Connect
← Return to Question About Disc Sequestration
Discussion
Question About Disc Sequestration
Spine Health | Last Active: Mar 21 2:22pm | Replies (3)Comment receiving replies
Thanks for your reply! I'm in New Jersey and I do have health insurance, but my deductible is too high, just like the cost of everything else in this state. I do not qualify for any other aid or disability because I am still working. (I work from home, though that has even become increasingly difficult).
I also had the same issues in my lumbar spine (Stenosis) and had surgery in my early 30's for it, but that was when I had great health insurance. Surgery back then didn't cost me a cent. I do realize that I can end up with permanent nerve damage from my cervical issues, but there isn't much I can do about that if I can't pay for it. The other thing is, even if I could afford it, I am afraid that it would just cause further deterioration of the rest of my spine. Before I had lumbar surgery, my surgeon told me that it could cause further degeneration of other levels in the future, and it has, so I am also afraid of having more surgery that will end up causing more problems.
Replies to "Thanks for your reply! I'm in New Jersey and I do have health insurance, but my..."
Connect
I hear you, @njbay. Everything is so expensive now. My deductible is $7k and cobra coverage is currently $1.7k/month and bumps up to $2.4k/month in May due to disability extension. Them coinsurance of 20% up to $13k before insurance covers anything fully.
Like you, I worked at home during COVID (2020 through 2023) and then part of a large reduction in force. Sitting at my kitchen table for 10 hours+ per day really did a number on my health and spine. I have had 5 surgeries in 3.5 years and have 2 more in front of me.
It is hard as a disabled single parent of a teen son to have all of these surgeries plus paying for health coverage (don't get child support). Not fun and it has done a number on my mental health.
One thing to keep in mind is that cervical spine issues are more serious than lumbar in many cases due to the fact you could get permanent paralysis if you were to fall and a disc/vertebrae/bone spur damaged the spinal cord. I fell 2 times before I knew I had cervical myelopathy causing me so many symptoms below the level of compression in my cervical spine. I was told I could have been paralyzed from neck down which was why I chose to go ahead with the surgery. I’m the sole provider for my teen son and have no extended family.
I have no regrets getting my surgeries as it did provide relief of many symptoms. With a congenitally narrow spinal canal, degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis, I expect to need surgeries in the future to address spinal degeneration with aging.