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Black cloud over me - how much more can one person take!

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Posted 12/18/2009 8:41 AM (GMT 0)
I twisted my ankle 12 months ago.  I went to my local orthopod and he did a general x-ray.  Dx - bad sprain.  Per Dr. sprains can be worse than breaks - ordered a brace and PT.  Months go by and it's not getting better.  More and more PT, new brace and then another new brace.  I can't have MRI because of SCS.  Three more months - decided on second opinion with orthopod that specializes in ankles.  One the first appointment he orders x-ray.  Says the ankle looks like there is "alot of junk in it" and orders a cat scan.  Guess what - the talus or major ankle bone is broken.  With all this PT and 12 months of different braces - there has been partial healing, but because everything has been moved around in PT there is no chance in h*ll this will hea correctly.  He gives me two choices - door number 1 which is surgery where a metal rod is implanted through the heal - ankle and then leg bone.  Stablizing the ankle - unfortunately you can never bend your ankle again. If would be permanently fused.   Or door number 2 - wear a permanent plastic brace on your foot up to your knee immobilizing and stablizing the ankle.  Had this been dx'ed immediately, simle surgery could have pinned the bones together.  Because of all  my other conditions, we decided on the brace.  I am so pissed off.  I could barely walk as it was, but now my ankle is constantly in pain, swollen and I have to wear this ***** brace for the rest of my life.  My PC doc tells me to sue.  Guess what - the statute of limitations ran out while doctor dodo was screwing around with the sprain dx and PT.  I would not have sued any how.  I could not bare all the turmoil.

I feel like this horrible black cloud is over me.  How much can someone take before the totally crack up.  I have to tell you that I am on the brink of sanity.  I can not take much more.

Sorry to complain, but I am in this negative space right now and it just does not seem fair.  But who said life was fair.  Enough is enough.

 

Posted 12/18/2009 11:01 AM (GMT 0)
Honey, I,m sorry for all your going through. Believe me, I,ve been there and continue to be there. Long story of falling and injuring my leg. It was never diagnosed correctly, so now I live on pain pills, ointments and just being careful what and how much I do. This has gone on since 1991.
Posted 12/18/2009 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
    Good morning Stell! Wow!...so sorry to hear this about you! That is awful!....I'm at a loss here for words. I hope someone here can suggest a different point of view for you....Have you been to a PM yet for this?

Posted 12/18/2009 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
Stella Marie are you sure your statute of limitation is one year in your state for medical malpractice? I wish you would double check this with an atty, that is horrible. I know you really don't want to go there but rethink it again.

I have no idea the pain, not just physical but the mental pain from being done wrong. I am so very, very sorry. Gentle hugs and prayers are coming your way.
Posted 12/18/2009 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Stella,
All I can offer right now is to say you're not under the black cloud alone! I hope this computer doesn't crash before I can post this, as I've tried to read your post several times and my computer keeps crashing.

Sometimes life just s#$cks, and then it s#$cks more! I really do understand being under that black cloud that seems to follow you wherever you go!

(((((((Stella)))))))))

PaLady
Posted 12/18/2009 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Stella,
I'm sorry for all that you are going through. I do want to advise you though to check out with a malpracticie attorney what the statute of limitations is in your state. It may be one year from the discovery of injury. And that would mean that the clock starts ticking now, not at the time you actually consulted with and were treated by this jerk who calls himself an orthopod.
I found out the statue in my state is from the time that the injury is discovered, not the time that the date that the injury occurred. Don't be so quick to dismiss the idea of bringing a suit, what about all of the pain you are suffering and will continue to suffer? The needless medical costs involved? The cost of PT and those braces, which I happen to know don't come cheaply? You will have to have your new brace fitted and repaired over the years, I know that also since I happen to have one on my left leg/foot......
Hang in there Stella.........
Sandi
Posted 12/18/2009 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
   Sandi....I so hope you are right...that might be wonderful news for her....it's a shame...he did not catch it in time.
Posted 12/18/2009 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Stella, it makes me so mad to think they mis diagnosed and have now caused you to have serious disability. How bad is that? My heart goes out to you. How slack waiting so long to have the CT.

I'd talk to someone about sueing too, even if you don't go ahead. It does sound like a complete stuff up by this doctor not to check out the injury fully when it wasn't healing, waiting a year!!! I know the strain of a court case would be horrendous but the compensation would be so beneficial to offset all yourcosts.

BIG HUGS whatever your decision, best wishes, golitho
Posted 12/19/2009 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately, I have checked with a malpractice specialist and there are two dates for the statute to expire. One year from the date of original injury OR a total of a consecutive 18 months (an additional 6 more monthes) starting with the date of the original injury and including the time the second doctor made the the correct discovery. I was six weeks past the deadline.

Goes to show you that you do not have much time in many states to take action. However, it takes many months to go through the entire waiting to heal, etc. before you know permanent daamage is done.
Posted 12/19/2009 12:39 AM (GMT 0)
Stella,
Not to threadjack you, but I know that my first back surgeon knew that he messed me up when he didn't decompress the rest of the spinal cord and I wound up with a multi level spinal cord injury. He kept telling me that it was all post op swelling and would go away, not to worry, etc, and that it "takes nerves up to two years to recover" knowing full well those nerves are never going to recover. By the time that I finally got fed up enough, like you that I went to see someone else and found out what exactly was wrong and that it would never "recover", I found out how close I was to the deadlines as well. My surgeon , once he knew that I knew exactly what was wrong, and that it wouldn't get any better, suddenly became so concerned about me and he was "going to do anything he could to make sure that I saw the best doctors", only lasted as long as he thought that there was time for me to sue him.....so I understand and I am truly sorry......
Seems sometimes they keep a patient around long enough that by the time you find out there is a problem, it is too late to do anything about it.....
Sandi
Posted 12/19/2009 2:09 AM (GMT 0)
 

  Oh no Stella!

 

     *warm huggs* I am so very sorry the Dr did this to you!!! How on earth could he have missed something like that??? Do you think the waiting was intentional on his part? !!!He had to of known somehow, in some way that you obviously wernt healing. I can understand why you go with option number 2. But would not going with the "rod / fusion" make it to where it couldnt be done, later down the road? if you decided at a later date you wanted to go that routee? Oh so much on your shoulders *warm huggs* Please know you are in our hearts and prayers. I hope you get a chance to rest, you must be just down right exhausted right now.

 

*huggs*

   dani

Posted 12/19/2009 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
My Dear Stella Marie,
Sometimes it feels like the whole world is crashing in on you and there is nothing you can do about it. What has happened to you is horrable but I beg you to try not to get any more upset about this ordeal than you already are. I know it's much esier said than done but for me I know that when I get myself all worked up over something like this (Yes, things like this have happened to me before) I used to end up making myself physically sick over it.

I don't do that anymore. I do understand you feel like you are at the end of your rope and walking a typerope w/ your sanity on either side but> and this is hard to say but when I get to that place, I look at all the poor people in the world who have it much worse than I do and pray for them.

I start to get back to my sences and realize how much worse things could be. I was watching something on TV about homeless people the other night and one guy who was being interviewed was ex military. He said, we don't have it that bad at all! I've been to places around the world where people have it bad and it's not bad here in the USA compared to those places. There is always someone who will feed you here, churches and soup kitchens, those people have nothing!!!

It happens to me right here on our beloved forum all the time!!! I'll get all worked up over something thats wrong w/ me only to read someone else's post and realize> I really don't have it that bad!!!

Here is this poor guy living in a carboard box saying that things could be much worse. Thats kinda what I'm talking about.

Please don't think I'm being unsensative to whats happened to you Stella. I'm not, it pisses me off too. I'm just trying to help, I don't want things to get any worse than they already are for you.

I hope I said this right but I appologize if it didn't come out right.
Much Love from your friend,
Pete
Posted 12/19/2009 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
(((((((((Stella)))))))))))) Wow, is all I can say! Did the first doctor take x-rays too, because there is really no excuse for not having done that! It is true that adults tend to sprain, whereas children tend to break, but x-rays should always be taken to rule out a break. I'm so sorry that you ended up on the bad side of this mess. You weren't the one who screwed up, but yet you and you alone have to pay for it. As Palady said, life really sucks sometimes!! I hope the brace is helping a little & that you'll be able to somewhat adjust to this lifestyle change & that there is some improvement in your ankle. Hang in there!

hugs,
Skeye
Posted 12/19/2009 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Stella,
I posted on straydog's thread (heavens, this may make 3 whole posts the computer is letting me make without crashing!) that we all oughta get some eggnog and have a good party.

I'm up for it - that is if I can read the posts so I can get to where you are!

Hugs,

PaLady
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