The Harmonious Hip: July 2012

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Aaaand we have a WINNER!

If you chose Door #3.....congratulations! YOU WIN (a wink and a smile and a big high-five!)!!! And I win....a surgery date!!! Woohoo!!!

I am told from the docs at Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordan, GA "don't worry about Tricare, we'll take care of all that on our end." Dare I dream this is really, really REAL??? My head tells me "no way, Tricare will figure out a way to screw this up". My heart tells me "yes, yes oh yes...well, maybe??" But my Bible tells me that "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me!" Phillippians 4:13

Mark your calenders, ladies and gents! Friday, August 17th is the day I start a new beginning!!!

Sunday, July 15, 2012

The Possibilities Are Endless....

Okay. Not really....

Surgery with Dr. S is OFF. No trip to Atlanta for us. And Tricare doesn't seem to want me to see the military orthopedic surgeon in San Antonio either. Referral was DENIED. No explanation, nada, zip. But they DID automatically approve a referral to an orthopedic surgeon near me, as a consolation. This doc happens to be a knee specialist...a lot of good THAT does us!! Seriously???

Soooo, now we have...

Door #1-
Still fighting with Tricare to approve the referral to military doctor in San Antonio (a guy I've never even met). After faxing the request to about 10 different numbers, surely it will reach someone who can give me a straight answer. Really...am I asking too much?

Door #2-
Our very, very dear church family has banded together and written letters to both our local Congressman and our State Senator explaining my situation and my continued troubles with Tricare. My faith in God, that He will heal me and this will all someday be a distant memory, is rock solid. My faith in our government?? Hmmm, jury's out on that one....

Door #3-
Last Monday I received an email from Dr. S (the Atlanta doc) telling me that he is friends with another orthopedic surgeon and hip specialist who works at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Augusta, GA. Also, Dr. S had an intern that once worked under him, that now works with this other doctor in Augusta. What? Are the stars aligning?? By Friday, I received a phone call from this intern and basically did an "appointment" over the phone. He says they should be better able to get Tricare approval from their end, with direct request from the surgeon....and I could have a surgery date within a month!!! Is this even possible?!? Stay tuned for more "Let's Make A Deal with Military Health Insurance"!

What is Hip Dysplasia?

You may hear about babies or pets with hip dysplasia, but it can affect adults, especially young women. Hip dysplasia is an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, oracetabulum, and the thighbone, or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Doctors check for hip dysplasia in babies before sending them home from the hospital -- it's an easily treatable condition in newborns. But if hip dysplasia isn't detected and corrected at an early age, the health of the hip will deteriorate over time because of its misalignment. Depending on the severity of the situation, this could result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or an inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life. It's not just dogs and babies, y'all!

Periacetabular Osteotomy (or PAO)

PAO: The Mother of All Hip Surgeries... A procedure that cuts the hip socket out of the pelvis to allow the socket to be repositioned and then screwed back into place. This allows the ball & socket to move fluidly, preventing further cartilage damage and preserving the joint in patients with faulty hips. The PAO preserves and enhances the patient's own hip, NOT replacing it with artificial parts like a hip replacement. The hip may still develop arthritis over time, even when the operation is successful. However, PAO is still the preferred treatment in young adults to postpone the need for hip replacement as long as possible.