Dr. Gross, Amstutz, Mont..am i crazy?

[Guest guest]

I first went to Amstutz who did not help me with my appeal and it was denied

by blue cross. i transferred my xrays to Mont, whom i never spoke with but

has been working with me on the appeal. Now i hear that i may have

a problem with Mont because of the delays he is experiencing, AM I CRAZY TO

TRANSFER TO GROSS? PLEASE SOMEONE ADVISE ME> I just want a competent

person to perform my surgery.... I am hurting. I do not want to go to

Belguim if i do not have to. I want to stay in America if i can...my own

country. peggathy@...

[Guest guest]

Not Crazy. They're all fine people...the important thing is to resurf

rather than THR!

Dr. Gross, Amstutz, Mont..am i crazy?

I first went to Amstutz who did not help me with my appeal and it was

denied

by blue cross. i transferred my xrays to Mont, whom i never spoke with

but

has been working with me on the appeal. Now i hear that i may

have

a problem with Mont because of the delays he is experiencing, AM I CRAZY

TO

TRANSFER TO GROSS? PLEASE SOMEONE ADVISE ME> I just want a competent

person to perform my surgery.... I am hurting. I do not want to go to

Belguim if i do not have to. I want to stay in America if i can...my own

country. peggathy@...

[Guest guest]

You should consider Dr. s in Baltimore. I have not seen much

talk about him in this forum, which is a shame because he is a very

good surgeon with an excellent track record on the MOM resurfacing

jobs. I love mine. Feel like I have a natural hip after 6 months.

His staff took care of all my insurance needs and BCBS paid

essentually 100%. He is has no FDA hold up on the Cormat 2000

devices, which I guess there is on the C+ device.

> I first went to Amstutz who did not help me with my appeal and it

was denied

> by blue cross. i transferred my xrays to Mont, whom i never spoke

with but

> has been working with me on the appeal. Now i hear that

i may have

> a problem with Mont because of the delays he is experiencing, AM I

CRAZY TO

> TRANSFER TO GROSS? PLEASE SOMEONE ADVISE ME> I just want a

competent

> person to perform my surgery.... I am hurting. I do not want to

go to

> Belguim if i do not have to. I want to stay in America if i

can...my own

> country. peggathy@a...

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi:

Out of which hospital does Dr. s operate? Thanks.

Ken

> > I first went to Amstutz who did not help me with my appeal and

it

> was denied

> > by blue cross. i transferred my xrays to Mont, whom i never

spoke

> with but

> > has been working with me on the appeal. Now i hear

that

> i may have

> > a problem with Mont because of the delays he is experiencing, AM

I

> CRAZY TO

> > TRANSFER TO GROSS? PLEASE SOMEONE ADVISE ME> I just want a

> competent

> > person to perform my surgery.... I am hurting. I do not want

to

> go to

> > Belguim if i do not have to. I want to stay in America if i

> can...my own

> > country. peggathy@a...

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Shef:

I tired to send you an e-mail but it came back undeliverable.

Please feel free to send me a quick message and I will reply to it.

Perhps that will work. Thanks.

Ken

> Hi Ken

>

> Dr. s is at Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore, he is Chief

of

> Orthopedic/Sports Medicine there and also teaches orthopedic

surgery at s

> Hopkins. I think I understand a little of how you feel, thought I

would go

> crazy myself trying to get a resolution to this hip problem that I

could live

> with. Dr. s and his staff literally gave me a life back.

Good luck, if

> you need a phone or contact number please let me know.

> Shefster@a... sure if we are allowed to put references on this

site

> but if I could Dr. s would sure get one from me.

>

> Shef

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Shef! I am down in Salisbury, MD where they look at you

funny when you mention metal-on-metal. I will give him a call and

have him take a look at me. I'll keep you posted.

Ken

> 'hey Ken--here's the info--- s--Chief of

orthopedic/Sports

> medicine for Good Samaritan Hospital. Dr s also teaches at

s

> Hopkins University--where surgeons are taught to be surgeons--hard

to be more

> qualified that that.

