Some of you might remember the post I put up about my mother in law falling and breaking her leg, she will be 97 this month. Three weeks after they put the cast on they took her back to the place they put the cast on and cut it off X rayed it and put another cast on. Now in two weeks there going to do it again cut it off X ray it and another cast will be put on. I don't know anything about it but years ago I remember someone breaking there leg and they would put the cast on and not real sure but about six weeks later they cut it off and away they would go. Like I said before I don't know anything about it but it seems to me there abusing medicare services. The first time the doctor said it looked like it was healing good but the ambulance drive and my wife remarked to each other later it didn't look like it was healing to them. This next time will they say it hasn't healed and then operate, I just feel there ripping her off for more money. But Iam no doctor and its just my opinion. Ive always felt if you can't trust your doctor what the heck are you going for, one heck of a dilema for a older person to be in.
you want the best care for your family member . . . bones are a lot diferent at 70 80 90
Being 97, the healing rate and expectations might be very different from a much younger body. At least it appears that they are trying to get some healing done with the cast.
I've heard of cases where they just won't make the effort, as the outcome expectations are so low to none.
However, one never really knows what is going on.
Bones heal more slowly on old people. To give them the benefit of the doubt, there may have been swelling of the limb, and they may have needed to make the cast more snug as the swelling decreased. I had foot surgery last year and have had a problem with bone healing on my heel. After 8 months and poor bone healing, I was given an ultrasonic bone stimulator (well, not given, you take my meaning). This device has really helped. Where very little was happening earlier there is robust bone healing. Hope to be completely healed after 4-6 months on the device. It is made by Smith/Nephew. Ask. smiley_horserider
There would be considerable risks involved in operating on a person that age. I would suspect they want to try all other options before taking that risk.
Ian
Autocar-
I would worry more about your MIL and less about medicare fraud. What you describe is commonly the treatment of fractures of the lower extremities. Ankle fractures can often be casted and weight bearing started, but tibia fractures usually are not. Casts may be used not to make money but save it, as Medciare does not like to pay for expensive orthotic boots. You often can not see the early signs of healing through a cast, so they are periodically removed for xrays. Healing in 97 year olds does progress, but is often slow. Anybody who suggests they see healing three weeks after a tibia fracturee in a 97 y.o. is smoking something. Healing in tibia fractures often isn't apparent on xray for 2-3 months, not weeks. I don't think this is a conspiracy. If I could gently suggest, and I mean no offense, spend your energy supporting her, not analyzing the cost of her care.
No offence taken ;)