[Maria]

AJ
One thing I've learned having worked for the VA as an RN and having worked for numerous health care systems as an RN and a Nurse Practitioner and having been a spine patient is ~ disappointment, anger and such feelings are normal with regard to unmet expectations and things that do not work as we hoped for however deep pockets will often outweigh (with regard to lawsuit or threat of lawsuit) will often outweigh our (the patient) potential angst, anger, disappointment, etc.

My experience in healthcare has shown me that many things can be obscured (such as the truth) so that no matter what I want or wish for or even expect in terms of quality of care and meeting standards of care in the community may not be met but for some odd reason if one brings forth complaints (or threats) to a provider or system their legal force (shield) will be raised.

My advice to you would be to not alert "the system" if possible and gather your resources should you really be unhappy, displeased, etc and think there is anything you can do about it.

My own personal experience has been with spine surgery is that nothing is really guaranteed so unless there is a really something that can be legally disputed (and maybe that is true for you) there won't be much to be done except going thru the stages of grieving re loss...

I hope that you are doing better and that you will be doing better if not at this point or some time in the future. If I could have had some assurance that if I needed a 3 level ADR vs. a 2 level once the surgeon went in I would have had surgery however I pretty much understood that if a 2 level ADR or a one level ADR and one level fusion was being authorized re surgery that was the surgery that would be done and paid for by insurance and not a penny more (mine coverage was thru WC) ...

Got to have the understanding before going into it too as well... as we do sign the consents re surgery.

Good luck. I hope things will get better... Maria