It HAS to get better

[tink1976]

You did the right thing about work. You have to focus on getting better. Your health and well being come first

I can totally understand about being angry with your OS. My fulkerson osteotomy  was not scheduled. I saw my OS once for a recurring knee problem and was told he could do a lateral realease or the fulkerson osteotomy. He was not 100% sure that the lateral release would even solve the problem but it could at least buy me some time. All I knew about the fulkerson was that they would break my shin bone, move it over some and secure with 2 screws and that the recovery time was 6 months to a year. Well I was thinking that would be when I would have no restrictions. I choose the lateral realase as I wanted to start small and if that didnt take then I would consider the fulkerson. Well the morning of sugery as I was being prepped he asked if needed could he do the " big daddy" of sugeries. Or course I said yes thinking it would not need to be done.. Oh was I wrong. He did the fulkerson and 3 other things to my knee. Was told my knee was so bad that I was on the verge of replacement. Maybe I was.. But I had NO idea what I was in for. I was home by noon that day. Bed ridden for 2 weeks and was not told what to expect. I didnt even know when I could bare weight on it or anything. I found out pretty much as I went. Pain was NOT controlled with pain meds the first night and ended up having to call the on call doctor. They didnt start PT for over a month so I had scar tissue to break through and all he orderd was ROM.. no strengthing. He seemed to care less that I had atrophy in my quad. I even remember saying something about my leg being so weak I couldnt do steps normally and that it would almost grind when I bent it.. His response " well its better than it was" . uggg!!! When I did get a second opinon they didnt send over all my records but some of them. One of his notes it read " sarah has loss 40% function of her right leg. Overall she is doing very well" Really??? My new OS had to laugh at that.

Dont take any BS from your OS. I really think the way my old OS handled my surgery and recovery is why my leg was and still is so messed up. I have muscle waste in my quad that I was told would never come back.  If  you really feel like you are not getting what you need..then do what you have to do to get a second opinion. I lost trust with my old OS and it took me a while to really trust my new one and to be honest.. I still dont trust him 100% But so far has handled my leg pretty well and Im happy with him. Do what makes your feel comfy and keep up the hard work. Big hugs to you!!!!!!

[Arity]

Oh, you hit the nail on the head this morning Tink!  I am sitting here and re-reading my surgical report - I keep going over everything in my mind trying to give my surgeon the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe he didn’t want to worry me, maybe he thought I knew etc.…trying to somehow understand why he wouldn’t tell me.  However, on the surgery report before they even get INTO the report it’s clear that my diagnosis changed.  Right at the beginning before the report even starts it is there is big capital letters that my preoperative and postoperative diagnosis' are different, with the addition of the arthritis.

My boss says I should consult a lawyer although I really really dont think it's necessary.  It's not like he CAUSED the arthritis, he just didn't tell me about it.

The more I think about it the angrier I get.  However, I need to calm down - anger isn't going to help me, mentally or physically.  I haven't slept well all week and that isn't helping either.  What I need to focus on is going forward and healing and getting on to a normal life at some point.  As I believe I have already said, it's a good thing I am not seeing him until October 17th!!

[Brambledog]

Know what you mean - I think most of us KGs could be very angry about something that could have been handled better or done differently. But as you say, it just eats you up inside. There's no point in looking back too much, just keep facing forwards and make sure you leave him nowhere to hide now that you KNOW! You can look forward to making him squirm a bit at your appointment... 

Brams