Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Disability Interview Today

Thanks Chris...I'm all strapped in for the ride!

Oh wow, Erica...you really are just about in the same boat...I had i9t all figured out but when the Miss Kaitlyn went down, so did my master plan...thanks BP...and it's the same thing here with the high risk insurance...Louisiana has some wonderful needs based programs for free healthcare, I'm sure I don't qualify but when the day comes that I do, I'll have that available to me...Canada looks great to me to but I can't leave my kids and their families behind...I hope everything works out for you too...

Thanks Steve!! How are your eyes feeling...has some of that residual blurriness cleared up? I certainly hope so, friend...

Hi J.R., yes, I was hoping to get help with the medical part but it sounds like that may not be how that works, thank you so much for your input and as always, it's nice to see you!

Noelene...I would LOVE to move to Australia!!! Is that an invitation? That's a pretty neat system yall have down there...I hope all is well down under!!!

Michelle, wow, I can't imagine $68,000 self pay. The whole process can be lengthy or short and sweet. Luckily mine 4 years ago went smoothly and short. I was already on my husbands insurance thankfully as my medical bills were exceeding $200,00.00 a year for a few years. Once I was on SSD for a year I was able to qualify for Medicare. It's not cheep when you are all said and done with paying for Medicare, secondary, and part D but it was cheeper that keeping me on my hubby's insurance. I sure hope things work out well for you. No one should have to stuggle through this process. Got my fingers crossed for you.
Cindy

Wow, we have such an expensive disease, there's no doubt about that! Thanks for the info and for keeping your fingers crossed for me, I've got a feeling that I'm gonna need all the luck I can get...

Hi Michelle,
Yes, I have been doing much better over the past 2 weeks. Thanks for asking. My new rheumy understood the prescription crisis I was having and was more than happy to help refill it. I got 60 vicodin to last me 4 to 6 months, which doesn't seem like alot, but is plenty enough for me. I also saw my cardiologist since then, and also my opthamologist and orthopaedic surgeon. I've been a busy boy lol.

I am getting new lenses for my glasses because my nearsightedness is a wee bit worse (just as I suspected) and currently no presence of active Iritis at the appointment, my hips are doing much better and the thoughts behind the 2nd replacements have been put off for at least 2011, and my heart checks out just fine (as long as I continue to medicate). The AS flare up still lingers but I'm doing much better now than when I posted about it.

My wife is now seeing my cardiologist because she has problems in that area too. So far all that is confirmed is her high blood pressure, but she is scheduled for a few tests starting with a nuclear stress test and a holter monitor for a week to find out what is behind her chest pains. She is a 2 heart attack survivor so we're very concerned about what it could be.

Take care,
James

Hi James, I'm glad to hear that you have no active iritis and that your hips are doing better...you have been busy! It's amazing that your wife has survived 2 heart attacks but I'm sure it's a constant concern too and the fact that she's experiencing chest pains must be really worriesome...has the doc had any success keeping her blood pressure down at all? Hopefully they'll be able to figure out what's going on, please keep us posted...

Hi Michele,
Her blood pressure has come down a few notches since starting Lopressor but it is still up there. She was just given some nitroglycerin pills last week and they seem to help the chest pain a bit.

We have been talking about her chest pains for months now, and it seems to us that her chest pains *might* be something like my history of anxiety/panic attacks, because of the way how she describes how the rest of her feels before, during, and after the chest pain. Our cardio said he is already taking this into consideration too, but first he needs to out rule any heart conditions especially since she has a history (and family history) of heart trouble. We are 100% in agreement with her being checked out for heart trouble first, of course. My cardiologist is the first doctor that she has been willing to see voluntarily in years, so I know how much that this has to be bothering her.

So how you have you been lately, Michelle?

Take care,
James