Luck of the Irish?? I think not!!!
By Wendy
@jerzgirl (9291)
United States
March 18, 2009 8:12pm CST
Here's how my luck runs - yesterday (St. Patrick's Day) I learned that I've been walking on a broken ankle for over a year. I fell in January 2008 and the radiologist saw a fracture, told my doctor who referred me to an orthopedist. The ortho barely looked at the xray, spent all of 5 minutes with me and said the radiologist was wrong. I showed him the new bruising that had appeared along my foot while the old bruises up my entire leg were turning color. He just said, that's nothing, and my visit was done. I haven't been able to wear my old shoes all this time - finally gave most of them away - because that foot is now bigger and shaped differently than my right foot. I can't even move my pinky toe on the left foot since falling. 
It felt pretty good on Monday, so I went out and ran a lot of errands after taking Deb to work - shopping, actually. It was fun. By bedtime, my foot was aching and when I got up to go to the bathroom, it wouldn't hold my weight. Now, this has happened before, but I've never wet myself not being able to get to the bathroom before, either. I'd had enough, so on Tuesday, I went to the ER and told them I wanted to know what was wrong with my foot once and for all. They were concerned that it was my diabetes, not the year old fall, until they got the xrays back.
They saw OLD fractures in my ankle!!!! That a-hole blew me off when my ankle was broken!!! He didn't even wrap it up for support. 
Yesterday they tried to put a boot on me, but it didn't fit. And, when they learned I lived on the second floor, they put the crutches away, too. So, I have Mom's walker if I need it, and I'm supposed to not use my foot until I'm cleared by my doctor. They actually said to go back to that orthopedist!! No flippin' way!! But, I can't get an MRI until I get approved for charity care, so I'm on hold and can't work or anything until my doctor clears me. I am walking - they know I have to for daily living - but I'm taking it easy (like I don't already). I'm not a happy camper. I feel more like a target for bad karma. 
Do any of you have little dark clouds that follow them through their lives?
It felt pretty good on Monday, so I went out and ran a lot of errands after taking Deb to work - shopping, actually. It was fun. By bedtime, my foot was aching and when I got up to go to the bathroom, it wouldn't hold my weight. Now, this has happened before, but I've never wet myself not being able to get to the bathroom before, either. I'd had enough, so on Tuesday, I went to the ER and told them I wanted to know what was wrong with my foot once and for all. They were concerned that it was my diabetes, not the year old fall, until they got the xrays back.
They saw OLD fractures in my ankle!!!! That a-hole blew me off when my ankle was broken!!! He didn't even wrap it up for support.
Yesterday they tried to put a boot on me, but it didn't fit. And, when they learned I lived on the second floor, they put the crutches away, too. So, I have Mom's walker if I need it, and I'm supposed to not use my foot until I'm cleared by my doctor. They actually said to go back to that orthopedist!! No flippin' way!! But, I can't get an MRI until I get approved for charity care, so I'm on hold and can't work or anything until my doctor clears me. I am walking - they know I have to for daily living - but I'm taking it easy (like I don't already). I'm not a happy camper. I feel more like a target for bad karma.
Do any of you have little dark clouds that follow them through their lives?4 people like this
7 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Mar 09
Now you know why my great-grandmother thought all doctors as idiots and I have the same sentiments. This story was told to me by my mother and grandmother. One time my great-grandmother broke her wrist...the doctor tended to it but set it wrong...so it was crooked...being a nurse she knew how to do things and she PURPOSELY rebroke it to reset it--can you imagine doing that? But it healed fine after that since I don't recall her wrist being odd looking.
This would be perfect for you to sue for malpractice...I would!! As far as dark clouds following me in my life? Yes, in the past, but my life has mellowed out considerably--uh, to the point of being boring..LOL
2 people like this
@jerzgirl (9291)
• United States
19 Mar 09
I'm thinking about the malpractice side of it, but I want all the other testing out of the way first to be sure there is NOTHING else that it could be. If it all lines up, then I will find someone to talk to. You already know about my current lawyer issue, so I'll be sure to find someone who works on contingency. Can't afford to have another one walk off with money I don't have before my case is filed.
