Surgery/Mayo Clinic Questions

[javi23]

hi im javier lozada i have a bpi injury i can move my shulder and feel into my elbow but i dont have any movement in my arm.Some one can recomend me a doctor for nerves tranfer i will appreciated
javier

[EllenB]

Hi Javier,

You've definitely come to the right place to learn more about your options. One place to start is the site shown below, which lists specialists with our type of injury, all over the world. I don't know where you live but hopefully you'll find a medical resource relatively nearby.

Although not listed on the below site, I hope you might be able to include the Mayo Clinic BPI group (in Rochester MN) on your short list of doctors. We (as well as others) have had excellent care, surgically & otherwise, from Drs Bishop, Spinner & Shin. I've also put their website below.

http://ubpn.org/medicalresources/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/brachialplexus-rst/

I'll be out of town this weekend but I'm sure you'll hear from others - especially if you start a new thread just for yourself.

Take care,

Ellen

[javi23]

hi Ellen I spoke with doctor Nath last friday he came to Philadelphia to see me. He said that if he do the surgery I may be able to grab five pound and bring it up to over my head.But the think is that i think that my insurance will not cover.I also will like to go to Mayo Clinic but I dont know if it will cover. Do you know if insurance cover Mayo Clinic?
THANKS
JAVIER

[EllenB]

Hi Javier,

I'm glad you're doing a lot of research to figure out your surgical options. To answer your question, yes - Mayo Clinic does accept insurance and quite often is able to treat the expenses as in-network, which means much less out of pocket for the patient. For example, we have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, and BCBS Minnesota ran the hospital & doctor charges through their system. Literally, the only expense we've had after multiple surgeries is only ~$750, and that was for a biofeedback unit that our insurance doesn't cover (yet).

I think one reason insurance companies like Mayo is because it's much less expensive than privately owned bpi practices. The Mayo doctors are actually employees of Mayo & thus on a salary. I've been amazed when comparing with others - although of course it's hard to do an equal comparison since different doctors do different procedures.

What type of surgery did Dr. Nath suggest doing for you? Do you know if you have full avulsion or just partial? Quite often, it's hard to really know until the doctor performs surgery - they have to outline different options based on what they find once they go in.

I'll write you a PS offline -

Take care & keep us posted.

Ellen

[lizzyb]

Jan..I emailed you...hope you got it okay, also contacted two others in Canada and I believe they've emailed too...let us know how you get on! :0)

Lizzyb

[RottieJan]

hey lizzie! i'm soooo sorry. i DID get your email but have been so busy lately - a good thing, really.

friday i had to drive 1.5 hours (each way) to pick up a dog at a shelter whose time was up -- he was scheduled for euth that day! then sat. i had a meeting with my animal rescue group -- an hour's drive each way, PLUS an old flame came by *evil grin* PLUS i have a kind of, under the table job, starting next week! answering the phones and scheduling appointments for a mobile groomer. trust me to get something to do with dogs, eh? it doesn't pay much BUT the gov't gets none and it will help at xmas!

you guys are good luck -- i think i'll keep you *grin*

ellen - still waiting for my neuro to call me back so i can get the info for the mayo!

hugs,

jan

[EllenB]

Whoa Jan - it's hard to keep up with you! Congrats on the part-time job, it sounds perfect for you right now in your life. I was laid off (actually to the exact day John was released from the hospital after the accident!) and it was over a year before I pulled myself out of depression & found another job. And what a difference it makes.

Keep us posted - good things are headed your way.

Take care,

Ellen