Unofficially accepted for SS Disability...looks like it's time for OHS #2

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Bryan B

Bryan B

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
1,898
Location
NC
I got a call from a woman at Medicaid who was processing my claim and needed me to scan a document she was missing and e-mail it to her. The reason she said she was processing my claim is that SS Disability has deemed me as disabled. I have not heard it directly from them but it looks like it is going through and I will be having my surgery as soon as the paperwork is done and I take care of some dental issues.

Now the reality of having to have another heart surgery is hitting me again. I knew it was coming but it has been 5 months since I applied for disability so it was always "off in the distance" in my mind. Now I'm looking at probably one month at the most. As soon as the paperwork is done and I get a couple of teeth fixed up the surgery will happen quickly. On 12/22 my surgeon said if it wasn't for my financial situation he would want to schedule the surgery for the week after New Years due to the size of my dilation. I still need to pick a valve but I am leaning towards the On-X but have not totally made up my mind yet.

Thanks for everyone's support and letting me whine about it for the last year lol.

Bryan
 
That's good news Bryan. The next few weeks will fly bu and soon you will get your surgery out of the way and will be feeling better in no time. Good luck.
 
While, of course, I'm sorry to know you need another surgery, it is good news to hear you will have disability coverage and will be able to have the necessary surgery. This has been a difficult stretch for you and the surgery will be a 'snap' in comparison to all the anxiety you have endured.

Best wishes.
 
I got my Medicaid card in the mail today. I called the surgeon's assistant to let them know and she told me they were going to schedule the surgery anyway and worry about the paperwork later and asked if I did not know that. I did not know that...lol. It looks like they are putting me on the fast track for surgery. She said not to even worry about getting some needed dental work done. She said they will have an oral surgeon at the hospital check me out and do any repair work if needed once I am admitted. I will have a cath the day before surgery to check out my arteries.

After hanging up with her I got that same queasy feeling in my stomach that I got when a date was set for my first surgery. I don't have the date yet but it sounds like maybe 2 weeks give or take a week. :redface2:

I really admire those of you that have gone through multiple surgeries and I am going to think of you as inspiration as I force myself to walk though those hospital doors again (they are revolving doors which is comforting lol). At least this time I will have a "warm up session" with the cath the day before the surgery. Last time I had the cath 3 weeks before the surgery. I have a lot of work to do to prepare the area where I plan on spending most of my early recovery time in (i.e. my bedroom...it is a bit cluttered lol).

I will update once I get the date. I am still leaning towards the On-X and my surgeon is fine with that. He is involved in the On-X clinical trials so he is very experienced implanting that valve but said I would probably not be eligible to participate in the trials. That is fine with me. I gambled once with the Ross Procedure so I am not in a gambling mood this time. That is why the St. Jude valve is still in the running, but for some reason I feel like the On-X will be a better fit for me personally. Just a gut feeling.

BTW I stated earlier that my root was 5.8cm and my ascending aorta was 5.1cm because that is what I thought I heard the surgeon say. Actually the the numbers are reversed. The dilation in the ascending aorta is low enough where he thinks he may not have to put me into circulatory arrest but he is not positive. As far as saving my autograft he said he would check it but the odds are that I would wake up with a new valve in addition to aortic root and ascending aorta.
 
You have had a very challenging situation financially and emotionaly.I am glad you will be resolving both.I wish you the best of luck and know you will feel better and be healthier very soon.All my best!
 
Well Bryan, here we go again, huh my friend? At least we know what to expect, I think! LOL!

Anyway, here's wishing you the best outcome with your impending surgery! I have a strong feeling you will do just fine! I'm so glad too, that you were approved for SS & Medicare! That is one less thing to worry about!

God Bless you my friend & onward we go!!!

Godspeed!
 
God Bless You Bryan, I shall be checking in to see when your surgery date is scheduled. I have already started praying for you. Just like Norma Jean, I know in my heart that you will come out of this with a heart that will be ready to take on the world.
 
I joined VR five months after your Ross Procedure, Bryan, and I remember your post-surgery posts well. Here we are . . . doing it again.:frown2:
I wish you all the best and personally believe your choice of the on-x is a good one.
My thoughts and prayers are with you until you're on the other side of this.
 
Bryan,

GOOD LUCK ... thoughts/prayers en route....



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"Enough is enough, I can't take anymore" __ Alabama __ 'Can't Keep A Good Man Down'
 
I have a few updates. I called my contact at SS Disability a couple of days ago because I had not received any confirmation that I had been accepted for SS Disability. He told me that actually my case was still being reviewed and he didn't know why Medicaid was given word that I was deemed disabled. Well today I received a check for 5 months of back pay (when I originally applied) so unless the government likes to just send large checks to citizens for the heck of it I would say that I was approved and my contact had not been given the news.

I got paperwork from Medicaid. You have to re-apply every six calendar months so even though I was approved in late December I have to re-apply for the coming 6 months. You just have to love it...lol.

I got an e-mail from Duke letting me know I have an appointment on 2-21...location...cath lab. My surgeon told me they would do the cath the day before surgery. No one from his office called me but I am guessing that my surgery may be on 2-22. I do not have that confirmed yet.

That's it for now. I will confirm the surgery date when I talk to their office. I called this afternoon and got the answering service.

Bryan
 
I got in touch with my surgeon's office today. I am on their schedule for 2/22, the scheduler just hasn't processed it yet, but that is the definite go date. I was hoping for Valentine's day because of the irony and it would be easy to remember (although 2/22 should be easy to remember). My last surgery was on St. Patrick's Day. Now I just have to wait for 40 days without losing my mind. I also got my temporary SS Disability card in the mail today even though no one has officially told me I have been accepted. You gotta love it. I have a large check for 5 months of back pay, a temporary card, yet no one from SS has told me I am accepted.
 
Bryan B said:
I got in touch with my surgeon's office today. I am on their schedule for 2/22, the scheduler just hasn't processed it yet, but that is the definite go date. I was hoping for Valentine's day because of the irony and it would be easy to remember (although 2/22 should be easy to remember). My last surgery was on St. Patrick's Day. Now I just have to wait for 40 days without losing my mind. I also got my temporary SS Disability card in the mail today even though no one has officially told me I have been accepted. You gotta love it. I have a large check for 5 months of back pay, a temporary card, yet no one from SS has told me I am accepted.
Click to expand...

Your Tax Dollars at work! Glad you got it scheduled - the waiting is agony I must say. I'm happy to say this is my first though and hoping it lasts a good long time.
 
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