Hi. New Here

[colorado babe]

Renee,

The doctor in Colorado that you were referring to, was that Dr. Kenneth Pettine? If so, I need to talk to you. I just had the stem cell IV a month ago and already have had great results for my chronic pain. I was not a candidate for the DDD unfortunately.

I am also considering getting my surgery (ADR) with Dr. Pettine if and when Tricare or the VA approves it. Just an FYI Tricare will cover a one level ADR as of May 1, 2014 if that is what you need.

[Renee771]

This is to everyone that has posted something. I am still learning how this posting, and reading these threads, etc. works. I haven't the slightest clue. It's been such a long, long, long time. Yes, the doctor was Dr. Kenneth Pettine. I wish I could read the posts as I type. He took the money for the stem cell injection, said he had clearance from my insurace, but he never even "applied" for clearance. I was under the direct impression that I NEEDED to have the stem cell injection to avoid having a hybrid surgery, when he wasn't going to do surgery in the first place. There is no disc where he injected me. $5,000.00 for one injection. Wow.
The whole thing is upsetting. I was so excited. SO excited. I wasted SO much time because I thought I had found the doctor that was going to help me.

I don't know how these posts, replies, etc arok so please bear with me as I 're-learn' something I wasn't that good at to begin with! Smiles

[Renee771]

The persistant woman was from State Farm. The car insurance the man that hit me had. She was relentless, and definitely the reason why I didn't seek help sooner than I had. Obviously I did wrong in asking for the right attorney. I have health insurance. I should have money, I used to have money. People take major advantage of me. I used to have a career, and a life. I used to be pretty. It's all gone.
(The post-office has been stealing from me big-time for the last 3 years....I mean, we're talking thousands of dollars. I live in a really small town. They've been hacking my PC and watching the things I do...I have so many problems and I can't get anyone to help me)

God isn't going to get justice for me. I pray and it makes me feel better sometimes. The only person that is going to make anything change is myself. I will have to throw in the towel and just get the fusion. There is a place on-line that gives loans to people for surgeries. I would rather take out a loan for a home. The military will not give me my widow benefits but they will give me a home loan, a very generous one. I wish they would frickin give me my benefits. I deserve my benefits.
I would really rather have a home loan and start a degree in law. Then maybe, in a decade or two I can fix what was done to me.

(I don't know how to navigate this forum, chat room, etc. I can't figure it out. There are several ways to reply. I don't understand it. I am sorry...Gosh I wish I knew people had posted after me!! lol I am so sorry!!)

Originally Posted by Kelly4ADR

Renee,

I don't find your introduction pathetic at all. It is horrible that you have gone through this. Many of us who first post here introduce ourselves with a cry for help. I did! That's what I see your introduction as, and that is what this forum is for.

I pray your pain lessens and your situation improves with the best possible outcome for you.

Originally Posted by NJ Gene

Renee,

I am very sorry to hear about what you are going through. I'm a little confused by your first posting. Who was this persistent woman who was calling you all the time? Was she someone trying to collect money from you for unpaid bills? Btw, I am not an attorney, but I do know that just like other professionals, they can be sued for malpractice. It might not be easy to find one (getting a lawyer to sue another lawyer) but they are out there. At the very least, you might consider filing a complaint with the bar association in the state that this attorney practices.

While these boards are for ADR and I was two weeks from getting ADR myself, I want to point out that fusion in certain cases is not a terrible thing. I've had two levels in my cervical spine and lumbar spine. I am doing very well, knock on wood. If one has all the money in the world, I would probably recommend the ADR route overseas. However, in your case, you need to get some sort of insurance period. Trying to get it to cover ADR is not easy. However, fusion will most likely be covered once you have a policy. While it may not be as good as ADR, it should help you get some of your life back. You mentioned partial paralysis. You don't want that to become permanent. You've got to do something ASAP. Once you get insurance, I recommend contacting Texas Back Institute. They do everything (fusions, ADR, minimally invasive procedures, etc) and I've been told by others on this board that they work with your insurance.

Good luck to you!!

Gene

[Renee771]

Holy cow, I thought I could learn this as I went but I will read the instructions again.
SO confusing.
I remember when I could figure anything out and quickly too.

I am worthless now.
My dad was right: my life is forfeit.

