I am 24 years old, single and I was diagnosed with TN when I was 20 and living in school in Cali.
Since then I have tried all the meds and I have had success but after a perid of time they stopped working when my body got used to it.
Long story short: I moved to the Philly area back in Dec for a job. I job I was promised benefits among other things. Which I did not get. My TN flared up a little over a month ago FULL FORCE! I went to my boss and told her I needed my benefits I was tired for asking for somthing that she promised me....next day I was laid off. So here I am with no INS!
DESPARATE for pain relief I got online and called every neurologist in the area begging to get in as a new patient. I somehow got extremely lucky. I got into the the head of neurscience in thomas jefferson hospital. He told me I was a great canidate for the MVD surgery which gave me hope. He gtave me percocet for breakthru pain and The angel of a DR didnt charge me for the visit!!! When he told me that I cried my eyes out! It was going to cost me $375 out of pocket and just getting laid off It was such a relief he did that for me.
so,vI was on my way to looking for insurance/ going aftyer my bosss for what I was promised...all while geting worse and worse in bed not able to function. no luck and all had a waiting period.
Yesterday I was at rock bottom I had not eaten or slept in three days pain was killing me. My mother drove down from NY and went with me to the ER. I went to jefferson where my neuro is affiiated. the kept me for observation in the ER for 24 hours for pain control. While I was there a women from registration gave me info on a program to apply for since I loast my job and had no INS. So the next morning...This morning. I called the nueros office let his nurse know the situation that I had applyed for this and the sutuation I was in that I was in the ER. She told me she was going to get ahold of him and call me back.
Less than an hour later the angel Neuro that I had seen ( Dr Moshel @ Jefferson) one of his residents was standing in my hospital room and told me that they were admitting me at that they had sheduled me for the MVD that wed!
My mother and I both just cried with tears of joy! I was at my wits end! I needed this surgery I had no idea what I was going to do after I left the ER and a miracle happend!!
So I am at the hospital now. I am on 4 mgs of dilaudid (sp?) every 2 hours with my neurontin and waiting for my surgery wed. I am praying I get relief!
I will pray your surgery goes well do glad God placed and angel Dr to care for you. I was having a similar situation about not having insurance until a hospital told me about a pre-existing insurance. I applied, got approved and they paid for all of my surgery. The website is www.pcip.gov if you are interested for the future.
Good luck and God bless! Keep us posted on how you are doing.
I will pray your surgery goes well do glad God placed and angel Dr to care for you. I was having a similar situation about not having insurance until a hospital told me about a pre-existing insurance. I applied, got approved and they paid for all of my surgery. The website is www.pcip.gov if you are interested for the future.
Good luck and God bless! Keep us posted on how you are doing.
Thank you Everyone so much for all of the blessings!
I'm excited for the journey to getting my life back and being ME again. BUT.....I am starting to get a little nervous! any advice for the day before surgery ??? :/
I know it has to be incredibly tough, but if God brought you that gift of a surgeon when you REALLy needed it, He will take you the rest of the way. besides, you have all of us pulling for you!
Jefferson is a very good hospital, I am not far from you in Delaware. I noticed you said you spoke to your manager about promises, and discussed you needed benefits, then they laid you off. It sounds like they knew you were ill and let you go. I know a very good lawyer for such a thing in Philly, he helped me with a sexual harrasement case and we won, he is one of the top in the country and will not charge you for a consultation. Feel free to e-mail me and I can pass on his info. Wendy
Katie it is great to hear your story and how wonderful your amazing doctor and his staff have been in taking care of you. I am sorry to hear you were laid off from your job but it is truly a blessing that so many wonderful things are happening for you so quickly in regards to your TN. I pray your surgery went well and you have a speedy recovery. You are brave to have gone through MVD and you should be very proud of yourself. I have 17 days before my MVD to worry and be a nervous wreck. I'll definitely be relieved to have it over with as I am sure you are.
Take care of yourself and here's to healthy healing and a pain free life. Let us know how you are doing. God bless!