I am so disappointed, I could just cry. A vent.

[dirty ethel rackham]

So, I had my ankle surgery last Tuesday and have been in a pain-med induced fog for all of this time.   We had to add a medication because the original medications weren't enough to keep me from screaming in pain.  A couple of days ago, I fell on my way to the bathroom due to the medicated haze I've been living in. The foot they operated on is no worse for the wear, but I've got bruises just about everywhere else.   I've been stuck in my bedroom (closest to the bathroom and most comfortable to keep my ankle elevated high enough) with occasional jaunts to the family room (lowest level of our split level house - it has a tv, recliner and close to a bathroom.)  Well, yesterday was the first day that I felt well enough to discontinue one of the medications.  I am actually aware of what day it is!!  I know more than just my own name!!   I was actually aware of what day it was. I was so looking forward to actually leaving the house!!  I go to see the doctor today for followup.  I was so excited that I washed my hair!

 

Due to the fact that the recovery from this surgery requires that I not put weight on my foot for another 3 - 4weeks, before my surgery, I asked about getting a knee scooter.  The doctor put a prescription for it in my discharge papers.  I knew that it wasn't going to be a "call for it and they'll have it ready in a few hours kind of thing" so I kept bugging dh to take care of it. I knew that the prescription needed to be faxed to the company and that there would be some lead time.  Due to the meds, I have had very little awareness of the passage of time.  I just discovered that nobody took care of sending in the prescription and insurance info to get the scooter, so it will be at least another week or so. I called, and they confirmed that it will be at least a week before all the paperwork will be done for me to get one.  I am so upset. 

 

So, my options are to rent one myself (about $70 a week and hear dh gripe about the cost) or be stuck at home while I wait for the insurance to come through.  Crutches are not a great option because my leg is just dangling and that is painful.  When I can rest my knee on something, it is so much less painful.  Pretty soon, that Jimmy Buffet song will be about me ("I shot six holes in my freezer.  I think I've got cabin fever!")  Not really.  No guns here. 

 

Time to wipe my tears, gulp back the sticker shock and get myself a scooter. 

 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Get yourself the scooter and if dh gripes, remind him that he is the one who did not follow through on his end.  :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[amy g.]

So sorry! That sounds so painful and frustrating.

[Gil]

Hang in there.

I'm having a super sucky day myself.

 

If its worth $10/day to have some mobility and you can afford it, then go for it. And if DH gripes about the cost, remind him that while YOU were in a pain-med haze and unable to handle the required paper HE has no such excuse and yet, you have find the resolve to not complain about the PAIN, being CRIPPLED or HIS FORGETFULNESS so he should find similar resolve.

[creekland]

:grouphug: I'm with Jean.  Get the scooter.   :grouphug:

[zoobie]

Get yourself the scooter and if dh gripes, remind him that he is the one who did not follow through on his end.  :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

They're not much more to buy than the week's rental. Will your insurance reimburse you? Ugh. :(

[itsheresomewhere]

I don't know what your copay would be for renting it through your insurance but there are several knee scooters on Amazon with prime priced reasonably. Also a quick check on my local craigslist has a few.

Edited February 22, 2016 by itsheresomewhere

[Carol in Cal.]

Ugh.  Check Craig's list though.  You might find an old one you can use for nothing ish until your prescription comes through, and then you can pay it forward to someone else when you don't need it anymore.  Our neighborhood elist has used equipment like that on it all the time--crutches, walkers, canes, scooters, sometimes even a wheelchair.

[Okra]

$70 is what you guys need to pay to rent the scooter.  Hubby doesn't deserve to complain.  You need mobility.  This is worth it.

[Amira]

The insurance will possibly still reimburse you for the cost, but even if they don't, knee scooters are one of the best inventions ever and your recovery will be much better if you get one any way you can. I broke my foot and was entirely on crutches for 6 weeks in a country where I couldn't get one and it was a lot harder to deal with life.  

