Tryin to go to rehab & they said NO

Howdy earthlings!

I'm Vixen of VixenVarsity  and creator of #BlackComicsMonth , but you can call me Tee.  I'm here not to push diversity in comics (this time), but I'm desperately trying to get to rehab after my hip and spine surgery on 11/12/15.  Unfortunately, my car insurance thinks me getting surgery and rehab is a waste of time, so they....yanno what, let me start from the beginning.

June 4th, 2014 changed my life and not in a good way. I was rearended at a stoplight by a young woman who was on her cell going 35MPH.

*side note* stay the HELL off your phone while driving, k? */side note*

I suffered a concussion, traumatic amnesia, and ridiculous pain in my neck and back.  I was rushed to the hospital and after what seemed like a billion hours, I was finally released. 

Physical therapy for my neck and back 3xs a week plus doctor visits twice a month during the summer. All seemed to be "okay" until the evening of September 11th, 2014.  I remember having shooting pain in my left leg and it had swollen twice its size. 0 feeling in my leg, plus my hip - all the way to my pinky toe - was swollen. I was hospitalized for almost 24 hours.




After being released, I eventually found a neurologist who ran a battery of tests and after a few months, I was diagnosed with 3 degenerative discs along with sciatica. Doc says the nerve damage in my left leg might be permanent, but who knows. Except for an occasional hollow and burning feeling, I have no feeling in my left leg. In order to keep me from losing my balance and falling, I've been walking with a cane for over a year.  

I'm currently taking Neurontin 600mg 3xs a day, Oxycontin 40mg 3xs a day, Zanaflex 4mg 2xs a day or Baclofen 10mg at night. And guess what? I'm STILL in pain. 

Chronic pain 24/7 + pain meds = one depressed Vixen.

My car insurance (Progressive) CLAIMS I'm at my medical improvement limit and has refused to pay for my surgery and any other medical expenses.

Reached my "medical improvement limit", but I can barely walk, stand, sit, sleep, etc. without being in excruciating pain Oh...OKAY. *eye roll*

My lawyer has been fighting, what seems like forever, with my insurance to get my surgery covered. The neurologist and surgeon both said that this could improve my health dramatically. How about the IME (Insurance Medical Examiner) suggested surgery would be beneficial, yet...Progressive has continued to deny my surgery.

Sigh.

Just last month (October) I got the call to go ahead with the surgery and my lawyer's given them a LOP (Letter of Protection), so I'm having hip and spine surgery on November 12th! 

HOORAY!!!!! 

But what about rehab? Well...I'm tryin' to go to rehab, but the insurance company said NO, NO, NO!

I recently found out that I will not be able to go to rehab, because the rehab center will NOT take a LOP to cover my stay. I have to pay CASH or have insurance coverage. $300 a night and they want me to stay for a week. That's $2100 and it's NOT including the medicine, heck I don't even know if food is included in this price.  

***Update 11/5/15*** The $300 is only for ROOM and BOARD. No meds, no food, no nurses, no physical therapy, the price of that is $700+ EACH NIGHT.  (Check update #1 for more details)


Since I'm sorta kinda on the broke side, I have no choice but to stay home and take care of myself. 

I have  2 amazing girls, 15 and 12, and I don't think that they'll be able to help me when they're in school. Let alone help me to the bathroom, comfort me when I'm in bed screaming while passing me my meds.

I mean. I can do it; purchase a potty from Walgreens, stick it in my bedroom, hope I don't mess up the bed/floor. Shuffle to the kitchen and try to make something to eat. Can it be done? Yes. Would I rather not do it? Of course. 

Soooooo here I am. I'm turning to you all. I need help. If you can spare a buck or two to help cover rehab as well as helping me catch up on my expenses while I'm recovering, I'd be forever grateful. I don't want to end up behind on my bills and end up losing my place or yanno... whatever, because I'm healing.  

Recovery time is up to 12 weeks for the spine. While recovering I have to wear an awesome back brace, which looks like a weightlifting belt that doubles as a push-up bra (yes, that's a Jumanji board game).


How sway, right?

As for my hip; I'm not sure. I get a MRI tomorrow afternoon to find out the damage of the hip from the last MRI scan. It's currently bruised and the pain is ridic!

Look. I don't want to do this, it's killing my pride to have to ask for your help, but the reality is...I'm not Wonder Woman or shall I say Vixen and I can't do it by myself.  I have to not just think of me, but for my girls.

If you can help, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you can't help (trust me I know, it's hard out here!), I still thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and sharing. 

I know November 12th is 9 days away, but even if I can get rehab for the first 3 days; I'd be so thankful. 

Thanks for reading earthlings!