I have been in severe pain in one way or another since my first surgery in Sept of 2009. Since then, I have had 2 additional surgeries by the same doctor to correct problems, but only seemed to make the problems worse. After losing the only ovary I had left, due to his carelessness and neglect, because he sewed it up into my vaginal cuff while doing the hysterectomy, I had to go on synthetic hormones at the age of 40 and no one actually knows the long term effects that will cause in the future.
He denied being at fault for having to remove my ovary, but the pathology report showed crystallized suture material in the ovary. After that tragedy, I went back to work for 8 weeks, with continuous urinary tract infections and when I called the office to tell them about the pain, they acted as if, oh no here she goes again, instead of examining me to see if there was really actually a problem, they only called in, yet another antibiotic, 3 to 4 times, until I insisted to come in for a visit so he could examine me and make sure nothing was wrong.

When he did examine me, he found that the polypropylene mesh he used in the bladder tact, had eroded through the front of my vaginal wall, bunched up and created ridges on both sides of my bladder,creating like a guitar string across my bladder holding over 200ccs of urine in me for over 10 weeks. So, the 3rd surgery I had was for the mesh erosion, mesh revision and urinary retention. I was sent home the following day and that night developed a temp of 102.9, because of some underlying problem that obviously, he neglected.

After starting to have terrible left flank pain after the surgery in December for the severe urinary retention, I found out this Dr turned me over to a collection agency and dismissed me, because of a $50.00 payment,of a balance of $700.00. This blew my mind, considering the reason I could not work, was because of all the damages and neglect that he caused to me by him and the material he chose to put in my body.

Soon after that, I found out my liver was enlarged, spleen enlarged and I was dangerously anemic. I was referred to a Gastro Dr, he did an EGD and a MRCP and more blood work only to find I had mononucleosis and other possible problems with my body. I continued to have problems after seeing the Urologist in Columbus, which on the first visit to that Urologist, they acted like I was really sick and really seemed concerned, after doing a UA, it showed crystals in my urine, blood and infection and they wanted to do an emergency CT, to rule out a kidney stone. They put me on more antibiotics and pain meds but the next time I returned to their office, they acted like it was all in my mind. I was so confused and could not figure out why, until I later realized, he and my GYN doctor, that did the original surgery, were big buddies and referred patients to each other. After doing more CT's, ultrasounds and several more tests, at that Urologists office, with their new “State of the art” equipment, they said it had nothing to do with my urinary tract or kidneys, that it had to be muscular or skeletal.
After that slap in the face, the Physician’s Assistant there at that Urologists office, accused me of going around town stating that they were doing all these tests, running up a huge bill, and they were not finding anything wrong with me and I NEVER EVER said that, I just wanted this pain to stop, but yet she wanted to do another MRI on my spine and back at their office and have their radiologist read it.
I was so taken back by that statement, because all I wanted was to get better and stop hurting. I left their office in tears and severe pain, because honestly, they made me feel like I was going crazy.

After several visits to the ER and one by Ambulance, my dad took me to his PCP and he ran even more tests, the blood tests showed that I had elevated C-Reactive protein and elevated SED rate and that I was dangerously anemic. He said this told him I had inflammation somewhere in my body. He felt as if I was having an auto immune reaction to something foreign in my body, but he could not find anything to be causing the inflammation from the extensive tests he ran so, he said the only thing he could suggest would be for me to go back to the doctor that originally implanted the polypropylene mesh in me.
I told him there was no way I was going back to him because so much damage had been done already and I could not risk having even more damage or being in worse pain, if that is even possible. (On the internet, I read that when a Dr implants this mesh in a patient’s body, it is their responsibility to keep up with that patient for at least a year, to make sure they don't have any reactions or problems that, if not treated, could be fatal.)

So, he referred me to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where the Uro- Gynecologist I saw removed the remainder of the mesh that had been left in me. She said unfortunately, because of the time that had lapsed being tossed around from Dr to Dr, some of the mesh had migrated into my body, so I will have to live with that.

Because I had urinary retention for so long, having over 200ccs in my bladder for over 10 weeks, because that was still being created by my kidneys to have no place to go. So, now I have continuous pain in my left flank area (not sure why it is only on the left side) and have had continuous UTI's and been hospitalized for large amounts of blood and infection in my urine and the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life.

I was referred to a Urologist at Emory and he said he is not sure what is going on because it has gone on so long, he has to do more tests on Aug 2nd to find out. In the mean time, I have been out of work since December 2009, struggling with all my bills, utilities, Cobra health insurance premiums of 380.00 a month and still having to go to the ER between visits because of the severe pain.

So, I feel that the doctor that did the original surgeries that caused all this to begin with, the urologist and the PA I saw here in Columbus, Ga., that did tons of tests and blew me off and the makers of the mesh should all be held accountable for this torture mentally, emotionally, physically and financially. If they are not responsible for their neglect, they will keep doing it to other people and I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

My quality of life has gone from being a mother,a girl friend,a manager at a salon, enjoying doing hair and seeing my clients and being very active, in my 2 children’s life and going all the time and enjoying living life so much, to being stuck at home, in severe constant pain and being so depressed, watching everyone around me still living and enjoying life.

I really feel the company that made the polypropylene mesh for SUI, should be held responsible for ruining not just my life but thousands of other people. There are 4 other ladies here in my small hometown that have been affected by the mesh and the same Dr that did my surgeries.

I will post the results of the Urodynamics, EMG, Cystoscopy and Vaginoscopy and biopsies when I get the results. Please share this with as many of your friends and most of all please keep me in your prayers.