[Sandragood1]

BTDT. Twice Buy the scooter off Amazon and resell it when you are done with it.

[myfunnybunch]

Hugs, hugs, hugs. I agree with the others. Get yourself a knee scooter somehow, and dh can suck it up.

 

Hope the rest of your recovery goes smoothly.

[melmichigan]

I would double check your insurance.  Around here most people buy them outright and then get reimbursed whatever the insurance will pay.  It comes out cheaper than renting them.

[TrixieB]

I say tell dh to fork over the $$ to either rent the scooter yourself, or buy one and re-sell when you don't need it anymore.

 

It could be more than a week till the insurance finishes processing the prescription and gets the scooter to you.  Why wait that long?

 

Says the person who has been working for SIX WEEKS and counting to get a prescription approved and sent out for a family member...

[happi duck]

Check with the church....around here one keeps a closet of used equipment to lend out. One does not have to be a member.

What a great idea!

[happi duck]

(Hugs)

[Janeway]

(((hugs))))

[Seasider]

Get yourself the scooter and if dh gripes, remind him that he is the one who did not follow through on his end. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Yeah, just send someone reliable to go get your scooter, sweetie. Seventy dollars is a lot but it is nothing compared to your sanity if being mobile will help you feel better sooner. So much of recuperation is positive outlook and good, hopeful attitude. Treat that scooter like a must-have med you are required to swallow.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Seasider

[vonfirmath]

They're not much more to buy than the week's rental. Will your insurance reimburse you? Ugh. :(

 

That's what my dad found when he had foot surgery last summer so he ended up buying one before the surgery :(

[Valley Girl]

I'm with everyone else. If it won't break the bank, spend the money and get the scooter. Your ability to be mobile is important physically and mentally. It's hard to have to depend on others and not have them come through for you, especially on something big. I'm hoping the reason your DH dropped the ball is that he was just extremely busy picking up slack elsewhere while you were recovering. May the rest of your recovery time go well.

[Annie G]

:grouphug: Your mobility is a need, not just a 'want'. Hope you get your knee scooter asap!

[chiguirre]

Is a wheelchair cheaper to rent? Your dh can push you around everywhere as a natural consequence of forgetting the scooter paperwork.

[BusyMom5]

I"d check the local swap pages on FB and Craigslist.  If I couldn't find one, I"d buy one nad hope my insurance reimbursed me.  We also have a local fire department that loans out stuff like this, so do some Churches.  I'd put DH on the hunt while you kick back- this is HIS job!

[mamiof5]

He dropped the ball. Rent, Craigslist, church, Amazon... any of the options mentioned are great. But HE should do it, and now. It really should be his priority. So sorry this has been so painful! Hope you get a scooter ASAP.

[Lanny]

I don't understand about the Crutches.  I had Broken Ankles twice. The first after an accident, required emergency surgery. I think I was on Crutches for about 3 months. The cast I had was not a "Walking" cast.  Before I was discharged from the hospital, in Physical Therapy (?) I had a course on how to use the Crutches. That involved going up  and down some stairs.  At that time, I lived upstairs.  I managed to survive it.  I do not understand why you had so much pain after the surgery. Swelling and discomfort, sure, but to be as uncomfortable as you described, I wonder if something else is going on, either with the medication(s) you were taking, or with the surgery itself.  That you fell after the surgery is *not* good and I'm glad you did not injure the    ankle that had surgery or anything else.  Good luck on getting the scooter you want and I hope that you will recover quickly and completely.  BTW, after I recovered from the first broken ankle, I continued to Ice Skate, walk the dog, and other things.     I ride my bicycle about 5 days a week now.  Physical Therapy is a HUGE help when recovering from surgery.  My cousin the eminent M.D. had Spinal surgery about a month ago. He is eager to return to the gym.  

