|   need more advice re:my hand | pfunk
Sep 10, 2003 1:53 PM | | Last week I posted about injuring my hand and whether or not I should get an x-ray
http://forums13.consumerreview.com/crforum?viewall@@.efc7fc2
I did go that day for an x-ray at a local urgent care center. They didn't find anything and sent me home with an ace bandage. Since than, it hasn't improved, might even be worse. I've tried to make a splint and wrap it up different ways but everything I do seems to cause more discomfort. Can't seem to find anything that works.
Today I called several orthopedic dr's to see if I could find someone to review the x-ray for a reasonable cost (had to borrow from a relative to grt the xray last week). They all said $300 plus.
Anybody out there an orthopedic dr. or know someone who is that might be willing to help me out? Any other ideas are welcome. |
| measure twice, cut once | PmbH
Sep 10, 2003 3:38 PM | | Sorry, I couldn't resist!
Credit to AK Ken for that line re: finger problems someone had on the board last year |
| drive to Canada | fut
Sep 10, 2003 4:35 PM | | and go to an ER |
| Vote for a Democrat | Spacemoose
Sep 10, 2003 6:18 PM | | Then maybe some day healthcare will be available to everyone, even those made unemployed by the fiscal prudence of BushCo. |
| You don't like Bush, I take it? | Finch Platte.
Sep 10, 2003 8:57 PM | | The guy is a big focking dick, AFAIC.
Plus, he's an idiot.
fp (idiot, but no dick. Wait. Uh...) |
| or take some personal responsibility like a grown-up | litespeedchick
Sep 11, 2003 5:09 AM | | Here's an idea... When I was unemployed, I used the money I had SAVED while I was working, and BOUGHT myself some health insurance until I got another job. |
| I am a grown up d@mnit | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 7:28 AM | | Try being laid off twice in less than three years! Or being employed only 18 months out of the last 36 or so. I tried not to get offended, but you don't know what I've been through. I had health insurance and a savings account in 2000. I was saving for my wedding, and doing pretty well when I got laid off the first time.
Pretty much lived on those savings until I got a new job (unemployement doesn't go very far). Most of the "Wedding" money was gone. I was lucky enough to find a new job, but they said I'd have to wait 6 months for insurance. When sixth months came, there was no money for insurance, and I get dropped to part time, the week after we return from our honeymoon. Got laid off completely two months later. That was last july.
I do have insurance, but the only insurance I could afford has a $3000 deductable. Doesn't help me much in this situation. It would however protect my family from most of the cost if I got in a major accident.
Was able to remain mostly self employed for the first sixth months after being laid off the last time, but finally had to break down and apply for un-employment a few months ago. That runs out in 2 months.
Just please try not to be so insensitive. I'm not an irresponsible idiot, and I wouldn't be asking this here if I weren't truly out of ideas. |
| CHICKFIGHT!!!!!!!!!!! | fut
Sep 11, 2003 7:42 AM | | Meeee-yowwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| my claws are fully retracted | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 7:54 AM | | just wanted to stand up for myself |
| my comment was directed at Spacemoose, not you! | litespeedchick
Sep 11, 2003 7:59 AM | | I realized as I was posting it that I should have said something like "no offense to the original poster". FWIW, I'm very impressed that you have a high-deductible policy. Lots of people aren't aware of what a good option that is when you get priced out of standard insurance.
I agree that it's possible they missed a fracture at the urgent care place. Not only that, the x-ray quality may be poor so the orthos would have to take their own films, thus the high cost.
Best of luck with your arm, and my apologies for allowing my irritation with the knee-jerk liberals on this board to lead me to hurt your feelings. |
| awww, thanks | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 8:14 AM | | sorry to jump the gun. I've been a little sensitive lately (understatement). There comes a time when this whole situation (no job) gets really old, and I think I reached it about two months ago.
Regarding the urgent care thing. I spent a couple of hours that day making phone calls. Trying to figure out how to get the best care for my money. It's amazing how un-helpful people were (my insurance co, local hospital, etc.) I told them at the urgent care what my situation was. I wish they would have said "Our equipment here isn't the best, and you may need a follow up. Your money might be better spent with and orthopedic dr." or something along those lines. Now the money I spent there is down the toilet.
When I was looking for insurance, my Dad reccomended that I get this type. I could have gotten a plan for the same amount that would allow me dr. visits, but the amount it would pay in the event of a major accident is rediculous. With this plan, even if my hospital bill is $100,000 or more I only pay $3000.
