Trust is a basic need.  When your life and health is jeopardized because those who you trust do not help where can you turn and what happens? I was initially injured October 30, 1991 and a subarachnoid hemorrhage in December 22, 1991.  I was not treated or diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage until 2000 after gathering my medical records and having them reviewed as well as an excellent medical doctor who listened.  The findings were consistent with all my complaints.  My EKG of T-wave depression at time of gush down my spine and horrific headache.

Health Insurance Does Not Insure Health (Photo credit: SavaTheAggie)

Years after injury there is now calcification of the right internal carotid artery and cavernous sinus on CAT Scan, as well as significant arterial narrowing of the same by MRA among other significant findings.  And no one saw any of this, or admitted to it until we took my healthcare out of the state of Ohio.

I wonder how and why I survived?  I would never do this again. If you deal with all the complications from TBI you are not alone if you find yourself praying to get better, and on your worse days praying that if you can’t get better that your God would take you to finally be at peace.

Right now I just believe there is a bigger purpose for my life and I keep struggling to help in whatever way I can.  I’ve fallen asleep many nights praying I would be relieved from all the pain and suffering, partly owing to the fact I dislike taking anything for pain so I search for all the other ways to relieve all this.  When I awaken the next day I realize it was not God’s will for my life to be over so I awake refreshened the next day and again trudge with optimism and belief.

Spring of 1992 I received a magazine for Traumatic Brain Injury.  After reading it I saw all my symptoms there.  I looked up a telephone number and searched a bit further.   We visited New Medico in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  After extensive assessment and evaluation from New Medico it was determined I could enter their program on an outpatient basis and get rehabilitation to return to work while working along side another nurse.  I thought this was the best hope we had in months. I knew if anyone saw how little I could function every single day my problems could not be overlooked. My family physician did write a letter to our health insurance company.

New Medico, the brain rehabilitation program  submitted their findings to Bureau of Worker’s Compensation of Ohio and my disability insurance company who also had a clause in our policy for rehabilitation.  Isn’t it better to get rehabilitation rather than collect disability insurance?  That was definitely our intentions when we took out this policy, believing there would never be a reason to not be working.  No so.  Or did the insurance company think it was cheaper to pay-out monthly and not provide rehabilitation? Now who would ever think that every single one never processed a claim for rehabilitation, hence it never occurred.  Yes, all the paperwork was conveniently missing.  Or did it ever exist? I guess I’ll never have that answer.

This is a diagram depicting the percentage in US who have no health insurance by age. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most people don’t even have healthcare in America, and there should have been three different ways I could have achieved a return to work status or at least functioning capacity…but it never happened. Or better yet all the problems from TBI would have been identified, my family would have received at minimum education and support and I might have received proper treatment so I could improve.  We call it TSF, Total System Failure.  Healthcare insurance? Bureau of Worker’s Compensation of Ohio? Disability Insurance?  Where was the protection I should have received? And no one else is responsible for this except me, even though I couldn’t do anything more than I was doing.

Given the fact that I was injured at work and wanted to return to work and get better you would think someone there should have helped.  Our healthcare provider did not encourage rehabilitation because why? Insurance was saving money? What was the reasons? Worker’s Compensation didn’t help, and my disability policy that contained a rehabilitation clause did not cover either.  I guess each one expected the other to pay out…or maybe they just didn’t plan on doing anything.  That’s exactly what happened. Nothing happened.  I’m writing to let people know, insurance fails people when it comes to healthcare! Be persistent, get someone to call these people every single day if necessary.  Proactive is the key.

Of course I can see that without a proper diagnosis it’s hard to treat. I did have a diagnosis of closed head injury and fractured tooth. Even twenty years ago there was enough known about closed head injury to help. Interesting that a molar on the bottom of my left jaw was fractured,(I was hit twice on the right side of the head) but yet the question was how hard was I hit? Hmmmm….

But I could have had both a proper diagnosis and treatment if these contracts with the insurance companies and the Bureau of Worker’s Compensation of Ohio (BWC) were not breached contracts.  So…again TSF, Total System Failure and I am not alone. Do I have any rights?  Did I ever have any rights?

US Citizens with Private Health Insurance in %; U.S. Census bureau: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 Deutsch: US Einwohner mit privater Krankenversicherung in %; Daten nach U.S. Census bureau: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I stopped seeing the psychologist I have seen over the previous few years that helped me through a head-on motor vehicle accident in 1985 and had been helping me with my daughter’s health issues related to cerebral palsy, symptoms, complications and catastrophic reactions through her teen years. I also had a chronic stiff neck and spasms triggered by MVA  (motor vehicle accident) that were resolved as were all my previous injuries. I did not feel she was helping with the situation, but I didn’t see this as a cover-up at the time.  If I did I would have approached this entire situation differently. Look deeper into your situation and find out what the problem really is.

I did get a referral to a Neuropsychologist in Akron, Ohio that proved to be beneficial for several years.  In 2000 she told me that Worker’s Compensation did not pay, and my Health Insurance did not pay her.  I was also told I have been sent bills monthly and I never paid.  I was repeatedly told by her secretary that Worker’s Compensation was paying.  The secretary was fired at the same time this occurred. So…the bottom line, DO NOT TRUST your healthcare provider with the financial and insurance issues. It’s a business. Take responsibility, get an advocate, and save your family and your life!

In the fall of 2011 and a new worker’s compensation attorney from away and outside of the Northeast Ohio area where all this was occurring informed me there was never one bill submitted by this neuropsychologist, let alone many bills.  Years earlier the health insurance company informed me they never received one bill. I was essentially being called a liar when I approached the neuropsychologist about my findings from the insurance company.  So who is being truthful?  Apparently, the bills were never submitted to either worker’s compensation or the healthcare insurance company. This leads to another story of questionable extortion but I guess that must be legal in America if you’re in the right professional.

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• Was it the Initial Traumatic Brain Injury? Or Was it the Untreated Subarachnoid Hemorrhage After TBI that Caused 2 Decades of Problems? (braininjuryselfrehabilitation.com)
• Could This Be The Reason Traumatic Brain Injury Is Misdiagnosed and Untreated? (braininjuryselfrehabilitation.com)
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