Re: what was old becomes new again

[Guest guest]

Dear Jill,

Good to hear from you again! So glad you have a consultation with Boachie, and will look forward to you sharing what he has to say about your case. You'll be in good hands!

Welcome Back!

Colorado Springs

[ ] what was old becomes new again

Hi, everyone

I joined this group a couple of years ago, stayed for a while and left. I've recently rejoined and want to reintroduce myself.

My name is Jill and I, too, have flatback from prior Harrington rod surgeries. My 1st was by Hugo Keim at Columbia-Presbyterian (NYC) in 1975 and the 2nd was in 1981 (I think) by Dr Levine at Hospital for Special Surgery also in NYC.

About 10 yrs ago I was diagnosed with flatback and have had varying degrees of difficulty. What I didn't know til recently is that many of the other issues I have are related to the flatback. I recently saw a doctor just to get some new imaging and an opinion but he really didn't have enough experience with what I need. He did order a CT scan of the thoracic spine that showed thoracic herniations and facet joint deteriation.

I had already decided to go back to Special Surgery, as I had a wonderful experience there, if such a thing exists. I have an appointment with Dr Boachie on Oct 23 which seems to be when some of you will be there post-op. I wish I could come poke my head in and say hi but I'm sure you won't be anywhere near ready for a visitor, let alone a stranger. I do wish all of you (3 of you, I think???) the very best and will be looking forward to hearing from someone how you are doing.

I am going to Dr Boachie for a consultation to get his perspective on my situation and his prognosis. I'm quite anxious to hear what he thinks.

Wishing everyone on this list the best.

Be well,

Jill

[Guest guest]

Jill

> I have an appointment with Dr Boachie on Oct 23 which seems to be

when some of you will be there post-op. I wish I could come poke my

head in and say hi >

I will be having my surgery on Oct. 21, so I am not sure I will be up

to vistors. You can check to see it I have been moved to a regular room

and if so feel free to stop by.

How long will you be in NYC? Where are you coming from?

Arlene

[Guest guest]

Arlene,

I think 3 of you will be post-op when I have my consult- you, ie and

someone else. Funny thing is that when I had my 1st surgery at Columbia, I

met a young girl having the same surgery also with Hugo Keim. I was 22 and

she was 12 (almost 13 as she loves to remind me). Anyway, she is now a

doctor in Boston and we are still very good friends.

I live in CT and we will be driving down that morning and leaving after the

appointment and probably sitting in nasty rush hour traffic.

I can't imagine wanting visitors 2 days post-op, but if you want to give me

your last name, on or off list, I can try to check on your progress if we

get to the city early enough. I imagine we will because we'll probably leave

really early " just in case " .

Where are you from? Did you travel far to see Dr Boachie? Gosh, I really

need to try to read some old posts to catch up on everyone's stories.

Be well,

Jill

[ ] Re: what was old becomes new again

> I will be having my surgery on Oct. 21, so I am not sure I will be up

> to vistors. You can check to see it I have been moved to a regular room

> and if so feel free to stop by.

>

> How long will you be in NYC? Where are you coming from?

>

> Arlene

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates

> Links

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Thank you for the welcome back. I am very much looking forward to my consult with Dr Boachie and dreading it at the same time. I will certainly update everyone afterward.

Thanks again,

Be well,

Jill

[ ] what was old becomes new again

Hi, everyone

I joined this group a couple of years ago, stayed for a while and left. I've recently rejoined and want to reintroduce myself.

My name is Jill and I, too, have flatback from prior Harrington rod surgeries. My 1st was by Hugo Keim at Columbia-Presbyterian (NYC) in 1975 and the 2nd was in 1981 (I think) by Dr Levine at Hospital for Special Surgery also in NYC.

About 10 yrs ago I was diagnosed with flatback and have had varying degrees of difficulty. What I didn't know til recently is that many of the other issues I have are related to the flatback. I recently saw a doctor just to get some new imaging and an opinion but he really didn't have enough experience with what I need. He did order a CT scan of the thoracic spine that showed thoracic herniations and facet joint deteriation.

I had already decided to go back to Special Surgery, as I had a wonderful experience there, if such a thing exists. I have an appointment with Dr Boachie on Oct 23 which seems to be when some of you will be there post-op. I wish I could come poke my head in and say hi but I'm sure you won't be anywhere near ready for a visitor, let alone a stranger. I do wish all of you (3 of you, I think???) the very best and will be looking forward to hearing from someone how you are doing.

I am going to Dr Boachie for a consultation to get his perspective on my situation and his prognosis. I'm quite anxious to hear what he thinks.

Wishing everyone on this list the best.

Be well,

Jill

[Guest guest]

HI Jill,

Welcome back from me, too.

My Harrington Rod surgery was also by Dr. Keim, in 1977. I was 36. And Dr. Boachie is my revision surgery, circa 1997. You will be in very good hands with him. In addition to being a top expert in revision surgery, he is so very kind and compassionate. So is his staff. I will be thinking of you and looking forward to your update after your visit with Dr. Boachie.

Bonnie

[Guest guest]

Hi Jill,

Welcome back. I am sorry that things haven't improved much for you

over the years....but then, I guess that is pretty much par for the

course as far as progression of flatback often goes.

For me, once I realized that all putting off surgery would do for me

was cost me my job, friends and life as I knew it....I wanted it

done yesterday! Of course the two surgeons I consulted, Boachie and

Rand, were very clear that there was no emergency, and I could put

things off as long as I wanted, but neither one of them thought that

things would ultimately improve much without some surgical

intervention.