> 5601 Lock Raven Boulevard

> Baltimore Ma. 21239-2995

> contact number--Dr s Assr is Shirley 413-

532-4725

> He uses a Cormet 2000 device, had me in surgery 3 hours, walkin

the next

> morning and back home in Virginia 4 days later. He is emminently

gualified.

> professional and genuinely wants to help people They worked

diligently to

> get approval on the ins. end and have followed my progress

closely. I'm sure

> there are fine surgeons in other countries who do excellent work,

won;t

> question that, but personally I was looking for the most qualified

person I

> could find that could do a great job and still be close enough

that I could

> get to him in a reasonable time " if " something would go wrong. I

consider

> myself extremely luck to have found him. I do know he has

availability of

> the Corin prosthesis and no waiting restrictions. Having gone

through what I

> did, if I now had a choice of all the Docs to do my hip I would

still go to

> s. I know you are hurting friend, please give him a call.

you will so

> be pleased you did. If I can provide anything else to help please

post and

> keep in touch anyway let me know how things go---best of luck

Shef

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yes Shef and Peg. I had mine done on Dec 6th with Dr. s and it

went very smooth, insurance approval, pre-op testing was done by my

local hospital and faxed to them, gave my blood locally and it was

there the day I needed it.

And Peg, I know what your back feels like. I walked that way for 5

years and tried to teach and train in karate for all that time. So

much compensation and favoring that I thought my body would never

function normal again. But you know what, 2 months after surgery

everything started falling back into place and movement became

natural again.. no more back ache, neck ache, or muscle spasms around

the hip and butt area. Constant pain can affect your personality for

the worst, ad it did mine, but now everyone says how much happier I

seem. No pain makes smile.

Don't keep waiting... make the pain stop... you'll wonder why you put

it off afterwards. Good luck... -- Bob

> Hi Peg, you know you can always make appointments, send X-rays(Dr

s

> accepts mailed ones) and get things started just in case.. Might

cut down on

> the lag time. I know Dr. J called my insurance co. personally,

actually

> talked with the approval people himself. If I'm not mistaken there

was a

> posting earlier on this site from someone who was approved by BCBS

for the

> procedure in Baltimore with Dr. s. Hang in there--Shef

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well Peg... How long do you plan to be in Belgium of that is what you

decide? I only had one hip replaced and there was only light toe

pressure allowed for a while (told 2 weeks, but I actually put more

pressure on it than that). I used crutches and sometimes a walker.

However, I cold support my weight with my good side. I don't think

you will manage as well with both hips. IMHO you need some help for a

couple weeks after the operation if you have both done at once. I am

not sure if they teach you occupational therapy (how to dress

yourself, put you shoes and socks one, etc.) in Belgium, but I would

guess so. It wasn't hard with a good hip to support yourself, but I

can imagine it is difficult with both hips done. How strong you are

(upper body particularly) and your weight are all factors in how

easly you will be able to get around a few days after the operation.

All I can say, depends on the lengh of time you are going to recover

before flying home, and your physical condition (strength and

weight). Having it done locally would probably be better if you can

win the Ins battle. Do you have anyone that can help you for a week

or two?

> Bob, do you think i can do it alone? Could i go to Belgium alone,

and come

> home and take care of myself alone? why not? if i will be

walking before i

> come home, and will have to get up and walk every half hour on the

plane....i

> sure think i can take care of myself. i am having two hips

done. at the

> same time...at least thats the plan. no plan manifested yet

tho...its my

> plan. peg

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Saeed

>

> PS All the girls did great. Marie left in 3 or 4 days. Isara is

moving very well. of Austin doing fine after difficult

displasia with her bilateral surgery.

Saeed,

Thanks for the update on the gals. I've been wondering how is

doing. Tell her " hello " for me if you see her. I'm thinking of all

the " Belgium Hippies " . Have a safe trip home when the time comes.

Trudy