[colorado babe]

Renee: When did you have the stem cell injection? I was clearly told by Dr. Pettine's office that insurance does not cover the stem cells. It takes approximately 3-6 months for them to start working. If I were you I would contact the vice president of the stem cell Institute Kandace Stolz at 970-613-2030 and share your concerns with her. She has been so wonderful to me and will listen to your concerns.

[Renee771]

Hi. I had the injection done late March. I thought I needed to have the injections as to avoid hybrid surgery. I paid cash for it. I knew I wouldn't be reimbursed by insurance. I thought it was a small price to pay to get the disc implant. However, smiles, it is so bad that I need 3 disc implants, and there is no disc left at the point where he did the injection.
Which they only learned when I had the pre-surgery MRI. The MRI I had when I first met him showed something different. It's been 4 months. I would love to have another MRI to see if anything has changed. I have been told "wishful thinking" (why didn't my primary tell me this before I went all the way out there? That things had changed so significantly? I don't know why I am not getting the help I so desperately need, but I am not. I was treated very badly when I moved here by the medical community. It's been a god awful nightmare...and it really hurts a persons feelings, too. However I have kept on trucking as much as I could).

He got out of doing the surgery. He never even got an ok from my insurance company. He had never planned on doing surgery. My inhaler disappeared after the stem cell procedure and due to the elevation I had to be admitted for breathing treatments. His partner came and saw me the next day. He had his partner explain the surgery to me (which I already was well familiar with having done massive amounts of research on it. I found it all very interesting) before they did the stem cell injections. I was having a hard time getting oxygen after the injection. They blamed it on me. They said I was taking too many pain pills. But, that wasn't the case. Then, when he came into my room, he said "we thought maybe you were going to commit suicide."
What?? Why on god's green earth would I do that? Why would I fly, disabled, all the way out to Colorado to commit suicide. Is there something that I do not know? Why would I do something like that?
Also, after the stem cell procedure (and when I got into the procedure room Dr. Pettine had his mask on. He gave me such a hostile look. It was extremely hostile...Extremely. I will never forget it) one of the doctors that was observing the procedure (I specifically said I didn't want to be "observed". I looked horrible. I was so nervous about flying I was literally awake for 48 hours...) over heard me telling my car accident story (how the lawyer F'ed me) and he gave me the name and number and a "code" to give to a lawyer in Colorado. Since the accident happened in Tennessee I thought it was odd. All of the doctors observing the procedure knew I was from a different state. I think he was giving me the name of this lawyer because he knew I was being taken for a ride. Dr. Pettine never had any intentions of doing surgery.
I didn't want all of those docs observing me but they were in the procedure room anyway.
It was very difficult getting an appointment for surgery with Pettine. They wouldn't call me back for months, and I started looking elsewhere.
I don't know what's up with him.
I am aware that I wouldn't be reimbursed for the stem cell injection. I just thought, compared to what a disc implant costs, it was well worth it. If I had any disc material left between the disc. It's a mess. A surgeon I met with showed me how he doesn't think there is enough room for distraction let alone the possibility of stem cells healing the disc. He said he believes I need a corpectomy. That is what he would do, but referred me to an associate of his that does implants (The Midwest Spine Institute).
I first have to get off the medication I am taking now however. lol. I went through all of the w/d before I met with Pettine in Colorado. The pain, and having had to take these for so long now, even a month off the pain pills I was still feeling uncomfortable. I am back on them, and I start methadone on Tuesday. I really want to go on suboxone but I can't be taking that and have surgery. I do NOT want to take methadone. Good god, but I don't have a choice.
Wow.
So many years of my life are gone because of all of this ****. I didn't deserve for Pettine to take the money of disabled military widow. That's just borderline unethical. When I learned he was doing the Maverick-6 trials in the U.S. I was pretty distraught. I have too many levels that are messed up, but---anyway.

Thanks for the tip on Tri-Care!!!
I really don't want the fusion. I will be condemned to a life of more surgeries, and god awful pain if I have it done. I was told this by a surgeon BEFORE the car accident (and was attacked at my neck by my late husband...He suffered from ptsd. Gulf war vet. He was a raging alcoholic).
Because the situation is so dire now, and my funds are not too hot, I have no choice but to have fusion. I may try for a loan from a place I found online. They are giving out loans for these procedures.
I am very glad to have met all of you.

