Shoulder Surgery Wednesday, CSi goes to storage :(

[@ drwerner]

Hi all, haven't been posting much. Still crazy busy moving back in and wrapping things up on the house after the fire (April 06). Contractors are still working (although not as often as they should be) and we're still fighting with the insurance company (although I think that is about over as well. Travelers denied about $80k of submitted expenses, and with the improvements we wanted, moving back into our house will cost us about $145k). I keep reminding myself, we are all safe, our house now has an integrated fire/smoke detection system and a host of beautiful improvements. After the surgery, I think I'm just going to enjoy it for a while!

BTW, especially for Mr. Craig, I did replace my salt water aquarium and have a new 260 gallon salt water aquarium that is finally up and running - and my clown fish is living happily in my first anemone!

About the surgery - nothing serious, I have a couple of torn tendons in my right shoulder (bummer, I'm right handed) and I go in for surgery Wednesday. A sling for 6 weeks. We'll be close to snow by then so the car has to go into storage early this year. :(

Rehab sounds like it will be slow - I am shooting for spring. My doc says 6 months for full range of motion, 8 months for strength. Any advice out there?

I'll try to post (left handed) to stay in touch!

Best regards to all!

David

[lezonebay]

watch out on insurance policies ? My hurricane insurance luckily paid for everything when Wilma ripped the roof off in 2005 October.
They even paid for the pool cleanup and filter change !
<a href="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969"><img src="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969" border="0"></a>


1997 840CiA
1990 Z1
2002 Astro Van
2002 Lexus GS300
2007 Mazda CX9 AWD
1998 Yamaha Blaster+Breeze

[@ drwerner]

Travelers was impossible. We live in a historic village in Upstate NY and in a landmark (1815) house on the national registry of historic places.

We have a special policy that was supposed to take into consideration the unique construction of old homes. We pay a lot for it.

When we asked for payment for old "wavy" glass for the 29 smashed windows (and we sifted through the broken pieces and yes, got Travelers to agree the glass was original), they found 1 unbroken window that had 2 panes of "new" glass in it. I explained that I had broken both panes on the same day shortly before the fire with a broom handle - and had replaced them with new glass because that was all I could get in a hurry - and was simply waiting for the old glass to arrive. Travelers simply stated that we had a "mixed" glass enviornment in our house when the fire occurred and it wasn't the insurance companies responsibility to make it consistent. $6k denied.

Then they lumped everything into "collectibles" - our policy limits were $10k - I tried to argue that we did not collect vases (we had a few) or plates (a set of hand painted dishes form Italy we were given as a gift) and that they were elements of interior design and did not belong with my stamp collection and coins. Denied.

Our policy limits us to $10k in "code" upgrades. We needed to replace a staircase with one that was an inch and 1/2 wider, a window with one 2" wider, to install smoke detectors that talked to each other, extra outlets on the outside of the house, etc - all due to new code. It seemed every change we needed to make (not our decision, the old size windows and stair cases were fine with us) - were code upgrades and denied.

They priced their construction with an out of town contractor who was $75k less that what we were getting bids on locally. When we couldn't get them to comprise to our proposals we asked their contractor to do the work - he simply stated he didn't work out of town. We lost $45k when we finally settled.

It goes on and on.

Read your policy carefully. Ask questions. Did you know full replacement value means that you get a depreciated amount for your contents until you prove that you purchased the exact item? For example - we didn't get $400 for an air conditioner that was 1 year old (and melted) and would cost %400 to replace). We got $200 cash for it and if/when we show a receipt for a new air conditioner of the same type and size, they would pay us up to an additional $200 if we spent $400 or more on it. Since we didn't replace it (we put in central air instead) - all we got was the $200.

Our policy pays for emergency living costs - generally the first month or so. We walked out of the house with the clothes on our backs and that was it. We had to buy sheets for our rental. King, because it was furnished and that's what it had for a bed. Our bed was a queen and that's what we purchased to put back in our bedroom. They denied the emergency living expense of the king sheets saying they were contents items (we said we would never buy king sheets - and don't need them now that we are back in our house). They said, we can't control what you buy, we paid you for lost sheets in your contents claim...

