The end is in sight

320 followers

5 years ago

That is the end of the frustration and waiting. For the last almost 18 months I have been off work because of a back injury. Back in November my surgeon said that we had tried every treatment we could that didn't involve surgery and went to ACC, our national accident insurance company and requested funding approval for the operation. They turned me down many months later. That is under review.

At the beginning of April I was referred to the hospital as an urgent case, and I waited, and waited.....

In July I had a bad spot where I ended up in hospital for a week because the pain got so bad that I couldn't cope. Whilst the staff were super friendly and supportive, I had a real battle just to get them to do an MRI scan while I was there. I only saw an orthopedic specialist once and he just wanted to get me out of the hospital. We had a bit of a verbal with each other and eventually he agreed to do the scan. He wanted me to do it as an outpatient, but I knew it would take forever if I didn't stand my ground.

A few weeks ago, 5 months after being referred to the District Health Board as urgent, I finally got to see a back surgeon. I asked them how long it took if a patient wasn't urgent. They didn't have an answer for that.

After discussing my case, they told me that they would not want to put me through surgery of 3 disks, or in fact any disks, because the success rate of fusion surgery was around 50% and there are no guarantees that my pain would be relieved. Their recommendation was to send me to the hospital pain specialist. I tried to explain that I had been going to a pain specialist for over a year and their response was that this person is different.

So a couple of weeks later I got a form to fill out for the pain specialist.

Meanwhile, I went back to the original surgeon, who ACC had declined to fund and asked for their recommendation. They said let's get a CT scan and if we think we can reduce your pain by 80% or so by just fusing one disk, then why don't we go for that.

So we did the scan, also checking to make sure that I have no cancer tumors as I am in remission from prostate cancer. Good news on both fronts. No tumors and they are confident (within reason because nothing is guaranteed) that they can help me.

So I went back to my other insurer for approval and they confirmed they will pay for up to 80% of the surgery costs and I am booked in to have my lumbar disk fused, with modern surgery, very different to what the hospital would have done, from which they say they have 90-95% success. It won't cure me, but if it does reduce my pain by 80% I will be a very happy man.

The other fear I had, was that after not being at work for so long, that they would decide that I am no longer needed and that is sadly what happened. I managed a team of 15 people and that team has been disestablished and therefore there is no longer a team to manage and in the next few days I will be receiving a letter saying that my position has been made redundant.

So here I am, about to get the surgery I have so badly needed, with a 5 figure excess that I have to pay for myself, and no job. I did apply for a couple of jobs, when it was indicated to me that I would be made redundant, however noone wants to recruit someone who can't tell them when they will be available and being 62 years of age, I'm not high on the criteria list for new recruits.

So, to finish this little story, I find myself highly motivated to get into WA. For the last month I have been writing CV's, applying for jobs, fighting insurance companies and trying to figure out where my future lies. Now that I have some certainty, at least knowing I am gettng my surgery and I am losing my job, I can focus on the future.

I did have some thoughts about whether I could afford to stay with Wealthy Affiliate because after paying the excess on my surgery I'm going to have little or no money to spare. I had a bit of a chat with one of the senior WA members. I was wondering whether I could justify the cost of being here, versus getting someone to develop a web site for me and just getting into it.

He took me back through all the benefits of WA, the training, the team, the support of you, fellow affiliate marketers or want to be affiliate marketers and I am once again convinced that I am in the right place. Now I just have to recommit to doing the work and making it happen.

There's nothing like being on the precipice to motivate oneself, providing you believe you are doing the right thing, and I do.

I'm looking forward to continuing the journey here with you all. Thanks so much for your support and I look forward to being there for you as well.