Lumbar L4-L5 ProDisc (Kimmers)

[kimmers]

Had ProDisc placement on 3-11-08. It feels good to finally get this done and be on the road to recovery.
I am having back pain and some abdominal pain, but the abdominal pain is fading. All the pain I have had post surgical, is getting better.
I spent 10 days in the hospital (I was released Thursday (3-20) night) because I developed a post-operative ileus (intestinal obstruction) and ended up NPO for about four days.
Physicially, I am feeling pretty good. Taking naps during the day but so much stronger than right after surgery.
Fighting my health insurance is taking up much of my "free" time.
Ready to hit the MOM or something right now. I am taking the colace three times a day, miralax powder and smooth-move tea and so far nothing.
I look like I have a little watermelon in my tummy. LOL.
So happy to have things done,

Kimmers

[Harrison]

Kim, congrats and welcome to the other side! Good luck with your new "job." Call me when you are up to it. BTW, as a nurse, how will you approach your recovery? If you say, "aggressively," you are in big trouble!

[Terry]

I agree wholeheartedly with Richard. Take it easy. Don't baby yourself but don't go hog wild.

Keep it on the even keel and you will progress much better. Keep posting and we will help to normalize the experience for you. Meaning we'll let you know when you are mis-behaving and also let you know what you are going through is normal (as most of us have been there before) or, we haven't a clue what you're experiencing and its time to get the bigger kahunas involved.

Hang in there.

Terry Newton

[kimmers]

Yes,

I know intellectually I have to take it easy. Not as clear when you are the patient and you have to slow down a bit.

I am trying to do a little bit each day to get Blue Cross to cover my surgery. I feel like this is my new "job" to get my surgery covered and get others covered too in the process.

Having problems with the plumbing. Had to resort to the MOM therapy today. LOL.
I just took another percocet and sleeping pill and that makes me rest.

My family is supportive but worried at the same time. About our financial future, about my health, etc... I always believe something happens for a reason and I believe "my reason" is to help others like I do when I work as a nurse.
I am a patient advocate above all else. If you can, please keep helping me. I appreciate anything you do and i will heed your comments.

As for now, if I do anything my back doesn't like, it tells me. I learned in the hospital I couldn't do straight leg raises--I was just trying to lift one of my legs out of the covers.
That movement really hurts and I have tried to avoid things such as that. Also paying attention, to not sit for more than 20-25 minutes as PT instructed me in the hospital.
I have a walker too, and have used it outside and sometimes inside. One thing I noticed is that holding onto the walker, prevents me from bending over. Getting some help for my three-year-old, which isn't easy because we cannot afford to spend money on childcare.
Finally, on the road to recovery.

Kim

[phylly]

Kim,
I am so glad that you have had your surgery and are finally feeling better. I was following your story and made some calls for you. I have the same insurance and they are awful. You may want to get a lawyer to help you with the appeals. Your job is to get better so that you can prove it was the right decision. Take things slowly, it really does take some time to get back to you old self. All my best to you.
Phylly

[JL]

Hi Kim,
Glad to hear you are in recovery mode. Take it easy. There will be time to fight em. May it get a little better and stronger each day. Keep us posted about your health and progress with insurance. JL

[kimmers]

Phylly and JL,

Thanks for the kind thoughts. Phylly, I have a lawyer and now I think I need a different one.
I am just going to keep doing everything to get this covered. In my eyes, Blue Cross of California is one of the worse insurance companies anyone can ever have.

As for recovery, saw my doctor, Dr. Palmer, on Thursday and he said I was progressing well. That I looked a lot better than when he saw me last week in the hospital. LOL.
I am getting the picture that recovery is a slow process. I got some Lidocaine patches for an abdominal pain to the left of my incision and it really does help to put a strip there.
I asked the doctor about distraction pains, because so many seem to encounter them after ADR surgery and he said my hip/back pain could be that. I am now just over two weeks post op.
No physical therapy for now and just continue what I have been doing. I just kind of putter around the house, but I have injured my two grabbers so that is a sign i might have to slow down a bit.
I see my vascular surgeon on Monday and see what he says. I got my bandage off and now I just have a small scar and it is underneath my belly button because my L4/5 was higher than normal. It is amazing they can do all that work through a tiny space.
I am really happy I did the ADR surgery and know in my heart it was the best thing to do for me. My surgeons agree.
A great thing happened today, I was a little (lot) depressed and right when I felt the worse, I got a phone call from a friend.
Made all the difference.

In about three and half weeks, go to doc again and get X-rays done. I am curious to see what the ProDisc looks like. I had x-rays in the hospital but did not get to see them.

Here's to everyone progressing in their recoveries.

Kimmers

[kimmers]

Hi everyone,

I am just a little over three weeks post-op and seem to be using less pain meds as pain gets better. My abdominal pain is a lot better and feeling pretty good, but I am still on the maintenance pain meds, Oxycontin, and Percocets every four hours and flexeril also. Gabapentin also.

I had a question though. I have left hip pain and just a little on the right and it was really bugging me yesterday and a little better today when I was able to rest more.

So is this par for the course? Or something I should notify my doctor about? I did e-mail his nurse manager who I speak to fairly often because of my terrific insurance and she probably hasn't opened the e-mail yet.

I start wondering if i am being a "worry wart" and this is just the normal healing process?

Everything else is okay, including the constipation I had at first. This hip thing is preventing me from really going out walking around my house outside. I am thinking that maybe I overdid my last trip out (yesterday) but all I did was walk a few hundred meters around the cul de sac near my home but I stood talking to a neighbor for a while but that really shouldn't bother things.

Kimmers

[phylly]

Hi Kimmers,
It's good to hear that you are starting to cruise around the neighborhood and get some of your strength back. Those grabbers are so handy, you will have to treat them better! About your pain, you may want to call your Dr. just to let them know about these pains, especially if they are getting worse or are different than before. It may be routine but everyone feels differently during the recuperation time. The office and Dr. will understand.

I laughed and could really relate when you talked about your nurse manager. Mine called only once (I POURED MY HEART OUT)and then never called again. A new nurse called 3 months later and wanted to start over again since my nurse was too busy with her promotion. I said no as I didn't know who was helping who and I was now managing myself.

Take care and please keep in touch and let us know what's up.
phyly

[kimmers]

Hello Phylly,

Thanks for the advice. I called the doctor and left a message and I will see what he says. I don't know if they can do anything about it, but it really is preventing me from going out back into the neighborhood and walking.

So I am resting.

I start feeling like I am lazy but all of you on here say take it easy and don't rush into things.
Phylly, I called her the doctor's nurse manager, but she is my doctor's office manager and she has helped me so much with Blue Cross and getting appeals done and so forth.

As an update, I spoke to the OC Register reporter that did the story about my struggle against Blue Cross and she was surprised Blue Cross isn't trying to contact me or sending information in the mail. I told her the last contact me or the doctor's office had was a Blue Cross doctor that called the office manager to tell her the IMR had failed and my only recourse was legal.

Blue Cross is so warm and friendly, NOT.
Did everyone catch the four page ad, they took out in major newspapers, touting BC to change of name Anthem?
I think I spoke to someone who remarked what they said in the ad, wasn't anything like the way they are.

Sorry, but my life's mission just might be to get BC of Ca to pay for ADR surgery in all the cases where the candidates meet the FDA approval guidelines.

They won't cover one level and I know of Workers Comps covering hybrid and two levels and so forth.

On the road to recovery and redemption too.

Kimmers