[Liz CA]

Get yourself the scooter and if dh gripes, remind him that he is the one who did not follow through on his end.  :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

My thoughts exactly!

[Harriet Vane]

:grouphug:

[applethyme]

_{:grouphug:  :grouphug:} 

[Lisa R.]

I don't understand about the Crutches. I had Broken Ankles twice. The first after an accident, required emergency surgery. I think I was on Crutches for about 3 months. The cast I had was not a "Walking" cast. Before I was discharged from the hospital, in Physical Therapy (?) I had a course on how to use the Crutches. That involved going up and down some stairs. At that time, I lived upstairs. I managed to survive it. I do not understand why you had so much pain after the surgery. Swelling and discomfort, sure, but to be as uncomfortable as you described, I wonder if something else is going on, either with the medication(s) you were taking, or with the surgery itself. That you fell after the surgery is *not* good and I'm glad you did not injure the ankle that had surgery or anything else. Good luck on getting the scooter you want and I hope that you will recover quickly and completely. BTW, after I recovered from the first broken ankle, I continued to Ice Skate, walk the dog, and other things. I ride my bicycle about 5 days a week now. Physical Therapy is a HUGE help when recovering from surgery. My cousin the eminent M.D. had Spinal surgery about a month ago. He is eager to return to the gym.

I don't understand your confusion. Her experience is different from yours and your cousin's. Her injury, her surgery, and her recovery.

[Kerileanne99]

So, I had my ankle surgery last Tuesday and have been in a pain-med induced fog for all of this time. We had to add a medication because the original medications weren't enough to keep me from screaming in pain. A couple of days ago, I fell on my way to the bathroom due to the medicated haze I've been living in. The foot they operated on is no worse for the wear, but I've got bruises just about everywhere else. I've been stuck in my bedroom (closest to the bathroom and most comfortable to keep my ankle elevated high enough) with occasional jaunts to the family room (lowest level of our split level house - it has a tv, recliner and close to a bathroom.) Well, yesterday was the first day that I felt well enough to discontinue one of the medications. I am actually aware of what day it is!! I know more than just my own name!! I was actually aware of what day it was. I was so looking forward to actually leaving the house!! I go to see the doctor today for followup. I was so excited that I washed my hair!

 

Due to the fact that the recovery from this surgery requires that I not put weight on my foot for another 3 - 4weeks, before my surgery, I asked about getting a knee scooter. The doctor put a prescription for it in my discharge papers. I knew that it wasn't going to be a "call for it and they'll have it ready in a few hours kind of thing" so I kept bugging dh to take care of it. I knew that the prescription needed to be faxed to the company and that there would be some lead time. Due to the meds, I have had very little awareness of the passage of time. I just discovered that nobody took care of sending in the prescription and insurance info to get the scooter, so it will be at least another week or so. I called, and they confirmed that it will be at least a week before all the paperwork will be done for me to get one. I am so upset.

 

So, my options are to rent one myself (about $70 a week and hear dh gripe about the cost) or be stuck at home while I wait for the insurance to come through. Crutches are not a great option because my leg is just dangling and that is painful. When I can rest my knee on something, it is so much less painful. Pretty soon, that Jimmy Buffet song will be about me ("I shot six holes in my freezer. I think I've got cabin fever!") Not really. No guns here.

 

Time to wipe my tears, gulp back the sticker shock and get myself a scooter.

