Today, Victor weighs 5 pounds and is living in the lap of luxury. The only problem is, nobody has gotten word to Victor that he only weighs 5 pounds. He loves people, but he's not much for other dogs. He takes on Rottweilers and Great Danes. When you take him for a walk, it's a bit embarrassing, really.
The night before his surgery, Surfer Boy and I walked Victor on the beach where he once again went ballistic when he spotted a worthy opponent, this time a full grown Doberman Pinscher. Kerry tugged at the leash and told him "Stop it! You're about to undergo surgery tomorrow. You're supposed to be contemplating the meaning of life."
But you see, that's what keeps Victor out of trouble. His ability to live in the moment and his inability to think, analyze, dissect, ruminate, marinate, obsess and worry.
Years ago, when I lived out in the country, many of our neighboring dogs ran free and got bitten by rattlesnakes. I was asking the vet about it one day, and he said that it's really no big deal. What? Why not? He told me it was because dogs don't go into shock the way humans do. They simply give them the anti-venom, keep them overnight, and back they go to frolick on the trail. Humans, on the other hand, freak out when bitten by a rattler.
With my knee surgery coming up, who knows when, I'm going to take a page out of Victor's book. As I write, he's relaxing in the sun, enjoying the warm California weather and ocean breeze. Wait a minute! Didn't anyone tell him that he just had surgery?
Once again, my theory is proven: No brain, no pain!
In a human's case, "positive brain, less pain". HAHA!
ReplyDeleteAbout Humana... I have no clue why specifically they decided to cover the surgery. I know my surgeon was working hard by pulling together various research articles demonstrating the success rate of the surgery. I also got other surgeon's opinions that said the only thing that could benefit me was this particular sugery.
Oh, and, the doc was also talking about how the insurance (and the doctors they put on the case) cannot decide what treatment I need. Only my doctor can decide that, and so if the insurance starts suggesting a treatment path for you, they'd be in some legal mess. Sorry, I don't understand this enough to explain it well.
Also, my boss called the insurance company and threatened to switch to another provider, but I'm not sure how much of a pull that had.
You gotta keep fighting. Everyone I talk to tells me this is a standard thing. The insurance will give you an initial kick back to see if you'll really fight for it.
Great dog story - Got two labs myself. Your going to do great with the surgery and recovery will be quick. Sending positive vibs.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen! Haha, after having gone through this whole thing, I didn't even know that they could be frozen!!!! Not sure I want to find out. But, I bet mine was frozen because it was available in no time. My main headache was getting insurance to cover the surgery, but not the wait for the graft.
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