I went to my seminar today!

Sounds like your lil girl is a special child too.  My daughter was born with some troubles too.  One of them that was acctually the minor of everything was a Septal atrial defect.  It closed on its own by the time she was 2. The test was a Cardiac Pet Scan.  Most of the test is really easy.  It lasts about 45 minutes and most of that time you are just laying there in the machine.  Then close to the end they start this medicine in the IV.  It lasts for 6 minutes.  During that time u feel ur heart, throat, stomach and everything tense up as it dialates all the blood vessels in ur body.  You may get outta breathe and ur chest, throat and stomach might start feelin real tight and hurt.  I got sick to my tummy too.  It was just really terrifying for me and usually I am ok with everything medical test wise but it was like being pushed to the edge of a heartattack..  The Pet Scan way takes the place of having the stress test where u have to walk on the treadmill.   I SHOULD  be done with all testing now.  I had words with the girl that sent me another letter tellin me I needed all this extra BS.  Plus if Medicare is the primary then its all up to them.  Medicaid will pay the remainer.  Its not Medicaid rules that u have to go by when its just the QMB/secondary. IF you dont have these things done u will need them.  If any of it has been done in the last year u can use it.  You will need a Pulmonary function test for clearence, Cardiologist clearence, a venous doppler done on ur legs to rule out DVTs.  You will also have to have labs to check TSH.  You will have to either have labs to check for h-pylori or the EGD (the scope).  A letter from ur pcp stating u have been free from tobacco, drugs and alcohol for a specific period of time.  Of to the side the letter says 6mo to 1year)  and that u are medically cleared for surgery.  On the letter for all these tests it says to give the letter to ur pcp and have their office make these appts for u.  So there is u a headstart on what u can do to get closer to  a "date"  Dont forget u will also HAVE TO have a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea.   If u need anything else or even for me to try to scan this letter for u so u will have it to print then let me know.  I will help when I can. Have u had the nut and psych consults yet and pay that nasty fee yet?  If not that will be scheduled soon.  I had mine done months ago when I was still a patient of Dr Shina's. Goodluck and holler if u need me!

Yes, we have special needs children besides my daughter, my husband has twin sons. One lives with us and is considered fundamentally delayed with mild mental retardation and the other one is totally physically and mentally handicapped he lives at The Home of the Innocents. They are all wonderful kids and we have been blessed. You mentioned your daughter having S.A.D, did she have to see a cardiologist? My daughter goes to Dr. Boone out in Dupont Circle, he is such a wonderful doctor!! I believe that she also had S.A.D and they patched it when they did her very first surgery. That was a big surgery because she started out with only 3 chambers in her heart but several arteries that went to the appropriate areas in her body to do what the 4th chamber was suppose to do, she also has an overriding aorta. During her 2nd surgery she had a stroke and lost her eyesight for several months, she has it back now but does not always "see" things right but its not in her eyes but rather in the part of the brain that handles eyesight. How old is your daughter and what issues does she have? If you don't feel comfy answering that I will understand though:) That cardiac pet test sounds awful I bet you must have been scared when they pushed you to the point of feeling like you were having a heart attack!! I know I would have been. I have never had a stress test before....well I take that back I had to go through a series of physical tests so they could gauge how much disability I had before giving me disability but I'm not sure if that is the same thing. I have had the sleep apnea test and of course I do have it and I've been on the machine for about 2 wks now...so far I'm really aggravated with it! I may have had the venous doppler too because I have been to the hospital several times with cellulitis and they may have done that to rule that out. I've never heard of h-pylori. I am in the process of writing a letter for my pcp that I will take to the doctors with me and have her copy it on their stationery and then sign it....if you could possibly scan that letter for me I'd appreciate it. Thank you for giving me all the info maybe if I start on this stuff the process will go much faster. When I went to the meeting Monday they would not let me turn in the packet of paperwork I downloaded off the site because I didn't have my medical records or my letter from my pcp so they have not taken any money from me or signed me up for the nut and psych consult yet. I am still waiting on my pcp to get all my medicals copied and they are being slow! Its horrible that they are taking so long with you....why did you switch from Dr. Shina to Dr. Allen? So what did the girl say when you told her you already had all that stuff? I will have to check into medicaid because I've already got medical bills piling up from being in the hospital twice in the last 2 mos. So because you have medicaid you only have to pay the $300 up front and that is all? Well, I gotta go for a bit but thanks again and I look forward to hearing from ya:) Kellie

I will PM u later on, just wanted to answer real fast before I headed out the door.  Also give me an email addy where i can send this letter ( u can PM it to me).  I scanned it lastnight incase u needed it.

Talk to u soon!

Good Luck on getting approval!  That was the longest for me!