Knee Replacement: Five Long Ass Weeks Later
Oh man, am I fully in the Valley of Death, so to speak!
These days I live in a state of mad. When I'm not mad, I'm in a state of panic, full of doubt about my progress, assuming I'll be one of the people for whom this procedure doesn't work. Really. It's that bad. This, now, is the hardest part: the waiting to be better. And the thing is, I still have a long way to go.
Thankfully, I've found someone who's talked me down off the ledge. In fact, she and I are the same age and have the same name. What I've needed all along is to talk to an active person who's been down this road. She said that the hardest part for active people is the feeling that you'll never get better. I was relieved to hear that she is back to riding and crashing mountain bikes. Six months after surgery, her knee is solid.
I have hulls on the brain. All I want to do is surf my hulls. Perhaps that's why I'm bored by surf videos and refuse to watch them.
Our COBRA payments balloon to $1300 in June. It now looks like we will soon be uninsured. Although we've applied for the government-funded assistance program for people making COBRA payments, we've yet to hear whether or not we've been accepted into the program. This is a tough one. I still need physical therapy. I'm not going to stop going, but I can't afford it either. So do we try and borrow the $1300 to extend COBRA for another month (hoping we get word about the program)? Or do we start paying out-of-pocket? Either way, we're screwed. Neither one of us is really working.
Things will improve eventually. They always do.
posted by Surfsister @ 08:11
8 comments
8 Comments:
you really met someone else named Surfsister? That is wild!
OK, my surgery was nothing compared to yours but, having passed the 1 yr anniversary last month, I had to actually think about whether it had been one or two years. That might have something to do with having little kids around....
These days, are there DVDs of physical therapy things you could DIY if you had too?
Ugh. I am so sorry to hear about the payments. $1,300?! That damn nuts. I fell for you and am wishing and hoping good thoughts.
I forgot to tell you that I'm friends with a guy who had that surgery two years ago and he is now running 1/2 marathons. I am really glad you met that person. I am cringing about the insurance thing and I want it to work out for you guys. I like your hope at the end, that is very good and true.
You're gonna look back on these posts in a couple of months and shake your head at how you let yourself get caught up in your head.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE BETTER THAN YOU WERE BEFORE.
Accept that. :-)
Count me in for $200.00 towards your COBRA payment. I don't want to see you have to be creative in the area of recovery. I'm sure you'd like to do it once, and most importantly do it right. If you have a pay-pal account let me know. If not, send me a mailing address to voissems@sbcglobal.net
Times are not getting better, and we've got to look out for each other in any way possible.
Jeremy
(Yes, that Jeremy from Sunset.)
*BE WELL*
Thanks all (especially Jeremy). I am not giving up on physical therapy. I've taken a good look at the situation and talked to my therapist. I realize it's cheaper for me to pay out of pocket than it is to make that COBRA payment. She says since I am so motivated, I can see her once a week for the manipulations (i.e., the honor of having her wrench my leg in every direction possible) and she will give me the exercises to do on my own.
If we were to pay for COBRA, it would be for about $600 in physical therapy sessions (were I to stay on my same schedule) and the one post-op check my doctor wants to do in June. Since I can do much of my therapy myself, that saves hundreds. I'll be spending about $400 for therapy in June. Let's assume the doctor visit will cost about $150 for 10 minutes of his time. It's more cost effective at this point to forego COBRA.
In the end, we will get health insurance for Soul Brother #2. Soul Brother #1 and I will go without while we way our options. At this point, I think pre-existing conditions will prevent us from getting insurance on our own. We can live with that for the time being while we work on ways to get covered.
Jeremy, if you send me $200 it would definitely go toward therapy and not toward a new board. (Wink!) Thank you for the generous offer. You're amazing!
Well, if COBRA keeps all of you covered w/ your existing situations, then I say keep it through the summer and or until your healing is complete. You and your husband know best. And as a parent of little ones I agree w/ you in wanting to keep the little man covered. If you can send me the info to the email address I listed above. I'll ship out the downpayment on your next custom shaped delight! Yeah!!
Jeremy
Don't make me come down there and surf you silly!
Never introduce one of your problems to another of your problems, they will form a gang and kick your butt.
As to the Hulls thing...yes, addictive...trust me, I am a dealer!
See ya!
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