I had a consult with a general surgeon today for my hernia. Well, as soon as he walked in, I knew that I wasn't in for a riproaring time. He wasn't warm and friendly, thats for sure. Then he asked why I was there, took a bunch of notes, and then started asking about why I had so and so health insurance and why we didn't have anything else but that. He then examined my hernia (feeling for edges of where it started and ended (~12 inches augh)), and then had me stand up to see how much it stuck out when I stood up. He told me that I had two options. What I REALLY need is a 4 step surgery (not sure if that means 4 surgeries or just one big elaborate surgery), but that they would need to carve things apart in there and put them back together the way they were meant to be, and this would be refinforced by some kind of graft once they got me all back together again. This would requite a few days of hospitalization and would be very painful. Unfortunately, this was NOT even one of my two choices, bc my insurance won't pay for that and he assured me that he doesn't let insurance mandate giving care to a patient, but that he also can't be expected to do these kinds of surgeries for free unless its a true emergency.
So my options actually are: 1. To have the minimally invasive laparascopy that my insurance will pay for and they would try to sew a patch in between the 12 inches of open fascia....but that this would most likely not work for any long period of time, just bc of the extent of the hernia/damage inside. I would also still look like I have a hernia, bc this patch would still let stuff push through to some extent. 2. To wait it out, re-evaluate in 6 months (and hopefully get better insurance), and do it the right way. Also would give me time to get in better shape, so to hopefully lessen my chances of 5 months of infection like last time (augh). He recommended option 2.
As crappy as his bedside manner was, I have learned along the way that drs with the least pleasant bedside manner are usually the most meticulous drs/surgeons (and the ones you want doing your surgery). And he could easily do the first option, get paid for it, and forget about me for the time being. But he highly recommends the more extensive surgery to get the best results for me.
I figure this is God's will. If I was meant to have this thing fixed now, the option would be made available to me. I am not looking forward to walking around with this huge lump indefinately (as well as being unsightly, it is often very sore), but I also appreciate that for Ansen, this is probably the best choice. When I had all my other surgeries, Ansen was a newborn and could stay in the hospital with me and Doug, bc all he did was sleep and eat. He is still exclusively nursed (well with table food) and he hasn't had a bottle since my surgery in September. Even with the least invasive method, they said I would have to stay in hospital for a few days and Ansen would definately not just chill out at hospital like he did as a newborn; he is now a busy, exploring, crawling everywhere, tasting everything ~11 month old. I don't want our nursing relationship to end right now (or be messed up by us being apart for a few days)....since he is my last baby, it is very special to me. I have been looking forward to my spring/summer/fall without a wound, and I certainly don't want to have some half done surgery, only to still need more surgery later.
So that is that; my choice is pretty much made for now. Just going to wait it out for now. I asked if this was a dangerous option, but he said that my hernia was so big that "you could stick your head through", and that something that massive doesn't run a huge risk of entrapping intestines and such. He felt that anything coming through could easily make its way back in.
Truthfully, I still can't believe thats how my appt went though....I thought for sure that we would schedule something, get it fixed, and that would be that. I had heard insurance can be like this, but I guess its just truly eye opening that they can play such a huge part in your medical options/own personal health. This world is crazy. :( But God hasn't forgotten me, I am sure of this. So I will just ride this out and see what road we end up at when all is said and done.
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