DefinitelyDressage.com

I am having my tailbone removed on Friday. So hoping that will be the resolution for my pain in the butt I am quite anxious about it but have exhausted all less invasive treatments over the last 6 plus years. I am so tired of spending most of my time standing up, it makes lots of things (sitting, sleeping, traveling farther than 30 minutes, riding a bike or horse) very problematic.

I have a spur on the very last segment of my tailbone. On CAT scan it actually looks like a tail...it points out...so I sit on it. Apparently something that is congenital and I was born with it. However, I was a fat kid and young adult. Apparently they don't bother you then with all that padding. I have managed to lose weight over the last 15 years which you think would be good, huh? Add to the fact the the upper joint is now fused and allows for less movement of said spike to somewhat get out of the way. As of a year ago last October, it finally became too painful to ride my horse. I pretty much been relegated to short "pony" rides, mostly at the walk...I wait for better days pain wise but yeah...I am trying not to give that up completely.

Anyway, jingles appreciated. It isn't a big surgery but one that has a fairly high complication rate hence the anxiety. I probably won't know the final outcome for up to a year-18 months but I know the status quo won't get me any farther ahead.

TIA
SUsan

Sending good vibes for the surgery and jingles for a complete and uncomplicated recovery!

Jingles for a successful surgery and a quick recovery. I look forward to hearing about your riding adventures with your lovey mare!

jingles --more jingles-- and best wishes! keep us posted!

Jingle, jingle, jingle

I pray for a steady surgeon's hand, a wise anesthetist and a speedy, uneventful recovery.

Many hugs from your fellow Idahoan.

Wow. Many jingles! Hope your recovery is fast and the pain is gone!

Sending you jingles for a easy speedy recovery. Hoping it finally resolves your pain.

~~jingles~~ for a speedy recovery and no pain!

Prayers and healing thoughts coming you way. Soon you will pain free.

~~Jingles~~ for a swift recovery and everlasting comfort.

Jingling for you Susan. I know you've agonized over this decision for a long time now. I will try to give the little grey princess some exercise while you're out of commission.

Jingles!!! hope it all goes well and you recover quickly so you can ride properly again soon

Jingles! Hope everything goes smoothly and your pain in the butt begone!

Jingles from across the state line. I can't imagine how painful and debilitating this has been and I'm pulling for a complete and bright recovery!

So you are getting your tail docked

Sending jingles for excellent surgery and rapid healing and complete cessation of pain and return to full health

Jingles for a future of sitting pretty.

Ow ow ow ... jingles for a quick recovery and a lovely sitting trot!

Oh, lots of jingles! Surgery is no fun, but not being able to ride sounds worse. Good luck!

Lots and lots of jingles from me and the little grey mare. You need to be comfortable!!!

Jingles for a smooth surgery and rapid and thorough healing!!

jingles!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all the jingles...I am going to have to hold on to them.

For the second time, my surgery is postponed . The first time they postponed, I at least hadn't done all the FMLA paperwork or the short term disability claim. I still don't know the next proposed date. My FMLA was supposed to start tomorrow. I have 4 1/2 weeks off work...Great if I get to burn all my PTO for no good reason. Grrr. I had to cancel the cat boarding...I was taking them today so they were out of my hair for a few days. The vet/boarding place is great but I'm sure they are getting tired of all my reschedules. I had to call my friend who was taking me and my sister who would pick me up. Nope, lets have another total redo.

It is a rare surgery and thus hard to find a surgeon practiced with the procedure. The one I have has lots of experience but he is out of network. The only doctor I found in network has done 3 in 10 years and was less than enthusiastic about doing it and offered me zip as far as alternatives. Out of network doctor is willing to work at the in-network hospital but since he isn't a regular, there are few slots for him to do surgery--basically he is relegated to Fridays. He had a patient with an emergent/urgent issue that has to be done tomorrow at a different hospital. The logistics of getting this done is mind boggling...maybe I should call Donald if he wants another example of how complicated health care is . I am about ready to throw in the towel and get it done at the out of network hospital. I just have to pony up at least $7000 . I have it the $$$ but was earmarking that for the new car fund for next year. But if I can't sit in the new car to tour around, I guess it isn't necessary?

Oh well. If the stress doesn't get me first . I guess I have lived with it for this long, another week or two won't matter...it is just those week or two chunks seem to be piling up. Not to mention, the (2nd) workup for this problem started in January of LAST year. I was finally diagnosed in August so 7 months later...still waiting .

Susan

Major jingles. Feel better soon. You an do this!!

Oh my goodness, sorry to hear it was postponed. I remember you dealing with these problems for years, not to mention the foot too, right? Many jingles that you get a new date. I hope in the future you'll be posting pics of you riding that lovely grey mare!

~~~~~~~~~~schedulling jingles~~~~~~~~~~~

followed by

~~~~~~~~~~healing jingles~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, damn. That's a lot of rearranging to then go and get rescheduled.