Where are you? Send me a pm, I am in Texas and have one sitting here:)

 

And btw-Amazon Prime had mine to me in two days, then I dealt with the insurance later:)

Edited February 22, 2016 by Kerileanne99

[dirty ethel rackham]

I don't understand about the Crutches.  I had Broken Ankles twice. The first after an accident, required emergency surgery. I think I was on Crutches for about 3 months. The cast I had was not a "Walking" cast.  Before I was discharged from the hospital, in Physical Therapy (?) I had a course on how to use the Crutches. That involved going up  and down some stairs.  At that time, I lived upstairs.  I managed to survive it.  I do not understand why you had so much pain after the surgery. Swelling and discomfort, sure, but to be as uncomfortable as you described, I wonder if something else is going on, either with the medication(s) you were taking, or with the surgery itself.  That you fell after the surgery is *not* good and I'm glad you did not injure the    ankle that had surgery or anything else.  Good luck on getting the scooter you want and I hope that you will recover quickly and completely.  BTW, after I recovered from the first broken ankle, I continued to Ice Skate, walk the dog, and other things.     I ride my bicycle about 5 days a week now.  Physical Therapy is a HUGE help when recovering from surgery.  My cousin the eminent M.D. had Spinal surgery about a month ago. He is eager to return to the gym.  

 

What don't you understand?  You make it sound like I'm just a big whiner for complaining.  I have given birth to two nearly 9 lb babies without meds, thank you very much.  I know what pain is and this has been the most painful thing I have ever experienced. (6 known previous fractures, dozens of sprains, etc.)  No simple broken ankle here.  I've been on crutches dozens of times. 

 

What did I have done? 

Arthroscopy to remove a floating body as well as smooth out the cartilage in the joint and drilling a couple of holes in the cartilage to help new growth.  Just because the holes are small doesn't mean that they didn't do a lot.

Remove a tendon from one part of the foot to help repair a ruptured posterior tibial tendon, the large tendon that supports the arch of the foot. 

Cut into the heel bone to re-position it to support the arch since the replacement tendon is smaller than the original tendon. 

 

So, I needed heavy-duty pain meds.  I needed to keep my foot elevated above my heart, which sometimes caused pain in my hip. I'f I didn't keep my leg elevated high enough, I had more ankle/foot pain.  There were times when it felt like someone was pouring boiling oil on my ankle.  There were other times when it felt like my ankle was exploding.  The pain meds were to keep those sensations to a minimum, not completely take them away.  Unfortunately, Percocet wasn't always enough.  (And I'm not one to take lots of medications.)   Later, my husband called back to find out what else they could do because I was screaming in pain so they gave me Valium to sort of remove me from the pain since they didn't have anything stronger to block it. 

 

Although I usually have excellent balance (gymnastics and dance), the pain medications made me very unsteady on my feet.  The room was spinning any time I was vertical.  So I did not feel safe on the crutches.  Plus, having my foot dangling increased the pressure in my foot, causing more pain.  And, due to some unusual variations in my anatomy, crutches are very uncomfortable in my armpits, feeling like mammograms.  When my knee is resting on something, I feel less pressure on my foot.  The goal of having a scooter was greater mobility with fewer balance problems (once I could reduce the pain meds to something that wasn't quite so disabling.)  On a daily basis, I usually take 5000 steps without adding in exercise ... this is just the normal movement of my day. 

 

Physical therapy starts in 4-5 weeks.  I am told that I will want to murder my PT ... that it will be excruciatingly painful.  But, my goal is to walk normally ... to go on hikes with my husband ... to continue rock climbing and to be able to hike the approaches to get to climbing areas. 

 

Does that answer your question as to why simply having crutches wasn't enough?  If not, then I must be just a total wuss. 

[Scarlett]

Get yourself the scooter and if dh gripes, remind him that he is the one who did not follow through on his end. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Yes. This.

 

So sorry. :(

[Mothersweets]

:grouphug: I'm sorry - I hope you can get a knee scooter quickly!

[katilac]

Definitely rent the scooter. You need it this week not just for mobility, but for the ability to change positions (not just sit on the sofa). 

 

 

[StephanieZ]

Get yourself the scooter and if dh gripes, remind him that he is the one who did not follow through on his end.  :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

EXACTLY!

 

Good grief. Get yourself your scooter. And buy yourself something fun off Amazon as an "I'm sorry I screwed up and didn't order it myself" gift from dh to you. Whether you tell him or not of his gift is up to you. 

