So I finally got an ALJ hearing scheduled for early August, but my lawyer's office called me yesterday and told me that the judge has canceled the hearing and made a decision. It's in the writing phase now and once its done there it will go back to the judge for approval and then be sent out to me in the mail. My lawyer said this is always a good thing in their experience and they expect a fully favorable decision. They explained it to me as, if the judge's decision was "No" or "I dont know" then we would still have the need to go to a hearing. Legally I am allowed to have the opportunity to speak up for myself at an ALJ hearing. But if the judge has reviewed my case and determined I am eligible then there is no need for the hearing. Does anyone know how true that is? It's so nerve racking to wait for a decision and I dont want to get my hopes up in case its another denial. Have any of yall had it happen where the hearing got canceled?
u/AmberBlueEyedGirl
how many of yall have your whole spine fused?? and did it all get fused at one time or over the course of multiple surgeries? if you had multiple surgeries was it a slow or steady decline of the spine that made fusion of the entire spine the best or only option??
im a 41yo female who has had a very rough 3 years... ive had 5 emergency spine surgeries in the last 3 years (4 of which were fusion) and im fused from C2-T2 and L3-L5... I have adjacent segment disease in my lumbar now and im 11 weeks post op C2-T2 360 fusion because I had adjacent segment disease in my cervical... I am still in an Aspen Vista collar around the clock and I wear an LSO brace daily... im just wondering when I should just throw in the towel and say fuse the whole spine or keep going like I have been and just get more emergency surgeries?? my lumbar is a mess and every second of the day I am in pain and have been for a long time now... im tired of always being in post op recovery mode...
please share your experience with me because I feel like I am so alone in this... ive been through SO many horrible things in my life but this has got to be the hardest hands down