I'm sorry for the re-schedule and challenges.

I agree that you can do this and it is worth doing as well as possible---but I'm sorry it is such a pain in the tuckus!

I'm sending some extra grey mare jingle for you

Well damn. The scheduler tells me it will be the end of the month (either 27th or 31st). Crap. Now I have 3 weeks of leave...for no reason and I am going to have to burn vacation time. I know I can pick up a few shifts but really . Not to mention my boss having to cover 3 weeks of shifts on the other end that I am scheduled for. Providing they (the doctor's office) don't eff it up again. They think it is not problem to change dates. Like I can wave a wand and make it happen. Having no choice in the matter really blows.

Susan

Well that's rotten. All I'm trying to do is install cabinets and I won't let my scheduler jerk clients around like that.

Yes Mountaineer...I am going to call on Monday and say that for sure the 31st is not doable. She has to find something earlier. I told my boss and she was not happy. She has already crunched the schedule around twice for the first two dates I was given. If it is the 31st, she will have to cover 17 more shifts! So, not doable and not fair to all my co-workers. I am sure the scheduler has scheduled other people since she scheduled me the first time and they aren't getting bumped. I also gave her an out by consenting to one of the out of network hospitals since it is being so difficult to schedule at the in-network hospital (which I know is NOT their fault--too many hoops to jump through ). SO damn it, find a spot.

I guess I am of more in need of jingles just to get the surgery scheduled .

Susan

Yes, this may be a time when you need to get cranky. I can see if something gets bumped for an emergency. I'd be perfectly OK with being flexible for that, but you do have a life outside of this which needs to get taken into consideration, too. Sometimes, we can be too nice. And frankly, even with our relatively petty scheduling conflicts, the nice, understanding people are more likely to get bumped.

If I remember rightly, you provide some care for your elderly parents, too? This must be causing you some inconvenience with organizing that schedule as well. If nothing else is getting through, this is a card you should play with the scheduler.

Why does it have to be so damned hard! I feel like coming up there and thumping on someone's desk for you.

Yes - I agree this may be the time to get cranky. This is way too much stress that is put on patients dealing with nonsense. Emergencies are understandable for a first bump-reschedule but repeat bumps means time to be firm with them. Continued jingles for you.

Getting cranky didn't help. It needed to be ASAP or I have to wait due to work issues. They had no available dates. Late March was too late. So now, surgery is not until April 24th. My job schedule goes in 8 week chunks and the cancelled March 3rd date was at the very end of the last schedule. New 8 week schedule started March 5th. So, putting it the end of March required my boss to try and cover a full 3-4 weeks of this schedule and I couldn't ask her to do that AGAIN. They did get a cancellation on Mar 20th but again, I would have to get about 3 weeks of shifts covered. Our census has been so high this winter between the flu and broken bones from all the snow and ice. It has blown the hospital's salary budget out of the water and they are asking people to take time off. Great, you say except there would be overtime in covering my shifts and they really don't want that right now. I have been able to pick up bunches of shifts.It helps to work a shift that everyone else hates . We have to use some PTO before our short-term disability kicks in and we can use PTO to supplement the STD as it is only 60% of our base salary. Ultimately, my PTO won't take a very big hit from the surgery...I didn't have .

I also gave up on the in-network hospital. I just didn't have a good feeling about it. Another surgeon has to be scheduled for the case (the proctor) and that just adds another confounding restrictive layer to the process. My surgeon isn't used to working there and they would only let him have Friday's so I also envisioned the same crap happening again. The third time has to be a charm . Even though I will have to pay more out of pocket, I feel more at ease that he will be working with people he knows and not feeling his way through at a new facility.

I will certainly keep all your jingles...for scheduling and for surgery. In the meantime, I can work with my horse . I can't do much riding (at least comfortably) but I can do a bunch of groundwork and try and get her in a bit better shape. Now that I don't have to spend all the time at the barn chopping frozen poop out of the snow and shoveling snow day in and day out. It is supposed to be near 70 degrees by mid week .

Susan

Wow, definitely adding my jingles for your scheduling and surgery, it certainly sounds like a good option to have a surgeon working in/with familiar surroundings/people, so that's a good call I reckon. Good luck, and enjoy your lovely horse in the mean time! Sounds like you've gone from the big freeze to the big thaw quite quickly.

You know what? You have to listen to your gut. Go with the out-of-network hospital even if you have to wait. You have my jingles and prayers. Enjoy your pretty girl.

Susan's rescheduled surgery is this afternoon, so power up those jingles again.

Let us know when you're out and recovering Susan!

Many jingles headed to Idaho!

jinglejinglejingle --best wishes, susan!

Sending lots of jingles to Idaho!

All the best Susan!!!!!