Durable medical devices supplied after lumbar laminectomy

@ikcooley Ivie, I am a spine patent and have helped my parents with some of these issues. For the handicapped license plate tags, this needs to go through the Minnesota offices where you get your license plates. I helped my parents get a handicapped placard from Wisconsin to hang on the rear view mirror. The doctor has to sign a form stating that the patient is disabled which you take with you when you go to get the plates. Check with Minnesota on what you need to do.

I think that you will have better luck going through a primary care doctor than your spine surgeon. The surgeon wants to believe that he has fixed everything, and hence, you shouldn't need this. Your primary care doctor would not have this bias, and I think any M.D. signature would be acceptable. My mom's podiatrist signed for her handicap tag renewal the last time.

Medicare is very picky about what goods they cover, and if they do, they want the cheapest options and they decide which item to get and sometimes, it is a rental. To get Medicare coverage, there has to be a specific evaluation by a provider, and lots of paperwork sent in before Medicare will decide what they will or won't do. This is what my mom had to do to get a wheelchair from Medicare. You are probably better off finding these items on your own. You may want to look at outdoor hiking stores for walking sticks. Medical providers kind of know what Medicare won't cover, and wouldn't want to invest a lot of time trying to get things covered. You can also call Medicare and just ask them if it is reasonable to ask for coverage of specific things as durable medical goods. Try resale shops that may have walkers or wheelchairs, etc. A physical therapist can be a good source of information on braces and find companies where you can order them. Can someone else do your grocery shipping and errands while you stay home to recover? After all, Minnesota winters are epic, and most of us non- Minnesotans wouldn't want to venture out in snow and ice up there anyway.

With all of this being said, please discuss the low blood pressure with you primary care doctor. If you are a fall risk because of this, perhaps that could make a difference in getting items covered. A standard walker is better than a wheeled water because it is more stable and doesn't roll away from you if you are loosing your balance. That is another good conversation to have with your doctor. Do everything you can to prevent falling. That can change your life in an instant causing permanent injuries and disability. My dad had a skull fracture from falling down. You may want to get a helmet for horseback riding or bike riding for protection if there is a good chance of falling on ice. That isn't perfect protection, nothing is if you fall. My dad did survive the head injury after a 2 and a half month hospital stay. They had to drill holes in his skull to reduce brain pressure to save his life. He was never the same after that and was disabled the rest of his life which put a physical and financial burden on the family. Having to hire care givers or nursing homes are really expensive and out of reach for many people. Family members may not be able to hold jobs if their time is taken up in helping a family member who cannot manage on their own as was my own experience. My dad also lost the ability to reason and problem solve, and had to relearn language and how to swallow again. That was very frustrating for him.

Are you living alone during your recovery from surgery?

Jennifer