Thank you for the advice on God. I was a devout Catholic for years. That has served me poorly. I hope that there is a God. I live by the golden rule, I believe in and follow the 10 commandments. I ask and I pray for his help. I hope he does.
Smiles

Originally Posted by colorado babe

Renee: When did you have the stem cell injection? I was clearly told by Dr. Pettine's office that insurance does not cover the stem cells. It takes approximately 3-6 months for them to start working. If I were you I would contact the vice president of the stem cell Institute Kandace Stolz at 970-613-2030 and share your concerns with her. She has been so wonderful to me and will listen to your concerns.

[colorado babe]

Renee - I am still confused on why Dr. Pettine would perform a stem cell injection on you if your MRI's and x-rays showed you needed surgery. When I went to see him he clearly told me I was not a candidate for stem cell Injections and told me right away that I need 3 artificial disc and his assistant came in and showed me the type of Artificial Disc he would use Prodisc-L. Afterwards Kandace came in the room and told me that I was still a candidate for the stem cell IV since I suffer from Chronic Pain Syndrome. This just doesn't make sense to me as I have several friends who have gone to him for the back injections, neck injections and knee injections and the stem cells are truly working. Here is an article that was just posted a couple days ago about a football player that received the stem cell injections from Dr. Pettine:
UC senior Jake Golic fights back for football

[Renee771]

No it DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME EITHER. I think he may have thought "easy money"; easy mark; dumb lady.
I don't know.
But everything I am telling you is the truth. The honest, to God truth.

Originally Posted by colorado babe

Renee - I am still confused on why Dr. Pettine would perform a stem cell injection on you if your MRI's and x-rays showed you needed surgery. When I went to see him he clearly told me I was not a candidate for stem cell Injections and told me right away that I need 3 artificial disc and his assistant came in and showed me the type of Artificial Disc he would use Prodisc-L. Afterwards Kandace came in the room and told me that I was still a candidate for the stem cell IV since I suffer from Chronic Pain Syndrome. This just doesn't make sense to me as I have several friends who have gone to him for the back injections, neck injections and knee injections and the stem cells are truly working. Here is an article that was just posted a couple days ago about a football player that received the stem cell injections from Dr. Pettine:
UC senior Jake Golic fights back for football

[Renee771]

I am thinking that I should take down dr. p's name. I don't want anyone getting mad at me. That's what he did. Maybe there is something about me that makes---I don't know. None of it makes any sense, and it just hurts me deeper and deeper knowing this man is capable with others, but choose to see my life, and my character as not being worthy of being treated with any respect. I don't know. I really just don't know what to do.

I felt he was the man. I was extremely impressed and very excited after we first met. He did look at me during that appointment, straight in my eyes and said (after I inquired about the stem cells---I wanted to know more after they brought it up) "I guarantee it will fix you." I believed him. Why wouldn't I?
Maybe that is why he thought I deserved what he did. Some people think, if they are stupid enough to believe me at my word, then they are asking to be separated from their money. However, its so much more than the money. ALL of the time I could have spent looking for other docs. I am deeply wounded by this.

I have to say this: It was probably my fault. He was probably thought he was just giving me what I wanted. However, when a few other surgeons evaluated the exact same MRI they all said I needed at least 2 implants, most likely 3, and that I was in danger; to be careful. He didn't.

Let's just keep like this. It was another lesson for me. I need to learn how to communicate with Doctors and as disabled as I am, and as much pain, I should start working again, until I get surgery. They aren't going to take me seriously unless I get a job. I digress.
This probably happened because there is something wrong with me.
He is most excellent at what he does. He definitely will not help someone that he doesn't think is worth it. I am *not* worth it.

Maybe a lot of people can learn from this.
He's a great doctor.
I am a sub-standard human being at this point in my life. And I got what I deserved.
He did nothing wrong.
Caveat emptor.

Thanks for sharing about your wonderful experience with him, and the other people you know. I am glad that he is a fine, outstanding doctor. I would hate to think lots of us are having this experience.
IT"S JUST ME!!!

Originally Posted by Renee771

No it DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME EITHER. I think he may have thought "easy money"; easy mark; dumb lady.
I don't know.
But everything I am telling you is the truth. The honest, to God truth.

[jss]

Renee,

I would encourage you to not be too down about having to go the fusion route. Yes, it's not optimal, and it will leave you open to the possibility of adjacent segment disease some years down the road, but there is a very good chance that it will "fix" you, in that it may leave you pain free. Do you have the surgery scheduled yet? When will it be?

Good luck, Jeff