Insurance craziness

I have probably wined and complained to most of my friends and family about this already. And I have to say my husband is a saint for listening to me stress out and try not to totally freak out over our insurance issues.
So for those of you who haven't had to listen to me complain, our insurance company sent me a letter on Friday the 19th of July (two days before my birthday, excellent timing) saying that they couldn't certify my hip surgery based on the medical documentation they had!!!

Thank God I was blessed with good phone skills and an assertive manner, because that's basically what I did all afternoon last monday and all day tuesday. I talked to multiple people, left messages, wrote letters and faxed documents until I finally got process for an appeal started. Thankfully (and sadly), the medical assistant at my orthopedists office is very used to having to appeal the insurance companies decisions. She is having Dr. Clark write a letter explaining why I need the surgery and what he plans to do.

Apparently, people sign up for hip surgery all the time just for fun... ha ha.

Oh well, I've done all I can do now. Just have to wait and see what they decide. I'm trying to stay calm trust that everything will work out. I know I've done everything I could and as much as I may want to, freaking out isn't going to help any. UGH.

I'll keep you updated.

Great Book!

I have actually been able to do some exercising this past week! My Dad bought me a book from my Amazon wishlist. It's specifically for those of us with funky hips. The title is, "Heal Your Hips", by Robert Klapper, MD and Lynda Huey. Dr. Klapper is an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai in LA, he specializes in hip surgeries. Lynda Huey is an athlete who has written another book on water workouts. She has worked with a lot of pro. athletes. I totally recommend it for anyone with hip problems considering surgery. Especially, if you're not sure what activities you can or can't do to help with your hip pain.
Sorry for the commercial, but it's really a great book ;o)

Shopping in Sedona, AZ

other people's kids...

I took my son to the Children's Museum here today. It's such an awesome place! Today was not a good day to go, they were experiencing a power outage which meant no air conditioning. Since it was a toasty 106F outside we only stayed for half an hour. There's a large mat with a series interconnecting tents and tunnels on the first floor. There were a ton of kids playing and I was walking around watching my son explore. It was amazing to me how many of the Moms were totally engrossed in talking to each other paying no attention to what their kids were doing. While I hobbled around with a cane watching my sons every move. Especially, since we were totally surrounded by strangers!!! So weird. Anyway, one of the little boys decided to lay on the floor and start kicking right when my boy was tottering by. I steered my son in the other direction and told the little boy, "no kicking, kicking is not ok". A few minutes later I saw his Mom drag him and her other kids off the play area. I definitely got the feeling my comments were not appreciated. It was really hard for me to understand because if my son were kicking, hitting, pushing, spitting etc... and I wasn't right there to intervene and appropriately discipline I would actually appreciate someone telling him what he was doing was not ok. ugh. Then this evening I went to Gymboree to spend my "gymbucks". Always fun and exciting to see how much you can get with the 50% discount. I was enjoying being in the mall by myself, drinking a diet coke and actually shopping without a stroller, when a little boy maybe 2 years old came over and started pulling on my cane and saying "MINE". This wouldn't bother me if his mom had been close by. But of course she was off shopping and totally ignoring her little boy. I seriously could have picked him up and walked out the door and she wouldn't have noticed! After the museum experience earlier I just went to another rack and tried to avoid him.
I swear, these are the parents who need to read more People magazine articles about abducted kids!

physically challenged breastfeeding

I was doing some random web searches on physically challenged parenting and I came across a great book. Breast Feeding and Human Lactation, by Jan Riordan. I'm going to purchase it so I can paraphrase some of the information on this blog. Just thought I'd throw the title out there for anyone thinking of breastfeeding. I have breastfed my son his whole life, we're going on 16 months now. He's just starting to wean because of my surgery in August. It's been an amazingly rewarding experience. He has been happy as a clam with all the delicious and nutritious breast milk. And, I've had all the happy hormones to keep the postpartum and chronic-pain blues away. Ps: breastfeeding releases endorphins which are basically, "happy hormones" that make you feel calm and relaxed.
More to come...

canes should not fall down...

I'm using my cane all the time now.
This has lead to the following critique of canes:
1. There's no where to put a cane when you are stationary and need both hands to do whatever you're trying to do (laundry, dishes, cooking...) I usually end up holding the cane under one of my armpits while I try to do things with not quite two hands free. Which leads me to number two.

2.canes do not stay where you lean them, they slip and slide down whatever surface they are leaned against. This is extremely annoying considering those of us who walk with a cane, aren't the best at bending over to pick things up

3.canes make really fantastic swords and/or dog-wacking devices. This is altogether too much of a temptation for my son. Which leaves me "caneless" while he battles the dogs with his cane-sword.

If I come up with any solutions I'll take photos and post them here, who knows maybe there's lots of money in innovative mobility device designs.

relaxing by the pool...

we have a surgery date!!!

I can't believe I finally have a surgery date. Since November 2007 I've been seeing orthopedists for increased pain! I've finally found an orthopedic surgeon (or OS) that can and will do another arthroscopy on my sad right hip. Dr. Martin Clarke with The Core Institute is the lucky guy. In less than 2 months, August 19th to be exact, I should be on my way to recovery and hopefully much less pain. The CT scan showed that my Right hip has a piece of loose bone from the original PAO and they said my hip joint is very lax or loose and there's definitely arthritis and inflammation in the cartilage. I also found out I have arthritis in my SI or sacroiliac joint. Which really answers a lot of the questions I had about why I have so much lower back pain. The good thing is that a cortisone injection after the surgery into that joint should help relieve some of that pain. Dr. Clarke brought in another OS who specializes in hip replacement. He said I would be his patient sooner than later, but I'm still not a candidate for replacement yet. Thank God! I just want a few more years to be able to have another baby and get some life out of this unhappy hip of mine. Apparently, babies after hip replacement is not recommended. Good to know. Well my SI joint is killing me right now, time for more ibuprofen. I'll post more later. Happy almost 4th of July!!!