Thanks (I feel better now :o) |
| Kiss and Make up-- Please? | Britney and Madonna
Sep 11, 2003 8:34 AM | | |
| I got the same deal | pimpbot
Sep 11, 2003 9:53 AM | | Unemployed, got insurance with a $2k deductable. When I tweaked my ankle, I was sending photos to my doctor bro-in law and chatting with him over the phone, trying to figure out if I needed to blow the last of my savings. I'm starting to realize that mountain biking and this health plan are not a good match, but I can't afford real health care. It's a complete shame that in this country we have to resort to this kind of crap. Imagine all the poor folks out there that can't afford to get themselves back to health.
My ankle is still not completely well six weeks after I tweaked it, but it works well enough to bike on. I have a really hard time walking down stairs tho. I have to walk down sideways, which is silly.
Get better pfunkygal. We gotta get back on the trails again. I still need to get you those brake levers.
-pimpbot, liberal, but not knee-jerk and certainly not a tool. |
| tell me about it | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 2:38 PM | | finally had some work over the past few weeks. Now I have to decide whether to spend money on this, or pay taxes that I owe from last year (not to mentions whats adding up for this year)
I miss my bike :o(
hope your ankle gets better too |
| Ah geez, what does saving and growing up have to do with... | Fat-tire
Sep 11, 2003 8:20 AM | | each other? You have no idea what her situation is, yet since somebody rips Bush, you assume it's personal irresponsibility.
Seriously, if we spent less time worrying about the evil-doers, and spent more time worrying about those within our borders, we might not be having this debate.
Get off the high horse!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, rant over. |
| Good luck. | B R H
Sep 11, 2003 1:17 AM | | I have a similar injury (pinky to hand joint swollen, painful for 6 weeks now) but no doctors will even see me because I don't have health insurance at the moment! I have even offered to pre-pay just to get a darn x-ray, but no doctor will do it. I guess I have no choice but to go to an urgent care center or ER. VERY frustrating. |
| the era of personal responsibility .... | Wasatch Walt
Sep 11, 2003 6:49 AM | | yeah, I want to have responsibility just like that George W Bush has responsibility. Never had a real job, started an oil company with Daddy's money, lost all that, bought out by Harkin where the Harkin owner said "Because his dad is President [real quote]", sat on the Finance committee of Harkin, oversaw the process to overvalue the Aloha Petroleum aquisition, to stack up against the debt, Was Jeff Skilling before Jeff Skilling was Jeff Skilling. Had his frat brother cut him in on the Texas Rangers deal for $600,000, where the city assumed all the financial liability. Where did he get the $600,000? From a low interest loan from Harkin. Bush was Bernie Ebbers before Bernie Ebbers was Bernie Ebbers. Sold his Harkin stock before the Aloha deal was realized for the trash it was. Bush was Andy Fastow before Andy Fastow was Andy Fastow. Coupla years, sold his $600,000 "investment" into the Rangers for $15,000,000. I want to make money just like Bush made money, by having my elitist friends cut me into the deal while the people assume all liability for loss. Now normally, the people who assume the risk, should get the rewards of investment, but why do that when your friends can write the rules of government and contracts with government? It is the fine American tradition of stealing from the many to reward the few. I want to have "personal responsibility" just like George Woosey Bush. Went AWOL in Vietnam after "magically" coming up with an appointment to be a National Guard flyboy when no one could get one. Who never sacrificed a thing in his life, while National Guard do good boys and girls are serving in Iraq and coming home without legs.
P-funk, I wish I could help. Are you icing at LEAST 2x a day and taking things for swell like about 1200mg of ibuprofen ????? |
| 800mg .... ice once a day | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 7:35 AM | | maybe moore will help, thanks. Haven't ridden since it happened, but I was hoping to bike to my errands today (spare the air day). It's not on dirt, so I shoul be able to swing it if I'm careful.
(didn't vote for Bush) |
| yup | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 7:38 AM | | I went to urgent care. They did give me an ace bandage.
I had an xray at an er when I was 13. They missed a fracture in my wrist and then called 2 weeks later to say they "might have found something". Makes you wonder.
Good luck to you too |
| Give it time. | Bill Carson
Sep 11, 2003 7:16 AM | | And stay off the bike if it bothers your injury. |
| good advice, thanks (nm) | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 7:36 AM | | |
| re: need more advice re:my hand | michigantammy
Sep 11, 2003 8:29 AM | | I had a similar hand/wrist injury many years ago, from falling off a moped. I did put my hand down and it got caught between the metal bars of the bridge flatform. It didn't look pretty. I thought I would never be able to get my hand out of there.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I didn't go to see a doctor as I should that day. I thought that as long as I was able to move all my fingers and it should be okay in a few days. But it got swollen bigger and bigger everyday. I finally went in for X-rays. It turned out that I had several minor breaks on my wrist. They did nothing and sent me home with a wrist splint. It took me almost the whole year to get it heal completely. It wasn't supposed to take that long (a few months at the most). I was impatient and used that hand too much to let it heal properly.
