Read all about it!!
The latest news is.....more waiting,more tests, more referrals, more doctors. We saw Neurosurgeon #2 yesterday and in so many words he agreed that there was no back involvement with the fall. He wants to have another MRI and CT scan "Just to be certain" translated as "to cover my buttttt". Then when those tests show that my back is clear I'll be referred, finally, to a hip specialist to fix my hip. Now, I'm going to be OK with this because this is the reality. Also, we're getting lots of opinions so that when we do make a decision as to which way to go, we will know that we covered all the bases. This means more time but that's the way it has to be.
These doctors are interesting. What is happening is we're caught in the politics of medicine called:
Private Practice vs Teaching Institutions
Just like on Scrubs (if you know us, you know that we're Scrubs officiantos) when Elliot decides to go into Private Practice and the rest of the doctors stay at Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital where they were all trained through their internships and residencies. The docs that stay with Sacred Heart shun poor little Elliot because they feel she has sold out to the big guys. But, she makes more money, gets to go home at 5 pm and is now one of the "Elites". Elliot accuses the hospital docs of being jealous. They accuse her of being ungrateful. They all admit that there's some truth in all the accusations and learn to play nicely with each other.
This stuff happens in real life, too as we're finding out. (We're not sure if they're reached the "play nice" phase yet, though!) The Private Practice docs put the Teaching Hospital docs down and vice versa. We can almost predict these reactions. It's good that we've seen both sides because we can see past this and try to get to the truth--somewhere in there--deep, deep down!
Another trend we're seeing is:
I don't know nothing about.....
(With hands opened out in front of them the various specialists say, "I know nothing about_____ (hips, nerves, spines, spinal nerves, bones, birthin' no babies) Fill in the blank depending on which doc we're talking to at the moment. (The last possibility about "birthin' no babies" was stolen right out of Gone With The Wind but seemed to fit nicely into the scenario) They are so super-specialized that they will over-emphasize and literally throw their hands up and back up a step or two when we ask a question "out of their field". That's why this is taking so long. We have to see a different physician for everything. They won't even speculate. The good thing is that we're getting good at deciphering their protests and things they don't say. We've gotten a ton of information this way!
One more thing to say: I'd like to give a shout out to Anthem Blue Cross HMO--yes you heard me--my insurance company called me yesterday and said they will pay for the 2nd opinion we got last week. The one we paid $300 out of pocket because we were told it wouldn't be covered. Whoo-hoo!
So folks, this is to say that we're still waiting, we're doing fine, we have no answers, thanks for faithfully waiting with us and thanks for listening.
Beep da da Beep da da Beep
That's all Folks!
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