My mom and I left on Sunday to get to Atlanta for my appointments on Monday, Aug 2. My cousin, Janet Pope that I am sure you have seen on my Face Book page, that has cancer, was at The Emory hospital for complications from the cancer. We stopped by to see her, her new baby Gage and her wonderful boyfriend, Mark, that has been a God send to her. It was so good seeing my little Janipoo and seeing that beautiful baby boy that was really a miracle, considering she found out about her cancer while she was pregnant with him. She is a fighter! I know that is what will get her through this dark and trying time. " I love you Jan!"
So, mom and I arrived at the Emory Clinic at 8 am for the first tests, a Urodynamics with EMG, to show the nerve function of my bladder. The nurse that did the tests was so nice and made me feel really comfortable, considering I was crying all the way through because I could not urinate on my own and it made me feel so old.
After that test I asked her if she found out anything and she said, " lets wait for the second test this afternoon, so we can have the big picture," I said ok. So, mom and I went back to the hotel room to rest. The time came for the dreaded Cystoscopy. The other Cystoscopy I had before, I was put to sleep for that one so I was very scared about this one. Also, this is the test he would do biopsies on me, if needed.
He came in and started the test, I laid there on the table and watched on the little television screen as the scope went into my bladder. He looked all around my bladder, which I have to say is quite something to see. On the inside of my bladder, on both sides, what looked like a little fishes gill, opened up every few seconds, he said those were my ureters and they were attached to my kidneys and allowed the urine to be put into my bladder.
I do have to say that God is amazing, just to see my bladder and the way it, the ureters and kidneys work together, was really awesome. It makes me realize how our bodies were created, so infinitely, by God. Just think about our heart, how it beats and keeps us alive, with out us even thinking about it and how we breath with out a thought. That is so awesome.
So, to get back to my story, after looking at my bladder, my urethra, and inside my vagina to see if he needed to do biopsies, which he didn't and thank God for that, he told me to get dressed and he would come and talk to mom and I.
We sat there for what seemed to be an eternity, then he finally came and I could tell by the look on his face that it wasn't good news. He said that based on all of the tests, I had ZERO nerve function in my bladder, the nerves that usually contract to tell you it is time to empty the bladder, they were damaged from all of the surgeries, the mesh erosion and the prolonged urinary retention, that I would have to self cath myself four times a day, for the rest of my life.
I was devastated, a surgery that should have been routine and that doctors do every day with no problems, had left me ruined for life, because of the negligence of doctors that just DO NOT CARE!
So, I still have no answers for this severe left flank pain that is debilitating, yet I am finding out about all the damage this surgery, the bladder tack, that in reality, I NEVER needed according to the first doctor I saw at Emory. She said I could of had the Hysterectomy to correct the level 4 uterine prolapse and had physical therapy to strengthen my pelvic floor muscles and totally avoided the bladder tack and the polypropylene mesh and all the problems it and the doctor has caused.
This story gets more bizarre by the second, the Urologist at Emory also told me that based on my latest MRI I had back in April of 2010 at Emory, it showed that I had a left ovary. I questioned that because on October 12, 2009, I had surgery to remove that ovary because it had been sewn to the inside of my vaginal cuff. So, to make everything seem even more like The Twilight Zone, he told me if the doctor left even the smallest remnant of an ovary, that it can grow back. At this point I was looking at him as if he had 2 heads, crying and almost hysterical. He told me to continue doing what I had been doing, patted me on my back and walked out of the room with us sitting there in shock from, not only the news about my bladder, but also, could I have a ovary that has grown back or is something else there like scar tissue or adhesions and actually I was leaving one of the best hospitals in the world with more questions than when I came in.
My mom and I got up and started walking out. We were both in shock, several nurses stopped and asked if I was ok, my reply was"NO".Then they asked if they could help and I just said "no, apparently no one can help me, but God". I knew I could not ride in the car all the way back to Columbus in this severe pain, so I went over to the ER and asked some one to please help me. They took me back to a room, did lab tests and calmed me down and did give me some medicine for the severe pain and said the blood test would be back soon.
All of a sudden a nurse came into the room, gave me two pills to take and said the were potassium pills and frantically started an IV of potassium on me. She said my potassium was dangerously low and they had to get it back to normal because it affects your heart. She said if it goes inn to fast it can cause a heart attack, so at this time, I was past the Twilight Zone. I was so afraid at this point, I had no idea what to think. The ER doctor suggested I go to see my primary care doctor, mid week and have my potassium rechecked and also be referred to a surgeonn because the numerous MRI's and CT's have not showed anything except I possibly have had an ovary to grow back.
I Went Thursday to see my Primary care doctor and I was made to feel even more emotionally unstable by him, if that is possible. He told me to let him know the name of a surgeon I wanted to see and let him know. One of the reasons I went to my doctor was to have him help me with the decision of which surgeon to see. My dad and I were both shocked at how he acted. I mean, you go to doctors for help and you put your life in their hands. When they give it back to you, you hardly recognize the person you were you before they started, what they call, TAKING CARE OF YOU!
So, I am sitting here today, in extreme pain, not knowing what to do next. PLEASE pray that God will lead me to the right doctor that will be actually concerned and help me figure out what is going on....... I know better than to take my own life, thank God I was raised by a God fearing mom that has put this strength in me and realizing that HE will help me. I am only saying that,if this is going to be my life, constant pain and struggles, doctors making mistakes and then making you feel as if you are off in the head, I do not want to live if this is going to be my life.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, I know is long, September 1, 2010 will be a full year of dealing with this craziness...........
Please pray for me and my family, please pray I can be like the woman in the bible with the Issue of blood, that knew, " If I could only touch the hem of His garment, I WILL be made WHOLE." I know through God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
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.
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.
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