My daughter had a similar hand injury a few years back. She also fractured her wrist (a mimor break). I didn't recall that they did anything except advice her to wear her wrist splint. And she was back to normal in a couple of months (might have been less).
I thought you might feel better if I shared some of my own experience with you, and I'm not qualified to give any advice, however. If I read/understood correctly about what you were told about the X-ray, I think it should be okay, as long as you can move your fingers and no numbness and no swelling. I would give it time. However, if it keeps getting worse, I would seek for a second opinion.
BTW, here's the link that might give you some ideas for a home treatment.
http://my.webmd.com/content/healthwise/45/11186
Good luck and take it easy.
Tammy |
| thanks for the link | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 9:09 AM | | and sharing your stories. |
| Know a chiropractor? | Paul B
Sep 11, 2003 8:45 AM | | Not for his/her services, but for his x-ray machine. If you're already going to one, ask him to shoot your hand a couple different ways. He may just charge you for film and a visit, which SHOULD be quite a bit less than $300.
p. |
| <b>STILL CAN'T DECIDE WHAT TO DO</b> but thanks to all | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 9:20 AM | | thanks all, for chiming in. I still don't know what I should do, but I'm sure I'll decide over the next day or so depending on how much it hurts.
Based on what litespeed chick said (in her 2nd post) and what I already knew from past experience, I think I will need a new xray if I do decide to see someone. I also followed the link from Tammy, and I am experiencing several of the warning signs outlined there such as numbness and increased pain when I try to wrap or splint it. Also there was very little swelling or bruising from the start (which surprised me) but it is more swolen now than it was to start.
I just hate to spend money that I can barely afford, especially if it turns out to be nothing, or doesn't solve my problem. I was miffed when they sent me home last week because I KNEW this would happen. I can just tell there's something wrong. That's why I sought help in the first place. Now if I decide to go and seek additional treatment and they don't find anything, I'll feel like I wasted my money.
AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH :o{}
thanks |
| More sympathy than advice here | Mary Ann
Sep 11, 2003 9:33 AM | | I wish you all the best. Having been unemployed for 10 months recently, I can definitely relate to your finanical situation. I can`t imagine the stress you're under having to make these kinds of decisions about your health because of tight finances.
I've been at mtbr for 6 years now and it has never failed to surprise me when people post asking advice about whether or not to go to the doctor. As a Canadian will full access to "free" health services (well, we do pay in our taxes), the finanical aspect of decision never enters my mind. My immediate reaction is, what can it hurt to go if you aren`t sure? But $300 is a lot of money when you don't have a regular income (it can be a lot when you do!), so I have a better appreciation now.
I wish you a speedy (and economical) recovery.
Mary Ann |
| If you can handle the frustration of waiting all day, | Impy
Sep 11, 2003 10:42 AM | | you might be able to get some low cost care at one of the county hospitals/clinic system. Expect a DMV kind of experience, but they should see you, insurance or not. You might have to pick a number, wait, etc. |
| I wouldn't mind waiting | pfunk
Sep 11, 2003 11:26 AM | | but if it's a clinic type operation, would they be likely to have the type of equiptment or expertise to diagnose or identify an injury that the urgent care center missed? I guess that would be my concern there. I want this taken care of (want my cake and eat it too) |
| me again... | litespeedchick
Sep 11, 2003 12:40 PM | | I called my husband (a chiropractor) and asked him what he thought. He said that unlike the finger, a break where you describe might well need to be casted, depending on the severity. I asked about the Urgent Care x-ray and he said(paraphrasing) they probably wouldn't do any worse job taking the x-ray/reading it than an ER or some other doctors would, but (as you already know) you need to see an orthopedist. He sees a lot of people who come in his office weeks after an injury and he finds a fracture that the emergency room missed. I guess they're in a hurry.
I had thought of the clinic idea too...I guess you could call and ask them if they were equiped to diagnose/treat ortho injuries. You will have to wait all day, but if you aren't working and it hurts to ride, what else is there to do? :-) |
| Same thing happened to me | Ripzalot
Sep 11, 2003 11:48 PM | | I didn't want to say anything at first since I won't be giving out any good medical advice but...I had the same thing happen to me early this season. I was run off the road by a land cruiser and endo'd on a huge pothole on the side of the road, landing palms first in the road. Hurt like hell but I still rode out the day. Then I did the same thing again (this time on the trail). It hurt for a long time but after about 4-6 weeks it slowly went away. I did absolutely nothing other than take ibuprofen. As someone previously said, take it easy on it and give it time. I find things take a LONG time to heal now that I am past 30...err...39!
(not saying not to do anything about it but just relating my experience) |
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