My sister has to have her leg amputated...

[MountCleaners]

...because her insuranced denied her OATS surgery. OATS surgery transfers healthy cartilage from one area of your body to the affected area - in this case, her ankle.

She was in three different car accidents - none of them her fault - in the space of a few years. She already had an ankle condition before the accidents, and the accidents made them worse. In addition, she had to have back surgery after the accident, slowing down her recovery even more.

She already had one OATS surgery that wasn't successful, but her doctor recommended a second, as opposed to amputation. Now that OATS surgery is being denied, and she faces amputation.

We're all just sickened and depressed by this. I already struggle with depression and anxiety, and I have to support my sister through this as well. It's just too much to bear.

She can't walk right now, and lost her job due to too many absences from work because of her injuries. She tried an office job, but it was too difficult because of her injured back and ankle. She has been denied disability so far. She and her husband have had to declare bankruptcy.

Because of all of this, she is suffering from depression and anxiety, too.

It makes me sick that someone in an office who likely has no disability has decided that she should lose her leg. It's so drastic. Our society is SICK to practice medicine this way!

[Catmusicfan]

1. I am so sorry.

[MFM008]

2. I agree

And sorry.

[LakeArenal]

3. Somewhere an angel has lost their wings...

So sad for your family and all the millions that will be hurt.

[Maraya1969]

4. I am so sorry too. I wish I knew something to say that would make it better

for both of you

[MountCleaners]

5. Thank you

It just feels good to vent. My family doesn't like to burden everyone with this, but the loss of a leg is truly traumatic, and to have that decision made by some bureaucrat feels so unjust.

My sister is a big activist for social justice, and this is just discouraging for her. She's upset enough about Trump and the Republicans, and the Republican philosophy has hit home for us in such a brutal way. To one day be active and working and to lose all of that because of decisions made in an office. She's feeling very discouraged about living in the US right now.

To top it all off, she gets flamed daily by people who attack her for her disability, call her a whiner, etc., and they are ALL Trump supporters. A former bandmate of hers, who voted for Trump, actually told her, "I don't feel sorry for you. Suck it up." These people are running our lives!

Update: now my sister tells me that her doctor has to perform the amputation even though he STRONGLY recommended against it! Ridiculous. Medicine in this country isn't even about real medicine.

Yeesh. Amputating a body part because it's cheaper than another surgery. I saw that in Michael Moore's film but in that film it seemed downright freakish. Now I see how real that is. Some clown in an office actually makes these decisions. It sickens me when I think of what type of person that is.

[Warpy]

6. It's a new procedure

and it isn't being done that many places. Insurance companies get very miserly when a new procedure has failed once and a surgeon wants to try again.

Fight the bastards. Insist on arbitration, at least. Start to cost them money. This was my advice to a cousin having a new surgery and she won.

[More_Cowbell]

7. You might try publicizing it

By having her go on your local news, especially since it seems like her doctor might be willing to say that he thinks there's a better option. Then the news crew could ask your local congressional representative for a comment.

[MountCleaners]

10. Believe me, she is working her butt off

She is a very humble person, but her situation is so ridiculous that she said she has contacted local media. It's hard to harangue the media when there are so many other people out there who also need attention. So far no media outlet has gotten back to her, but she keeps trying. She's also become heavily involved in disability activism, and I join her sometimes.

I think she has until the beginning of next year to get her amputation, so she is keeping busy trying to raise funds, contact media, etc. I keep encouraging her to try for disability, but she gets discouraged easily. But she seems like a good candidate! She cannot walk right now and is still recovering from all of her injuries and is still in physical therapy, plus another surgery will mean more time lost to recovery and therapy.

She's also looking into work from home options, but those are few and far between.

Honestly it feels good just to talk to other people who deal with disability! We are all really stressed and discouraged and afraid, and the right-wing anti-disability trolls are terrible!

[pansypoo53219]

8. gotta keep trying for disability. jeez, what quack said she was not?!?

[Doreen]

9. I am sorry and understand as far as people being

horrible as I have several disabilities and since you can not tell from just a glance I am considered a person who sucks off the system. I do not know if this is a stupid idea or not but maybe you should email Rachel Maddow.

[irisblue]

11. I'm pretty sure most states have some type of Insurance Regulations Board

Do you know if she/her surgeon has spoken with a board regulator?
This is awful news.

[MountCleaners]

12. This is the kind of hate message my sister gets

[link:|

[MountCleaners]

13. Good news!

Shows you what persistence and anger can accomplish:

OH MY GOD!!!!!
The appeals for my surgery went to the state level and were denied. I was told that was it. It's done. It's legally binding, so I can't even sue. Then I found out about a policy change for BCBS Alabama that happened just less than a week ago, that no longer deems my surgery as controversial. I stalked BCBS with this info, threw temper tantrums over the phone and via Facebook, and refused to let up.
Today I got a call saying that they were going to use the Alabama policy change to approve my surgery!!!!! I have never sobbed so hard from happiness and relief. I can't believe this is happening. And I made this happen by being a massively angry, spiteful, relentless tiger. Someone hand me a goddamn crown. 😭 😭 😭 (happy tears)

[irisblue]

14. Happy news!!!!

👏👏👏👏👏😁😁😁😁

[MountCleaners]

15. If this surgery succeeds...

She will be good on that ankle for about ten years. Then it's another surgery or amputation. But ten more years of walking means much more economic options for her.