If/When I Have to Do It Again

Today marks 6 months from the start of the stem cell therapy.  I thought I would share some of the things I thought I did right and what I will do differently the next time I come down this road (yes, I will most likely have to do it again in about 7 years).

What I did right:

• Stay in a hotel in Grass Valley.
• Put Dallas (the dog) in the kennel for the time I was gone, plus a couple of extra days.
• Stay off sugar and processed food!
• Bring crutches for the first night (and to use the first weekend when out in public, just for self defense and to keep people away).
• Had someone drive me on stem cell day (though I probably could have done it).
• Brought my own food.
• Stay physically active up to stem cell day (hike, run, walk, ride, yoga, etc.)
• Take the maximum tax deferred amount of money from my paycheck for medical procedures not covered by insurance ($2000 under the Health Care Reimbursement Account).

What I would do differently:

• Stay one more night.
• Take a couple of more days off from work.
• Have someone for the evening of stem cell day (to heat up and/or bring me food).
• Request the shower chair from the hotel (I found out after the fact that they had one).
• Skip the hydrocodone (it did not help me sleep).
• Use KT Tape with the unloader brace from day 1. 

Some have asked what it costs and what is covered by insurance.  At the time of my stem cell therapy it was not covered by insurance (the initial and follow-up exams were covered under the "out-of-network" portion of my insurance - so $35 was my share for each visit).  The cost of the actual stem cell procedure, 5 visits that involved needles, was $6300.

Hopefully this pandemic will get under control so I can go run the half marathons in the remaining 19 states plus 1 in Washington D.C.; before I have to go through this again!

Stay well!!