My school was still on Christmas break when I went back to see Dr, Frush. The nurse case manager who usually accompanies me was not able to attend so there was another woman who came in her place. I went back to the examining room with my mother and we met with Dr. Frush’s resident first. I unsnapped my pants and he poked around on my knee and it still hurt everywhere he poked. I told him about the discontinuation of my physical therapy. He looked a bit surprised and then left to get Dr. Frush.
Dr. Frush came in and also poked around on my knee and it hurt everywhere he poked as well. He also looked surprised when I told him that my physical therapy was discontinued. He asked what their reasoning was and I told him that they said it was “Not medically necessary.” He immediately turned to his resident and told him to write in my notes to set up a “Peer-to-peer.” I didn’t know what that meant but I know that he looked like he meant business! He told me that physical therapy IS medically necessary because my knee looked WORSE than it did the first time I saw him.
He wrote another extension for physical therapy and told me that I can not rehab normally. Yay MS! Right?! Dr. Frush left and the nurse case manager was called in. When she came into the examining room, we waited a little while until Dr. Frush reappeared. He explained to this woman that I have a “nonsurgical injury” and he wants to set up a “peer to peer” with the examining physician from the company.
It was here when I figured out what a “peer to peer” meant. My doctor wanted to talk to the Doctor who examined me from the company to get my injury straight. My doctor, Dr. Frush, understands that the physical therapy Is necessary. So two doctors are going to get together and talk about my knee. I was excited that I would start physical therapy again!
I am writing this blog post on February 8, 2017 and I have not been back to physical therapy yet. My knee has not stopped hurting! I go to sleep with it hurting and I wake up with it hurting. It hurts all day and sometimes wakes me up throughout the night. I desperately want all of this to be over! I see Dr. Frush again on February 16, 2017 so we will see what he says then…