surgery for BAHA scheduled

[danijake]

Hi all. Just letting you know I finally "set a date" for the BAHA. Feb. 11th!!! The wait better be worth it!!!

[1wareagle]

Dani,

     Great News!!!!  The BAHA will be a huge plus to your SSD. It's not perfect but it is better than nothing. After surgery, if I can answer any question just e-mail me.

Good Luck
Ellis

[lori67]

Dani,

I just got mine "fine-tuned" by the audiologist today, so now I'm up and running with mine.  Trust me, it'll be worth the wait.  My abuttment is not in an ideal position - they had to go a little further towards the back of my head to get it in good bone, but even so, I can notice the difference.  The audiologist ran some test with and without it today.  I was able to pick up 100% of speech with noise in the background with the BAHA and about 79% without it.  I guess most people have a more noticeable improvement, but he said due to the location of mine, there are some situations where I might find it better to just turn it off.  He said it will also get better once I get used to is and figure out what settings work best for me.

While I was in the waiting room, there were 5 other people in there for new BAHA's.  This technology really seems to be taking off.   The doctor also told me that after the one year warranty is up, to call your homeowners or renters insurer and have it added onto the policy.  He said it's cheaper than getting the extended warranty through the company.

Good luck on the 11th.  The wait for mine seemed unbearable, but eventually it got here!!
Lori

[1wareagle]

Lori,

     I am so glad you can tell a difference now that you have your BAHA. It really works! I wish I had your audiologist. My BAHA operation was in Los Angeles. My doctor told me that I could see an audiologist close to home to put my device on after 3 mts. He recommended Dr. House in Jackson, Ms , that had trained under him, to look at the site before his audiologist put it on. I didn't feel good about going to him since I did not use him but he assured me he would not mind. Well, when I got in his office he took one look at me and told me this was the most unethical thing he had ever done. He told me he would let his audiologist open my device, for warranty purposes, and install it but if I had any problems with the device or the abuttment site not to come back to his office. He told me if I didn't know my way back to California his nurse would give me the directions. I was ready to go by this time but he had already open the BAHA box and broken the seal, the warranty would be void unless his audiologist signed the papers. So I sit through the tongue lashing to get my warranty. I got to finally see his audiologist and basically she just snapped it on my head. She never tested my hearing to see how it worked or whatever. Needless to say I have had no problem with it but if I do I will have to find someone else to fine tune it. So for future BAHA patients, have the surgery and the device put on at the same doctors office....the good buddy system among doctors does not work!

Ellis

[leapyrtwins]

That's great news, Dani.  I'm so jealous.

Am still waiting on my insurance to respond to my request 

Guess I'll have to call them - yet again.

Jan

[OMG16]

Dani that is awesome!!!  You will have to let us know how it works for you.

Ellis I am speachless and can not believe the treatment you received.  It should not have happened.  The Dr did not to take it out on you if he had a problem he should have called the other Dr and kept you out of it.  At least you found out about what kind of Dr he was before you needed him for a medical problem. 

Ellis and Dani I am sending you a kiss to both of your foreheads  .  16

[1wareagle]

16,

Thanks for the kiss! We all need one from time to time. I forgot to mention that after all the verbal abuse over me coming to him he turned to leave the room, so the audiologist could come in, he opened the door to go out and turned and said, "If your face does not come back there is help for that". Well I'm thinking he is finally going to be nice. I said "Really, do you do this in your office?". He said "HuH" and slamed the door. My wife started crying, I started sheding a tear out of the only eye that would tear up. His nurse was so embarresed. She got us both tissues and told us that we had made the right decision to go to California and not to let him bother us. My wife told her "we now know we made the right decision". I hope I never have to go back to him for anything!

Ellis

[lori67]

Ellis,

That is awful!  How can someone, especially a doctor, treat someone like that?  I realize how fortunate I am to have such great doctors.  With my husband being in the military, if we are in a military town, we have to go the the Navy doctors, which, sometimes you wonder if they are truly doctors at all, or if the Navy just appointed them.  We got sent to Nashville 6 months before my diagnosis of AN.  The military docs kept telling me I had a sinus infection, giving me sudafed and sending me on my way.  Being a "beach" person, I wasn't thrilled about coming to Nashville, but there's not much point to arguing with Uncle Sam.  Because there is no Navy hospital here, I was allowed to go to a REAL doctor for the first time in years.  At my very first visit to my primary, he sent me for an MRI and the rest is history.

My primary had gone to medical school with the neurotologist, who works with the same neurosurgeon on all his cases, who works with the eye plastic surgeon, etc...  It's really a very well oiled machine because everyone knows what the goals are and they all work together.  I know this has contributed to how well I am doing.  I also know that there was a higher power than the Navy involved in the decision to send us to Nashville.

So, I've definitely learned a few things... I definitely will demand better medical treatment when we return to Virginia.  I shouldn't have to settle for less - none of us should.  I've also learned to just trust that there's a reason for some things that may not make sense initially.  This was a hard one, because I tend to be a bit of a control freak...

I'm glad you have decided not to go back to that guy.  I hope you mentioned it to the doctor who referred him in the first place.  It's bad enough you had to put up with that treatment, but he shouldn't be allowed to continue to do it to others.  Oh, that makes me so mad!!

if you need anything done, come visit in Nashville!  The audiologist is great, nice and very easy on the eyes, if you know what I mean.. .  Ok, he's probably not your type, but your wife would probably think he's cute! 

Lori

[OMG16]

Ellis please give your wife a kiss on the forehead also.  There was no need for him to take this out on the two of you!  I've learned the hard way that your  Dr in California should have called the Dr he referred you to.  He should have been the one to arrange follow up care.  It is my understanding that once a Dr starts care they are supposed to see you through to the end.  I believe it is an ethical code of conduct for them.  That is what I have been told anyways.  Please follow Lori's advice and call the Dr in California and let him know so that he can do it right next time and he will no longer send patients to the Dr you saw in your area.  Remember that it was not you personally that he had the problem with you and your wife were caught in the middle and that was unethical on his part.  :-*16

[1wareagle]

Thanks Lori and 16 for the advice. I did call Dr. Brackmann back and told him what his student did to me. He did not think I would have to see Dr. House but his audiologist made me see him first to make sure the site had healed up correctly before she attached the BAHA device. Bad ideal!! I told Dr. Brackmann that he forgot to teach him one thing and that was manners.

Ellis

[lori67]

They really should have to take - and pass- Bedside Manner 101 and Common Courtesy before they get turned loose on the world.

But, geez, I think most of us learned that in Kindergarten and didn't need to go to medical school for it!

One of these days, he'll run up against someone who will give it right back to him (good thing I'm not his patient!).

Lori

[OMG16]

Ellis I am glad to hear you called him.  Good luck with your future Drs appt I'm sure you will always be a little nervous about meeting new Drs and that is not fair.  I wish you well.  16