I can't remember your details, but in my case I was already fused to

L4 and once that last disc gave up the ghost I think that sciatic

nerve was getting quite a squeeze...it was a very quick trip for me

from very functional to white knuckle pain 24/7....not the slow,

increasing pain and disability that many have undergone with

flatback.

I take it from your post that your earlier diagnosis of flatback was

not by DrBoachie? I am sure you will be glad to have that

appointment under your belt. He and his team are definitely ones you

can rely on when it comes to looking at your whole situation. Will

you take someone else in with you to the appointment so that you can

have that second set of " ears " with you? I think that is always a

good idea when possible. As my husband says, that first " big "

appointment is kind of like trying to drink water from a fire hose!

If you are in the northeast (CT?) you could fairly easily also

consider an opinion up in Boston if you feel you want to explore all

you options. At the end of the day I felt I had two great options

between DrsRand and Boachie, but I liked the way DrRand was

proposing to solve my problems a bit better (although I didn't like

the two days of surgery!) and I liked that he and NEBH were " in

network " . A few members have also been to DrErrico and DrBendo down

in NYC for consults and surgery. I believe they are at the Hospital

for Joint Disease. My personal opinion is that in surgery this big

if you have the resources to do it you will benefit from hearing at

least 2 opinions from surgeons who do this exact surgery A LOT, and

have patients whom you can speak with and find out what kinds of

outcomes they are having.

Either way, HSS is a great institutuion and no matter what you will

come away from your appointment with new information. I will be very

interested to hear what you learn.

I put your appt on the calendar so I will be looking for an update

aftewards!

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

Hi Jill --

I joined this group several years ago myself and am now in the

midst of planning revision. Just wanted to throw out there is another

option for a 2nd or 3rd opinion = Dr. Glazer in Boston (Beth

Israel Deaconess). PHENOMONAL surgeon! Just thought I'd let you know

in case you would be seeking any other opinions and you mentioned CT.

D (RI)

>

> Dear ,

> Thank you for the welcome back. I am very much looking forward to

my consult with Dr Boachie and dreading it at the same time. I will

certainly update everyone afterward.

>

> Thanks again,

>

> Be well,

> Jill

> [ ] what was old becomes new again

>

>

>

> Hi, everyone

> I joined this group a couple of years ago, stayed for a while

and left. I've recently rejoined and want to reintroduce myself.

> My name is Jill and I, too, have flatback from prior Harrington

rod surgeries. My 1st was by Hugo Keim at Columbia-Presbyterian (NYC)

in 1975 and the 2nd was in 1981 (I think) by Dr Levine at

Hospital for Special Surgery also in NYC.

> About 10 yrs ago I was diagnosed with flatback and have had

varying degrees of difficulty. What I didn't know til recently is

that many of the other issues I have are related to the flatback. I

recently saw a doctor just to get some new imaging and an opinion but

he really didn't have enough experience with what I need. He did

order a CT scan of the thoracic spine that showed thoracic

herniations and facet joint deteriation.

>

> I had already decided to go back to Special Surgery, as I had a

wonderful experience there, if such a thing exists. I have an

appointment with Dr Boachie on Oct 23 which seems to be when some of

you will be there post-op. I wish I could come poke my head in and

say hi but I'm sure you won't be anywhere near ready for a visitor,

let alone a stranger. I do wish all of you (3 of you, I think???) the

very best and will be looking forward to hearing from someone how you

are doing.

>

> I am going to Dr Boachie for a consultation to get his

perspective on my situation and his prognosis. I'm quite anxious to

hear what he thinks.

>

> Wishing everyone on this list the best.

> Be well,

> Jill

>

[Guest guest]

Jill,

You sound like you are going about this in a very thoughtful and

reasoned way...and you sure have taken your time about lining up your

ducks!

When I had my consult with DrBoachie I first saw his resident and he

was who I spent the most time with. Then DrBoachie came in and

reviewed my films and talked to me, and I probably had less time with

him in total, so if you have key questions that you want answered I

would make sure you write those down, otherwise it will be too easy

to leave, sit in the car and wonder how you forgot to aks something!

Of course it is always a good idea to ask what the procedure is to

ask follow up questions while you are actually at the appointment.

When I was wavering between my two surgeons I did go fairly far down

the insurance road with DrBoachies office, enough to set my mind at

ease that I wouldn't get whacked because he is not in network....but

as I understood it I would have to deal with a fair amount of

paperwork. I might have misunderstood that, perhaps others can chime

in as I know we have had a number of his patients in the past few

years. Or if you like I can at least point you to the members that

have used him within the last year and you could privately email them

to see if they can help you verify how this aspect worked out for

them.

Well, perhaps we are jumping the gun...as you say, this is just a

consult! Either way I would still hope to see everyone get a second

opinion, whenever possible.

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

HI Jill, Cam,

Re: Insurance and Dr. Boachie. Granted my revision surgery with Dr. Boachie was almost 11 years ago, but he didn't "take insurance" then either, so I assume the process is the same today as it was then. Of course, you

need to check that out, but I'll tell you my experience. He submitted all the bills to my insurance company. They paid all but the last $9000 which they rejected. I called Dr, Boachie's office, they submitted the appeal and gave all the information the insurance company asked for. It was denied again. Dr. Boachie's office handled that denial, as well as the next, which was the last with the insurance company. I lived in CT at the time and CT had just established an outside review for health insurance denial, once insurance company processes were exhausted. Dr. Boachie's office again sent in all the needed paperwork to the State. The final decision, from the State, was for the insurance company to pay $5000 of the remaining $9000 bill. They did. I waited to receive a bill from Dr. Boachie, but he never did bill me for the remaining $4000. He just wrote it off, without my even asking.

Bonnie