A little advice here folks...
So if you had these choices, what would you choose?*
1) Get a short-term fix of your knee that would be warranteed for 90 days. Pricetag: $4000
2) Get a longer-term fix of your knee. Almost everything replaced. Warranteed for one year. Price: $10-12,000
3) Get a new knee with all the fancy new bells & whistles. Including a remote control device (I am so not kidding on that). With a 3-year warranty. Cost: $15,000
Allright, so I think option #2 is the dumb one. Which makes it #1 or #3. A few more details: I hate the thought of using a mostly-broken down knee, as my leg is only as good as my knee. Last time I had a bad fall (my robot knee doing what it wasn't supposed to), I was off of my feet for nearly 6 months and I had to undergo several months of physical therapy after that. I still can't kneel well because of the chronic bursitis that resulted from the fall.
So I feel like a functional, trustworthy leg is a pretty high priority. But at such a price!!
And let me add a brief whine to this post: I've been wearing a "loaner" knee for two months now, while mine's been in the shop (yah, they're way behind in repairs because of the influx of Iraq war amputees). Can I just say how anxious I am to get this resolved and get back on my own two feet again???
*Note to my new readers (hiya folks!). My leg was amputated 20 years ago after a bout with bone cancer. Just FYI. :)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
C'est moi
I was raised Mormon, but now I'm a hippie Quaker living in the OC with my two teenage kids: CatGirl & GameBoy.
Twenty-six years ago I lost my right leg to bone cancer. Awhile ago I had an antibiotic-resistant infection in my lower left leg, and now I'm healing from surgery and feeling better every day.
I like gardening, making history, outrigger canoeing, trying new things, and my afternoon cup of tea.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
~Christopher Robin, Pooh's Grand Adventure
Contact: remyjATucidotedu
Twenty-six years ago I lost my right leg to bone cancer. Awhile ago I had an antibiotic-resistant infection in my lower left leg, and now I'm healing from surgery and feeling better every day.
I like gardening, making history, outrigger canoeing, trying new things, and my afternoon cup of tea.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
~Christopher Robin, Pooh's Grand Adventure
Contact: remyjATucidotedu
Tweet Tweet
Support PilgrimSteps
Recent Comments
Popular Posts
Will you join me?
Photography
Categories
- deep thoughts (326)
- photo (289)
- family (196)
- garden (123)
- John (121)
- make me smile (105)
- LDS (103)
- friends (99)
- world (80)
- amputee (74)
- songs/poetry (73)
- books (58)
- women (52)
- simplicity (41)
- Quaker (40)
- school (38)
- making history (31)
- things I like (31)
- if this is you (26)
- outrigger (22)
- classics (21)
- writing (18)
- food (15)
- mary monday (11)
- ssc (10)
- body (9)
- poetry (7)
- podcast (6)
- Book Club (4)
- paddling (4)
- disability (2)
- carnival (1)
- music (1)
9 comments:
So Jana-- you have to pay for this? Insurance doesn't cover any of it?
Anon:
One can hope that they will, but they aren't particularly fond of coughing up such large sums of money every few years....
Oh Jana, go for broke. You are so worth it! #3 all the way... Your family will not resent the choice, I'm quite sure of that.
That's tough - I want to agree with Rich, because you ARE worth it and a knee is a very, very important thing. But at the same time, I know that if I were in your position, I'd be debating the same issue. The thought of dropping $15K would have the potential to scare me into option #1 - but the idealist in me says choose option #3.
I had a little altercation with the front end of a car about thirty years ago, and while I still have my leg, it was damaged to the point where I keenly appreciate how important it is to be able to trust one's knees. Please, please consider #3. You deserve it.
An update on this old thread:
Just got the word from the insurance co. They aren't willing to pay for either the repair or a new knee. Damn. :(
I have to ask: Just where are you supposed to be standing while using the remote control on your leg?
Good Question! The remote changes the modes of the knee for different activities. So you can switch from walking to biking mode at the touch of a button. To change modes with my current knee I have to bounce hard on my toe three times and then lift my foot behind me to change the mode. It's hard to do (to bounce and balance like that) and it'a ridiculous thing to do in a public space like a gym. But I can't change the mode like say, in the restroom, and then walk to the biking area because I can't walk on it in bike mode. Thus, the remote could really come in handy. Altho, to be honest, it's just an 'extra' and not a necessity at all. I'd love to have a new microprocessor knee w/o the remote if the insurance would just cover it....
Okay, that makes sense. I had this visual of you sitting on the sofa and the leg dancing around the living room on its own or something.
Post a Comment