 

 

(((hugs)))

[fraidycat]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

Get the scooter. DH can suck it up.

 

Feel better soon!!

[dirty ethel rackham]

You guys are the best!  definitely shopping amazon right now!!

[Jan in SC]

My ds is about 6 weeks out from his surgery and it has taken him until the last week to be able to let his feet hang down at all. Don't hesitate to order the knee scooter! Don't worry about still using pain meds. I'm glad you got some Valium. It really helped my son. If they let you add ibuprofen to your mix, I think that helped him as well. He gets walking casts on Wednesday. I'm so excited, but terrified that it will start the pain cycle again.

 

Take it easy!

[TammyinTN]

Rent the scooter and tell everyone to suck it up buttercup!  (I would personally dare my husband to say one word about it.  :sneaky2: )

[Okra]

You guys are the best!  definitely shopping amazon right now!!

 

 

:hurray:   When so many people agree on the hive, it is definitely the right thing to do!

 

:hurray:  So, glad you decided to get it!

[dirty ethel rackham]

Ordered.  I hope that I'll be weaning off the powerful pain meds soon so I can use it. 

[Melissa in Australia]

:grouphug:

[TranquilMind]

So, I had my ankle surgery last Tuesday and have been in a pain-med induced fog for all of this time.   We had to add a medication because the original medications weren't enough to keep me from screaming in pain.  A couple of days ago, I fell on my way to the bathroom due to the medicated haze I've been living in. The foot they operated on is no worse for the wear, but I've got bruises just about everywhere else.   I've been stuck in my bedroom (closest to the bathroom and most comfortable to keep my ankle elevated high enough) with occasional jaunts to the family room (lowest level of our split level house - it has a tv, recliner and close to a bathroom.)  Well, yesterday was the first day that I felt well enough to discontinue one of the medications.  I am actually aware of what day it is!!  I know more than just my own name!!   I was actually aware of what day it was. I was so looking forward to actually leaving the house!!  I go to see the doctor today for followup.  I was so excited that I washed my hair!

 

Due to the fact that the recovery from this surgery requires that I not put weight on my foot for another 3 - 4weeks, before my surgery, I asked about getting a knee scooter.  The doctor put a prescription for it in my discharge papers.  I knew that it wasn't going to be a "call for it and they'll have it ready in a few hours kind of thing" so I kept bugging dh to take care of it. I knew that the prescription needed to be faxed to the company and that there would be some lead time.  Due to the meds, I have had very little awareness of the passage of time.  I just discovered that nobody took care of sending in the prescription and insurance info to get the scooter, so it will be at least another week or so. I called, and they confirmed that it will be at least a week before all the paperwork will be done for me to get one.  I am so upset. 

 

So, my options are to rent one myself (about $70 a week and hear dh gripe about the cost) or be stuck at home while I wait for the insurance to come through.  Crutches are not a great option because my leg is just dangling and that is painful.  When I can rest my knee on something, it is so much less painful.  Pretty soon, that Jimmy Buffet song will be about me ("I shot six holes in my freezer.  I think I've got cabin fever!")  Not really.  No guns here. 

 

Time to wipe my tears, gulp back the sticker shock and get myself a scooter. 

I'm sorry.

 

Rent one.  You have to do what you have to do!

[Alessandra]

Ordered. I hope that I'll be weaning off the powerful pain meds soon so I can use it.

Good! May it arrive soon!

[Entropymama]

I couldn't even read your description of what you had done. OW.

 

I'd buy one. We bought all my dad's medical supplies instead of renting. The price difference wasn't that much and what the insurance didn't reimburse us for we gave to the hospice nurse so she could let families who couldn't afford it use them. Totally worth it.  

 

 

[mamiof5]

Thinking of you. Hope pain is a little better and you have a scooter

[MomtoCandJ]

Hope pain lets up soon and for a speedy recovery