Advice?

In a Moog Mood? Here's a forum for discussion of general Moog topics.
magnet
Posts: 102
Joined: Thu May 26, 2005 4:30 pm
Location: Maine coast

Don't mess with the back-

Post by magnet » Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:40 pm

Hi Kevin-
I may be an old man at 49 here, but please do not hesitate to get help ASAP. you can pay on time, and depending on your income, most hospitals pro-rate charges. There are speciallists who also have a write off for tax reasons by giving cut-rates.

I had a 'surprise' triple bypass, and they 'knocked' 85% off the bill as i was under-employed. i pay a total of 100 bucks towards the bill, no problems.

If you wait too long, things may not as easily mend, or mend poorly. You have a future ahead of you.

I am out of work due to a sacroiliatic joint failure, like ostioporosis of the carlilige. No fun.

Best of luck to you.
-me.-

Voyager performer/ LP Tribute/ Korg DW-8000
Voyager PE/ Frostwave Fatcontroller Seq./ Korg Dw-8000/Little Phatty Tribute #188/Korg EX-8000/KP3-Kaoss Pad/ EH Deluxe Memory Man delay effect/Peavy KB-100 amp

User avatar
Kevin Lightner
Posts: 1587
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:20 pm
Location: Wrightwood

Post by Kevin Lightner » Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:01 pm

Thanks, Magnet.

Very sorry to hear of your situation.
Far worse than what I've experienced.
Hope you're doing better.

Curious where you live though?

I'm in California and a 20 min visit to UCLA medical center over 13 years ago cost me $1100 just for a broken finger.
A bottle of muscle relaxants last month was $350.

One fellow was bitten by a rattlesnake out here.
After all was said and done, the bill was $135,000.
No such animal as a cheap doctor here as far as I know, but I'm all ears.
Thanks again.

nathan
Posts: 147
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 4:13 pm
Location: amsterdam/ the etherlands

Post by nathan » Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:09 pm

jeez, those numbers are crazy!
over here we pay 120 a month for healthcare and we dutchies are bitchin about it for sure.
i'll tell the rest of us to shut up now..
2-piece drumkit/4x diy-triggers/1x diy-mixer-preamp/2x clavia micromodular

magnet
Posts: 102
Joined: Thu May 26, 2005 4:30 pm
Location: Maine coast

reply

Post by magnet » Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:04 pm

Ah, you are still watching the thread. I would be too. Thanks for the reply.
I am in Maine, mid coast.

There's currently no treatment. I am taking everything that can help build cartilege, and trying to walk as gracefully, ie: non-stress, as possible. But i am fed-up with certain aspects of typical US medicine.

You get any and all help you can get. I have seen too many defeated by poor treatment, or Dr.s who didn't fully understand how an injury can become a handicapp. You'll have to fight for it, but you are young enough to put your resources at a healing situation. You do not want to ever experience the feeling of "cripple", and I think you have already felt that.

I had nearly $60,000.00 in bills, reduced to $ 17,000.00. I am offered yearly a short- pay to end the debt. Last year it was %50, next year %25. Eventually they will settle for %10. I had very good help from the medical-billing people on this. They were sympathetic like i never thought...

End the pain./ no one should live in this world in such agony. And once you feel better, well, you have more options to choose from about your livelihood.

Best luck to you in all these things-
-me.-
Voyager PE/ Frostwave Fatcontroller Seq./ Korg Dw-8000/Little Phatty Tribute #188/Korg EX-8000/KP3-Kaoss Pad/ EH Deluxe Memory Man delay effect/Peavy KB-100 amp

jrlaudio
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun May 16, 2004 4:39 am
Location: New York

Post by jrlaudio » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:56 pm

Oh my,

Lightner down! Not good. This thread is old, so how are you doing now?

Kevin, you don't know me but I have seen your work and know your rep. Kinda walked in the same shoes, but not publicly. I only do/did work for myself and very close friends here in New York over the years. My main gig is Live Sound.

You and I are about the same age, I'm 46. Last year I had a terrible fall in my bathroom would you believe. Yeah ... I'm the poster child for the "you know where most people get hurt" thing! Anyway it left me with a perforated bowel and I nearly died. Went to an emergency room and they sewed me back together and let me out 10 days later. I ended up with a colostomy bag stuck to my side, which was only temporary and was to be removed six weeks later.

Well ... it's a year and a half later and I still have it, even though I have a perfectly functioning digestive system, just bypassed. You see I have no savings nor insurance either. This hospital and the surgeon will not finish the work until I pay them the $60k I already owe them and pay the $15K for the removal in advance. Yes you folks outside the US with national health systems can close your mouths that are hanging open in disbelief, it happens to millions of people in this country. About 18,000 needlessly die annually for the same reasons. So I feel your pain brother. Well ... maybe not literally.

Fortunately for me, after much whining on my part about the lack of decency in this country to provide health care as a right, and instead treating it as one of our major industries in this country, I reached out to the local music community here in NY. Well ... over the last couple of days it looks like I may have a chance to get the surgery either free or very cheap. A drummer friend hooked me up with a top surgeon at the famous Mt Sinai hospital in NYC and I think he wants me for a surgical teaching thing. Kevin, you should try this. You are so well known and appreciated by so many in the biz, I bet if you whined as much as I have something positive may happen for you. It's a Karma thing dude, and mind you that's coming from an Atheist. I'd have to think you've racked up the Karma points.

Now a guitar player who comes down to an open jam I mix at a local watering hole, just informed me he's a sports medicine doctor and therapist. He just offered to help get me some insurance. I'm going to see him next Thursday (Jan. 24, 2008) so let me speak to him and see if he may know of some options, both insurance wise and medically, for you in Cali. So if you still need it, I'll check back with you.

You know, if I thought you were serious about having somebody come out there and give you a hand so you can continue doing your magic, I would be first in line. I'm dead serious about that. I have nothing holding me down here, other than the upcoming surgery. I keep my assets mobile anyway due to the nature of my work. And if you are serious ...

Well anyway, I hope you're feeling better and kudos to you.

Sincerly,

John LeVasseur

edit

PS: Doh! I thought I private messaged this to you. Well that's ok ... people need to see this often and get the word out. If the Moog musical community doesn't think you deserve this kinda of important consideration they can delete it. Personally, after considering the contribution you have made in keeping the Moog legacy alive and working over the years, they should make this thread a sticky!!!!

User avatar
Kevin Lightner
Posts: 1587
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 5:20 pm
Location: Wrightwood

Post by Kevin Lightner » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:31 pm

Thank you for the kind words, John.
I'm better pain-wise, but can't lift much.

Your situation(s) sound far worse.
My condolences.
Yours was also an injury worthy of community intervention.
I don't think I deserve any collective effort massed under a battle cry of "My back hurts."
For now I'm hanging in there and have a great wife eager to help.
Things could be a lot worse.

I hope for your complete recovery.
The bathroom can be a dangerous place.
Just ask Elvis.
(or ask Tim Weyer Smith, a talented synth tech who died in his bathroom.) :(

Still, I'm not sure any post with the word Colostomy should ever be considered a sticky. ;-)

EricK
Posts: 6009
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 2:09 pm

Post by EricK » Sun Jan 20, 2008 3:46 pm

Kevin,
I emailed you. And then i had a thought. Why don't you write a book?

Eric
Support the Bob Moog Foundation:
https://moogfoundation.org/do-something-2/donate/

I think I hear the mothership coming.

Post Reply