Hi my name is Martina in Oklahoma.
I have TOS and do have extra rib in left shoulder. For well over 20 years have had pain and no one knew why. About 11 yrs ago my chiropractor discovered the extra rib in an x-ray and told me some day I would have to have it removed. I dealt and am dealing with the pain. Several doctors several tests showed nothing to them. I finally found a neourosurgeon to point me in the right direction to a vascular surgeon.

We have decided I must have surgery to remove the extra rib but it looks in x-ray that it is connected to rib number one and it also has to be removed. I am scheduled for surgery Feb. 19 and am very nervous and scared, although I completely trust God is the one guiding the surgeons hands and I am and will be surrounded by my guardian angels and the Holy Spirit.
I was dealing with the pain and able to work cleaning houses and a real estate agent. In Aug. 09 I was backed out at wally world and a lady backed up and hit the bed of my truck hard that it jarred me, have whiplash and it aggrivated my condition worse. I have not been able to work since then and even typing now I have pain so I'm in process of trying to get SSDI, it is in the works.
I believe I could have gone a few more years as I had been doing but since the accident it has only gotten worse. My question is insurance......you know how they are, I am still awaiting for my pay of lost hours from aug to oct and they argue that they will only pay me 2 days work, I beg to differ it's 200 hours and really still counting because I can't work.
Should I push the issue of the accident pushing me to have to go forth with surgery or just fight to settle what I told them, which is pay my doctor over 3K and my lost time of 200 hours? Or fight them and I do have doctors backup that I was able to work before and since then I am not able to and will not be able to even after surgery?
I am a person who is not greedy after tons of money (although it would useful), I just want to settle at my request and move one, because I know it can drag on, but I also know I have had much pain and suffering not to mention so has my husband because he has to care for me in many ways.
Can anyone please help me to understand and go forth on the surgery, I only see it as the only solution and it has taken years to get to the doctor I need and one of very few in Oklahoma who will actually do such a surgery since it is so touchy and serious.
I am trusting God in every way as I said but I'm also being straight up honest, I'm scared of the surgery and I really feel without the accident I could of gone for more years without having to jump so quickly on surgery. I hope to hear from someone to talk to that has been through the surgery and speak to someone about my accident, can I should I tell insurance no this is more than I thought especially after finding the right doctor? Thank you and I'm so glad I found this site.

Hi Marty ,
I copied your post from the other thread to a thread of your own so we could say Hi.

Marty -

I can't speak for your individual situation but I would recommend consulting with an attorney. The car accident may have set off the symptoms requiring you to consider the surgery. Only an attorney knowledgeable on TOS can decide whether the MVA contributed to your future surgery and how good your case is. I had TOS surgery to remove an abnormal first rib (large growth on top of the rib) so I had TOS for anatomical reasons like you. For me, I was asymptomic until I was in a car accident. I couldn't use the arm between the car accident and when I finally had surgery.

I do have TOS on the other side for similar reasons to you - cervical rib. It is causing vascular symptoms and neurogenic symptoms.

Welcome to NT


There's a lot on your plate.

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