I'v lost count of what they've denied. And gotten horse fighting.

Oh yeah, and then they dropped us - and we are in a high risk pool - even though our credit is flawless and we have no other claims.

- Please read and understand your policy.

- Make sure your smoke detectors talk to each other. Ours was working in the basement where the fire started, but we couldn't hear it in the our bedrooms.

- Know what you own - you may need to prove it someday.

- don't chase fire - I nearly got trapped in our basement trying to fight the fire with a fire extinguisher.

- Read and understand your policy - I can't say it enough.

We were the lucky ones though and I never forget it. We made it out alive and are here to tell the story today.

And I appreciate everything i have - and even though we lost 90% of our possessions, still have so much more than so many.

It makes the car even better to drive.

Carpe diem!

David

[lezonebay]

a house fire a few months ago. The second in their life ! 1st time a few years ago their apartment got burned, they lost everything and now their newly built house had faulty wiring and while they were in church praying the house was leveled. By the time the fire department got to the scene, all they could do is put out the fire at the end. Nothing remained, everything they had was gone again. We donated chlothes and toys for the kids and of course participated in a charity ride for their emergency living expenses but it got me thinking... the insurance company people do not pay for things you value the most. My baby's first clothes, the pictures, the memories of each items, etc. but they also do not believe everything you say you had. So I started to think about what people told me to do in FLorida - safe deposit box and put a picture of everything I own. if I buy an expensive item - 50" LCD TV - picture, on file, safe deposit box. gold necklace, same thing. Copy of the receipt scanned and filed away.
these poor people had so many items that was actually given to them after they lost everything they had no records of many items. not on their credit cards, not on their bank accounts ! Now all lost again.
Today was their son's 2nd birthday and they asked for no gifts. They said the kids received so much help and toys in a past few months, they need nothing. They just wanted to have a fun afternoon.
We did not buy anything but a gift card to Target so they can buy whatever they need for the kids. They might need clothes or a table or anything but toys.
These times we all realize - life is too short to waste, live every day as it is your last one ! hug your loved ones like you hugging them for the last time. Your life will be better !


good luck to You in a new-old house and yes I agree with you, you lived through to tell and this is all that matters.

as far as the insurance guy, I just wish he has a little flooding in his house next month. no fire, no hurricane, just flood. We will see how he handles it :-)
<a href="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969"><img src="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969" border="0"></a>


1997 840CiA
1990 Z1
2002 Astro Van
2002 Lexus GS300
2007 Mazda CX9 AWD
1998 Yamaha Blaster+Breeze

[8 Sumthg]

[Mr.Craig]

[lezonebay]

I always say any surgery even a minor is a major deal for the person who has it done. It might be minor for the nurse and doc but major for the patient.

hope you are doing well !
<a href="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969"><img src="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969" border="0"></a>


1997 840CiA
1990 Z1
2002 Astro Van
2002 Lexus GS300
2007 Mazda CX9 AWD
1998 Yamaha Blaster+Breeze

[David W (Alpinweis 850 CSi)]

Thanks. The surgery was a piece of cake. The past 9 days have been pretty miserable. Sleep sitting up (4-6 weeks - when pain tolerance lets me lay flat), can't use r hand (I'm right handed). I've worked out in a gym my entire life - and this PT id one of the hardest workouts I have ever had - 5 40 minute sessions/day including ice).

Good news is i have 2 new tendons and a re-attached bicep! And should be back in 8 months. And it gets better every day!

[AJ KEY]

Remeber we talked I had the same surgery but mines was in a worse state I now have 3 screws holding the rotator muscle and the bycep tendons in place. Bad news is that a couple of years later and I can only bench press a fraction of what I could before. I think the reason for this turtle pce recovery is more fear of reinjury on my part than it is danger of reinjury. Doc recommended that I got back into the gym after my extensive surgery sessions were complete. Worse part of the ordeal is those first 8 weeks of recovery.


Get well soon!
AJ