today is one of those days that i'm so frustrated with the army healthcare system.

before i go further i want to acknowledge that YES i'm glad were not subjected to obamacare.
i'm glad for the military insurance, but i have not gotten treated properly by madigan.

today my back hurts so much that i cant keep the tears out of my eyes.
i just got home from wic shopping so i just took a pain killer and it has not set in yet.
i don't want to just pop pills i want to get treated.

i went to madigan and got a referral to the DO (bone doc) my hips and ribs and back are all crooked and out of alignment and i've got a short leg. according to the docs they couldn't figure out which one is short because of how crooked i am. one leg bone is short and the other thigh bone is short, so they gave me a lift for the side that my hip is lower.... however my hips are still out of alignment.
the problem is that my back does not have enough scoliosis to keep getting seen by the DO specialists. so they sent me to PT.

well after a bit at PT they stuck me on the traction machine. the problem is that the straps kept slipping around with my crooked hips and ribs, and it doesn't help that i'm a little smaller and so the straps kept slipping because of that too. so i asked about the hang ups machine.

that machine did WONDERS! i felt a release of tension in my entire spine from hanging upside down. as soon as i was done they said my referral was not any good anymore because they didn't have anything else to offer me....... and i should go to a chiropractor, or buy a hang ups machine (apparently the machine is a try it out and then if your scoliosis is bad enough tricare will buy one for you)
but of course my scoliosis is not "bad enough" so tricare won't buy one... and we are so tight on money and can't just go to a chiropractor anytime.


so i've actually had my husband give me massages (he's surprisingly very very good) and spot me as i hung upside down on his pull up bar. he's not too comfortable with that though because he thinks i'll break my neck.

anyway, i've exhausted all of my insurance covered options, and yes i try to do core strengthening exercises, and i try to stretch. but it's hard to muster up the energy when i'm beat from chasing the kids and cleaning and my back hurts so freaking bad that i'm in tears.

i just had to complain. bleh. 

1. I am so sorry. :-( I hope you find some relief soon.

2. God Bless our hubbies for all the things they do for us.

3. YES i'm glad were not subjected to obamacare.
Amen to this!

4. I have no idea why I did this list style lol.

Tricare is more often a blessing than not, but I have multiple kids who need referrals and specialized care and I know how much of a hassle it can sometimes be. I really hope you can get it worked out. Have you tried talking to a Tricare rep at Madigan? Sometimes they are more helpful than the people on the phone or the doctors. Good luck! 

Go to patient advocacy at Madigan. They can pull more strings and get you back in therapy or your own machine. They are nice people just bring your patients because they can be slow. 

4. I have no idea why I did this list style lol.
lol
i do think i'll go to the tricare rep/patient advocacy. i've only done that before with a bill one time. i really could use the hang ups machine. i think i'll try to go that route. 

Hope they help you out! Im sorry youre hurting :( 

I'm feeling better now! It was so weird because I hadn't hurt in that particular part of my back for a while (kidney area).. anyway Sandra helped a lot! and Kent is currently taking my girl on a date so I'm more relaxed now, which helps my muscles to not be so tense too :) 

:) 

If you're in that much pain, have you tried going to a chiropractor? They're not covered under Tricare (well, they are covered for active duty soldiers, but only at Madigan... and there's only one guy and a HUGE wait list), but there's a chiro in Tacoma who only charges $35 an adjustment for military family members ($10 for active duty). Right now, they're doing a special - if you bring in $10 worth of food donations in November, your adjustment is free.

Cascade Chiropractic and Massage in Tacoma. Seriously, go check them out! They're wonderful! 

I might actually send my husband to them then, his back is alllll messed up. 

That's a pretty awesome deal. I'd definitely do that Your Mom. 

I've gone to them before actually. My back pain has gotten progressively worse and I wish I could afford to go there. Many chiropractors have said that when you grow up with a crooked skeleton there is no "cure" just symptom management. . . Ie. Adjustments, strengthening, stretching...

We can barely afford groceries right now because of auto repairs (last one was 1200) so even a cheap price of 35, weekly or twice weekly really adds up. It's not something that I can just go a handful of times when I can afford it. If I do that I might as well not go at all. If tricare doesn't pay for a hang ups machine I'll just end up saving up for one myself. 

also any medical such as chiropractic work you can write off on your taxes. Juat go I and ask fora ccomplete billing statement and it is deducted. Simple and easy. I know it won't help today but something I just remebered 

Yeah but you must exceed your standard deduction for any itemized deductions to make a difference. Usually this happens for homeowners because of the extra thousands in deductions.


I do keep all receipts though. 

I hang off the back of my couch for my back pain. It seems to help me in the same way. :) 

ive done that before. i think i'll start doing that more often 

If all else fails get some medical marijuana. Totally kidding! 

If I had grown kids I would but not while I have small kids lol 

I hear you, Your mom, an herbal remedy such as marijuana, would be very difficult to use while operating as a parent of small children. However, depending on the type of narcotics some take to relieve pain, you would be better off with MJ. You don't smoke a whole joint and eat a cake in front of the TV, no, you can get concentrated stuff take a puff out of an inhalation bag and still function, NOT LOOPY. 

Today I cured a migraine that had me near tears with chocolate pudding and gatorade. :) 

Chocolate pudding makes everything better! Seriously though, the chocolate and electrolytes probably worked much better than any Tylenol or Advil pill would. 

i was proud of myself for not popping a pill.
=^.^=


did you know chocolate is better for your teeth than fluoride? (sans sugar and milk)