I met with Dr. Stark yesterday, thanks to Mark

[treefrog]

I hope everything comes together for you. You have been through a lot, and it would be fantastic if there were some relief for you. It sounds very promising.

[phylly]

Cindylou,
I hope this works out for you; I know you have been suffering. What a huge surgery to tackle. How long will you be out of commission? Isn't it awful that we have to have one thing after another go wrong. I hope that this will help your pain and the insurance will approve it.
Phylly

[mmglobal]

Dear Cindylou, thanks for the pat on the back! I'm very proud of what I can do in some cases. The idea that you may cancel your hip replacement surgery and have a much less invasive surgery that is more accurately targeted to a bigger pain generator than your hip is wonderful. Of course, we won't know the outcome and you may still need your hip done, but at least you have the opportunity to go into your surgeries with a complete workup on the bigger picture. Also, you get to do the surgeries in a more appropriate order. If you get such great improvement from the SI surgery that your hip turns out to be a minor problem that doesn't rise to the level of surgery, this will be a great save for Dr. Stark and GPN.

I was considering not going to SAS in May this year as it's sooo expensive.... this kind of experience reinforces the value of what I do. The networking that happens for me at these conferences translates into such a meaningful difference for many patients as these connections are made. I have other clients that may turn into Dr. Stark saves too.

For those of you interested in reading about my recent connection to Dr. Stark, check out this thread:

SI joint dysfunction? Dr. John Stark

I believe that Dr. Stark is the real deal. He seems to be interested in the difficult cases and sees them as a challenge instead of something to be avoided. I look forward to learning more about him and his practice.

All the best,

Mark

[dshobbies]

Cindylou,

So many of us agree with you... mm also stands for miracle maker. I hope that 1, your insurance covers this surgery and 2, that you find the relief you seek. This two would be your double miracle.

Perhaps this is not the appropriate time, but I just want to point out that good things happen when people, ordinary people, go out of their way for their fellow man. I will soon post my experience with my new pm but the difference between my two pm's is amazing. One doctor goes out of his way to relieve suffering, the other considers it just a job.

Mark has a job but cares deeply. Dr. Stark has a job but cares. I have been treated by both kinds of doctors and the caring ones are worth their fees while the others are more concerned about their pockets and reputations, or notches in their surgical belts.

This translates into every aspect of life. How many of us can't be bothered to perform little tasks that make big differences to world in which we live. I won't go into specifics but everyday we have the opportunity to make life better for someone, somewhere and I now call upon absolutely everyone, EVERYONE, to live up to better standards, to pull from those we admire as examples of doing better or more. Random acts of kindness carry their own reward for both you and recipient. A helping hand is rarely slapped away (except from parent to child who wants independence). Enough of my soapbox.

Cindylou, sorry to have stepped on your thread but you are the recipient of two helping hands and I took the opportunity. I hope everything works out for you. Suffering sucks and you've had enough to last your lifetime. Sending good wishes your way.

Dale

[Terry Allen Blackburn]

CindyLou:

I sure hope this is the answer for you and the end of your pain. If not the end, at least lessened so that you can have your quality of life back. I also am wondering about the down time and other aspects of this surgery. My pain has lessened considerably but I also have the same pain generator in my SI joint. I am hoping that I won't have to have another surgery but will be looking at yours with an expectancy that this may help me at some point in the future if the injections start to fail.

Good luck with the insurance coverage.

Terry Newton

[Justin]

Congrats CL! Keep us posted.

[Cindylou]

In regards to this surgery, it is a 1 hour, 1 + hour, at most. It is 6 weeks on crutches, before slight toe stepping weight bearing. It is approx. 3-5 days in the hospital, but his staff says it is typically 2-4 days. I would be in the hospital close to a week for a total hip replacement with a much longer recovery. Again, I might still need it (THR) down the road, but first things first, and in the proper order. I did manage to get up the nerve to call Betty this afternoon about the status of the insurance coverage, and she said she would not know until Monday. She detected the anxiety in my voice and said she felt really good about my case and not to worry. That did give me some comfort. After that, I drove to my dear friend's house, the one whose husband is in stage 4 lung cancer (never smoked a day), as he is declining rapidly all of a sudden. I stayed over there for about 6 hours, just trying to be a comfort to her, while we waited on the hospice nurse to assess his current condition. He came home from the hospital yesterday, too weak for them to aspirate the fluid off his lungs, and he now needs an oxygen tank constantly, and has moved to their first floor guest bedroom, as he cannot do the stairs anymore. I believe she is finally seeing the writing on the wall. He has been fighting this insidious disease for 4 1/2 years. I think he's tired and ready to give up the fight. It's time. He's been able to walk 2 of his 3 daughters down the aisle since his diagnosis, will hopefully live to see his first grandchild born (she is due the same day as my daughter-in-law and son, meaning any day now), if God wills it to be so. It is, after all, the cycle of life. A life given, a life taken. So, I'm thinking right about now I can have 1 glass of wine. What a day. I will keep you all informed as to whether I get this covered, and then, if I do, how this surgery plays out. Terry, I will definitely keep you abreast of this too, as you face the same pain generators as me, minus the hip, of course. Boy, I am so grateful for Mark, and for all of you here on this forum. Thanks for lifting me up.

Cindylou