In Sickness and in Health

IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH… Nine months ago Dave and I got married and never in a million years would we have thought we would have to use the wedding vows “in sickness and in health” so quickly. In the days before our wedding, Dave noticed that his hand felt like it was going to sleep. Fast forward one week later, Dave had no movement in his hand. By the time of our wedding reception, he was completely unable to open and close his hand.

Dave is a union ironworker. His hands move, twist, and fasten the bolts and connect the iron used to create the buildings in our community in which we live. His hands are a crucial element of his work - without them, Dave’s work is nearly impossible.

As you can imagine, an overwhelming sense of urgency and panic set in. We began meeting with a variety of doctors and orthopedic surgeons. After conducting numerous tests and scans, they referred us on to neurological specialists for further evaluation. We scheduled an appointment with a top neurosurgeon at Washington University, who specializes in nerve transplants. After his evaluation, this neurosurgeon determined that the issues were stemming from nerve compression. The surgeon provided surgical options we could try, to attempt to gain back the use of Dave’s hand.

The first option was to correct the compression of the nerves in the neck, however this came with risks that made us uncomfortable. We sought out other non surgical options for spinal decompression and found a local doctor who was able to provide us with assistance.. Unfortunately, according to the insurance company, non surgical spinal decompression was considered experimental and not covered by our insurance. Recognizing that this route was less risky than a surgical procedure, we opted to try this first and have been paying out of pocket for treatment for the last six months. Each payment we have made is more than half of a teacher’s, my profession, take home pay. After several months of daily treatments of spinal decompression therapy, Dave’s neurosurgeon determined that the damage to Dave’s nerves was more extensive than previously realized: his motor nerves were no longer active. According to the doctor, once motor nerve activity is lost, treatment must be immediate. If not repaired within two years, the damage becomes permanent.

The doctor advised us to do an immediate nerve transplant surgery, as a last hope attempt to save the use of Dave’s hand. This surgical treatment clearly became our only choice and had to be conducted as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this meant Dave would be out of work for a minimum of 12 weeks, and due to the time-sensitive nature of the motor nerve activity, the decision did not give us much time to prepare for our current situation.

The nerve transplant surgery was extensive surgery and recovery has been a challenge. The neurosurgeon was able to find a living nerve below Dave’s elbow and transplanted this nerve into the non-active ulnar nerve in his wrist. This live nerve should grow a millimeter a day, covering the non-active nerve, once again linking the connection between Dave’s hand and brain. Due to our surgeon’s timely response to the injury, Dave should make the two year mark regarding the growth of this nerve, hopefully repairing and preserving the function of his hand. Unfortunately, there are no projected results for at least twelve weeks post-op, and it may take up to a year before we know how much function was brought back to Dave’s hand.

I thought I had prepared the best I could for the financial situation we are facing but in reality no amount of grocery apps or couponing could prepare us for this. We are four weeks into Dave’s 12 week recovery and with no income coming in from Dave, our bank accounts have been devastated. We are in debt with the hospitals for the numerous tests it took to discover the extent of Dave’s injury, the full out-of-pocket cost of spinal decompression, and are bracing ourselves for the medical bills that are about to hit our mailbox, as we are responsible for ten percent of the cost of the transplant.

I am also facing my own personal medical challenges and will be undergoing surgery before the end of the year, which will add additional medical bills for our household. We are a family of four currently living on a teacher’s salary alone, struggling with medical bills; we are in need of help. Please consider donating to support our family during this difficult time. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing this post with others.