (awesome right?!). I've also done the PT with Dr. Fitch - so I'm hoping for a surgery date! We'll see on Tuesday.
Sam
How are you doing Vanessa? Hopefully no news is good news?!? Keep us posted!
Vanessa-
Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that I met with Dr. Byrd today. My wife and I loved Kay (she's such a sweetheart!) and Dr. Byrd was awesome! He sat down and listened to my questions, answered them with plenty of detail and he had a very nice bedside manner.
We scheduled surgery on the 18th of December (YAY!) and I'm incredibly excited because everything that I wanted to come out of today came out of it. Except for determining cost, which is secondary to me getting back on my feet!
Anyway, I'll keep you posted, as I expect to be kept posted on your progress!
Sam
sam@ferrise.net
Hi Vanessa, I stumbled upon your blog last night in search of some answers of my own hip pain. I think I could have written your first few post. I see the ortho doc this Friday had an MRI yesterday. My pain doc wasn't any help at all. I am praying that I don't have to have surgery. But if I do your blog has given me a great deal of hope, comfort and many idea's of how to get through it if it comes to that. I don't have small children at home mine are all grown now but I do raise exotic birds and that is a ton of work. Like children you can't put them off they have to be fed, cleaned and taken care of. I don't know how I will get through this. God Bless you and your family, thank you for all the time that you have put into this blog...I think it will help a lot of people. I pray that your recovery progress quickly and you are able to enjoy the Holidays. Joy jruhe@nefcom.net
Thank you so much for the kind comments. And to Anonymous, I was worried sick over the decision to have surgery, but so far it's been a great move and I am definately better now only at the 8 wk mark.
Sam, great news!! So glad you got what you wanted, that is so important. Please keep us posted as it unfolds!! Keep up the good work.
Kate,
Doing really well! thanks for asking:)
Anonymous-
I'm afraid of surgery also, well moreso I'm afraid of the anesthetic! But let me tell you something...I've only had this pain for about 10 months at this point, but I'm ready for surgery. In fact, they couldn't do it fast enough! I'm currently on 10mg Lortab 4x a day, which is awful and I can't wait to get off of it. My point simply is that you know your body, and if it is affecting your life, get the help you need. Don't stop at one doctor, find one that helps you adequately; if it's one thing I learned from this experience it's choose your doctors carefully and do the research on them first!
Sam Ferrise
sam@ferrise.net
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