MRI and CT are done!

I was finally able to have my scans last week (report coming in the next day or so). I already spoke to my OS and have his report on it. My osteotomy is pretty much healed which is amazing at 4.5 months. My allograft looks great as do all my muscles. No tears in my glutes and no denervation. My glute med is a little atrophied but that is to be expected. I do have a lot of inflammation and irritation laterally from the screws so they will come out. The question is when. Technically, my osteotomy is healed enough to do it now but that would be incredibly aggressive. I am going to have the bursa injected to give me some more time and the screws can come out in the next 2months or so, giving the osteotomy sufficient time to be healed.

My MRI Drama

Ever since my husband switched jobs about 1 1/2 years ago, our health insurance changed from United healthcare to Oxford. If you recall, I had major issues w UHC back in 2010 when they denied my surgery. After an appeal the denial was overturned but I later had more issues with my out of network benefits. Oxford is owned by UHC but operates under its own rules. One of those rules is that under my particular policy, I require pre-certification for every MRI, CT, surgery, injection and god knows what else. Generally the scans are approved within a day or 2. This time things were not quite as simple. Oxford outsources their radiology pre-certification to a company called Care Core. Care Core is supposed to approve or deny the procedure within 2 days. My CT (which is a less expensive scan) was approved right away. The MRI was not. Care Core needed more info- specifically "was my hip pain treated w 4 weeks of NSAIDs" as it "typically" should. Well, this got me a bit riled up....I mean- how many Naprosyn's does Care Core think will make me walk? And to be honest, I wouldn't call this "typical". So, my doctor's office had to send more info and explain that I had already done more than 4 weeks w an NSAID cream.... And the MRI was denied. So I became a little more agitated....and why didn't they have he same requirement for the CT? I mean- if I have to be on 4 weeks of NSAIDs then lets adhere to the same rules all across the board... Not just for expensive scans. In the end, the MRI was approved, 10 days after the initial request. Once it was approved, a lovely representative from Care Core called me to let me know. (It is important to note that she was lovely bc everyone I spoke to was lovely. It is the game that medical management companies play- its much harder to yell and scream at someone who is sweet as pie) "My MRI is approved to be done at XYZ facility in the Bronx". Huh? The Bronx? Wtf? I calmly explained to her that I will not be having my MRI in the Bronx but at the same hospital where I have had all (I forget the number) previous ones. And why was this particular facility chosen?? "Bc your doctor requested it. And your Ct is approved at that facility as well". Hmmm, my doctor only allows MRIs at 2 facilities and I am pretty sure neither is in the Bronx. And when I received the call about the CT, I was told it had been approved at my regular CT facility. Why was it changed? I did get them to change both scans to the right facility but why the hell is Care Core trying to pull a fast one? What the hell is going in w medical management in this country??? Last time I checked I had a very pricey PPO policy and I am shocked at the lengths an insurance company would go to cut costs

OS#2 not too concerned

If you recall, my "regular" OS who did my 5 (yes, 5) scopes had to brig in another OS to do the osteotomy portion of my surgery. He happens to be a pediatric hip surgeon and the one who I took my son to last summer when he was having hip pain. Yesterday my son happened to have a follow up with him and my crutches were a topic if conversation. His nurse first said that with multiple surgeries it is common for the glute to take a while to wake up. He concurred and he also said that he doesn't cut the glute. So my first question (in my head) was why does my OS think it was cut? They routinely do this surgery together. OS#2 barely batted an eye at the fact that I can't walk. I don't think I told him about the pain but regardless- he was cool with it. I asked his nurse later on if they would order scans at this point (4 months) and she said probably not. At 6 months they would. So I am confused about my OS concern, esp bc he is never concerned about anything it seems. I am still going ahead w the scans- the best case scenario will be glut tendinitis that will resolve w the screw removal.

OS not too happy

I spoke with my OS last night who is no longer ok with me being on crutches. It's not "normal" anymore and he wants to figure out why. He said that I may be having problems from my glute medius tendon which is cut and then repaired at the end of the surgery. It is most likely very irritated from the screws but we have to rule out other problems like denervation or tears. I went to see my PT today but the appointment was hijacked by my OS. He said (again) that my screws must come out ASAP. The soonest it can be done safely is 6 months but I have to have a CT to check the healing of the osteotomy. My PT checked all my muscles and my ROM and everything is great except for my glut. med. All the muscles fire well but the med wont turn on. Which is why I can't walk. I should hopefully have the scans in the next few days as my OS is anxious to see what is going on. I am beyond upset with this and wish my hip would just cooperate, for once.

4 months and still on crutches

That about sums up my feelings right now. I just can't believe that I am still on crutches. I tend to compartmentalize my life by events- and there were abt 6 event post op that I wondered whether I would need crutches at. So far the answer has been yes. To add to the excitement, I have a raging case of trochanteric bursitis so bad there is a huge swollen area halfway between my butt and the outside part of my leg. It is so painful I want to take a knife an saw off that part of my leg. I've been away for abt 1.5 weeks and came home to my housekeeper/ nanny being on vacation. I unpacked from the trip and have been keeping my house clean.... I want to take the knife and cut off the rest of my leg. I have a call with my OS next week and an appt with my back up PT next week as well. I had a massage session today w my Reiki/ Energy/ craniosacral/ healing massage therapist. He wasn't able to go too deep on my op leg bc of all the inflammation. I am ready to take my crutches and....