The skinny on my back (aka: Why I hate healthcare)

Posted on January 30, 2009

Okay, so I am pretty used to having back pain.  I am so used to it, in fact, that I stopped taking pain medicine for back aches years ago, and when I wrenched something 6 months ago while shutting the back door of my car, I gritted my teeth and just tried not to move that way for awhile.  About two months ago, my hip started popping out.  Its excruciatingly painful, but it pops back in within a couple of minutes, so my plan of action was to just deal.

Well, when the first day we toured in Rome we left the stroller back at the villa, I ended up carrying Chloe more than I have for awhile.  It got so bad, I had to just tell her no.  That’s why in most of the pictures Chloe is riding on Daddy’s shoulders.  But, again, I just thought I would let it rest up when we got home, and it would probably go away.

Last Monday, I was in the grocery store pushing the shopping cart and my hip popped out.  It hurt so bad, I literally had to do some serious deep breathing to stop myself from crying.  After that, I thought to myself, “Okay, this is not normal, even for someone with rods.”  I have a pretty high tolerance for pain (you have to when you have scoliosis and chronic back pain) but this was too much for me.

So, I took a big girl pill and started looking into getting it fixed.

Now, unfortunately this has happened to me before.  The last time, the doctor told me that the ligaments in my hips were stretched (and ligaments aren’t supposed to stretch) because they were compensating for the inflexibility in my back.  I went to my primary physician through Kaiser, who referred me to an orthopedic surgeon.  I drove 50 minutes to a different office, then waited for an hour in the waiting room, for him to look at me for 5 minutes, tell me I needed xrays and an MRI, and referred me to a physical therapist to deal with the pain.  While I was making the appt with the PT, I heard the doctor dictating notes about the visit.  He said, “Its degenerative, I don’t think there’s anything we can do.”  I decided at that time that I would do the PT till I felt better, but I wouldn’t follow up with the doc.  I didn’t see the point.

Now, 7 years (or so) later, I am right back where I was.

I called the specialist, who insisted I go to the  primary care physician first.  My doc said I would probably need PT, but wanted a specialist to look me over to see what exercises I should do.  The specialist won’t see me without xrays, so I got those done.  Then I called them to make an appt, they don’t take my insurance.  There isn’t ANYONE in the area who takes my insurance AND works with scoliosis patients.  Another phone call to the insurance company, they kept me on hold for 20 minutes, then told me that before they can “make an exception” I have to have an appointment because they need a physician’s name.  Another phone call to the specialist.  They tell me that I have to find out if I have “out of network” benefits.  Another call to the insurance company.  Another 15 minutes on hold, then I find out I do indeed have out of network, but we have a $2000 deductible.  Call the specialist back.  FINALLY, they make an appointment, but I am going to have to pay for the visit.  Sigh.

Next week I will see the orthopedic surgeon for a “consultation.”  My hope is he’ll look at me, say I need PT, then I can go to an “in network” PT and fix it.  My worst fear is, of course, more surgery.

Luckily, getting the xrays was painless, covered by insurance, and actually kind of fascinating.  I used to joke to my kids all the time that their teacher was actually a cyborg.  Here’s the proof: