L.M.
My goodness, what a nightmare! So sorry! Praying for you!
I am a 29 yr old with a 8 year old daughter. I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and a few herniated discs in my back. I had my first spinal fusion in January of 09. I just had a second surgery in December. I had huge complications from the second surgery. They had knicked my spinal cord while operating. So I was not allowed to move for 2 days straight. I had to lay flat on my back. They finally let me up. I got up to go to the bathroom and my heart rate sky rocketed into the 170's to 180's. They then did a bunch of test and discovered I had a pulmonary embolism in my right lung. They then attached me to coumdin for 4 or 5 days. They had a hard time getting my levels to come out good. They then gave me a heart medicine to combat my high heart rate. But alot of days I could not take the medicine because my blood pressure was to low. They then sent me home on coumdin, and the heart medicine. They however did not give me a bp cuff to check blood pressure. They only sent me home on 5 mg of coumdin which was not enough for me. I ended being readmitted to the hospital 12 hrs later for severe pain. They released me 2 days later. I was then home for a week. I was doing alright. Then all of a sudden a flluid leaking out of my incision on my back. Well my home health nurse looked at it and told me it was spinal fluid and to go to the emergency room. I was soaking though 2 inches of gauze pads in about an 1 hr. I was then sent by ambulance back down to the hospital that did my surgery. They then proceeded to pull all of my staples out of my back with only minor novicane to stop the pain. They then put a total of 32 stitches in my back while I screamed and cryed. They told me it couldn't hurt that bad. But let me tell you that was the worse pain of my life. When completed they gave me fentanyl to help with the pain and sent me for mri's to make sure everything was ok. I fianlly go to go to my room. The nurse hooked me up to an antibotic called cefepime. About 15 minutes later I rang the nurse and told her my legs were on fire. They came in the room to finding me seizing in my bed. I later flatlined and was that way for 7 minutes. I woke up hours later intubated and restrained. The nurse came in and told me to stop fighting and gave me something to knock me out. I woke up again about 12 hours after all this started with luckly nothing connected other then my iv. They then accused me of not taking my blood thinners because my level was way to low for someone taking them. By this time it was the week of christmas and they said that I wouldn't be released by christmas. I was finally released the thursday before christmas.
I was sent home yet again on 5 mg of coumdin and was told to get checked on christmas. The home health nurse came the next day and drew my labs for my coumdin and it was really super low. My family physican increased my coumdin to 7.5 and rechecked in 3 days. It was still super low. They then increased my dose again to 10 mg. They rechecked it again 7 days later and it was still low. The dr upped my med again to 12.5. Told to recheck in a week. Well 4 or 5 days later I was in the er with bleeding from my nose and gums. The dr there told me not to take my meds for a day since I was scheduled with family dr next day. Needless to say I was talking 12.5 mg of coumdin and skipping one day a week so that I didn't sky rocket because they changed doses so many times that they couldn't find a happy medium. I stand 5'5 and 140 and they said I was taking the dose of a 300lb pound person. I was the dr's only patient that he ever had on that high of a dose for months.
I still struggle with the pain in my back and legs. I was just at the neurosurgeon a few months ago and was told that I now have SI joint disease from where they fused my spine because it changed my gait. I am currently not getting any help from anyone because I don't know where to turn. I am afraid to turn to another dr. My family dr won't help me because he doesn't care because he is leaving his practice here at the end of the month. I have not under gone physical theraphy for my back. I am in constant pain where there are more days that I can't get up and move then there are days that I can. I feel like my back is againist a wall and no one will help me.
I also having the insurance company telling me that I can go back to work. But yet there isn't much I can do. I am not allowed to stoop or bend at the waist. I am not allowed to sit or stand for long periods. I am not allowed to lift anything over like 10 lbs. I was in school for nursing when this happened and I was working as a nurse's aide. I can not do either of those occupations. There are not many options for jobs in the area especially with my restrictions. What do I do???
My goodness, what a nightmare! So sorry! Praying for you!
I agree with Dawn, get a good lawyer NOW! Have you talked to Vocational Rehab? I think they might have some good ideas about what you can or can't do. And, you might also be eligible for Social Security, or partial...I don't know. I don't know which doctor you should see now, maybe a new GP? or a new Nuerosurgeon to see what can be done....I am so sorry for you and that you have had this done to you! I wish I could help more.
Oh my gosh, what you have gone through is just horrible. I am in shock about how you have been treated and what you have had to endure. I do think you should get a lawyer. I also think you should start seeing physical therapists and find one that you really like and trust. Don't worry if you have to see several different people at first. I have awful back problems too, and wow, you have confirmed my thoughts on not doing surgery. I don't know what kind of job you can do if you cannot sit or stand....you sound like you qualify for assistance.
I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Yes, definitely get the name of a good attorney. And by all means, get another doctor. See if you can find one associated with a reputable hospital or research university.
My MIL had spinal fusion back surgery about seven years ago due to extreme scoliosis. Her recovery took (no joke) about 2 or 3 years. And she still has problems from the surgery. She had so many complications and saw her doctor probably once a week for various pain, medication, and side effect issues for the first year. Up until a few years ago, we all thought she would have been better off without the surgery.
I am shocked that you have been cleared to go back to work and were not prescribed physical therapy. This was a life-altering major back surgery!
I hope you can find a doctor that will help you with your pain management and help you qualify for state disability. Good luck to you!
I think I'd look for a good malpractice lawyer, and I mean a good one. Not an ambulance chaser.
Sigh...
I am sorry I can't give you any advise. I think you have been royally screwed. There is a limitation on how long you can wait to serve them with papers, so I'd get started finding a lawyer who will take the case for a percentage (40% is usual.)
So sorry,
Dawn