@bmorehouse1 (1028)
• United States
19 Mar 09
Sorry to hear about your foot! I have had instances with doctors when I got mad and went and got another opinion. Most times you take doctors at their word because you trust that they know what they're talking about. Doctors think that if they have a degree that they know everything. I'm here to tell you that they don't! You can't always trust them. Can they rebreak your foot and then set it? I think we all have dark clouds that follow us around at certain times of our lives. I hope your dark cloud goes away soon. Best wishes!
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9291)
• United States
19 Mar 09
Thanks for responding!! You're #1!!! 
I know what you mean - they assume because they have the education, then I couldn't possibly know anything they don't. But, I'm the one who lives with something on a daily basis and I know my body and I knew my mother's medical issues when I was caring for her, so I had a head's up on things that they didn't and don't have. I know some people can be flaky (doctor's included - we have a local MD who's commonly known as Flakey Blakey), but we're not all without some ability to understand patterns or to be aware of cause and effect issues. Thanks for the wishes. I'm looking for the sun to break through that cloud, I'll tell you.
I know what you mean - they assume because they have the education, then I couldn't possibly know anything they don't. But, I'm the one who lives with something on a daily basis and I know my body and I knew my mother's medical issues when I was caring for her, so I had a head's up on things that they didn't and don't have. I know some people can be flaky (doctor's included - we have a local MD who's commonly known as Flakey Blakey), but we're not all without some ability to understand patterns or to be aware of cause and effect issues. Thanks for the wishes. I'm looking for the sun to break through that cloud, I'll tell you.
You were #2!! I must have been responding out of order! 
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
19 Mar 09
I'd be calling a lawyer, to be honest. Sounds like some medical malpractice going on there.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
19 Mar 09
I wish that you could find some agency that would help you to sue the doctor. You have every right to be angry as this is worse than disgusting treatment that you received. Try and get a lawyer to sue and then he could take a certain percetage of what the court gives. You cannot let this go. You have suffered too long and too much. Please don't take this lying down. Get up and find out your options and SUE. I do hope that you can sue. I also hope that you will get better soon. Blessings
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9291)
• United States
19 Mar 09
I'm considering it - but I want to be sure all my ducks are in a row. Like verifying that the breaks on the original xrays match the new xrays and that ignoring it caused significant damage. Once all the testing is out of the way and we have all the answers, I'll know if I can find a contingency attorney or not.
@AngryKittyMSV (4317)
• United States
19 Mar 09
I'm sorry that has happened to you! If I were in your position I'd be calling to see if any lawyers would be willing to take the case and sue for malpractice and damages since walking on that broken bone for so long may have caused severe damage that might require a lot of work to fix. For that sort of thing, you can find a lawyer who won't accept payment unless they win, and then they get a percentage of whatever settlement you take.
My mom broke her collar bone a few weeks back while visiting my brother in Georgia, the ER failed to X-ray her collar bone, only looked at her shoulder and told her she was fine. By the time she got back to NY she was a mess, horribly bruised and in terrible pain. That's when she saw a doctor here and got the X-ray confirming that she'd broken her collar bone. When the GA hospital called to harass her for the bill, (she has insurance which covered it so there should be no bill) she told them that they'd be lucky if she doesn't sue them.
I walked around for a few months with broken bones in my foot, but not due to medical negligence, I just could not afford to go to the doctor and waited until I absolutely couldn't stand it anymore to go. Nobody beleive me about my aching foot, so when I came back with a "broken" diagnosis, I felt vindicated.
I live under Murphy's Law: anything that CAN go wrong WILL go wrong. I also have my own personal black cloud which follows me. Calamity ensues often when I am least in a position to deal with it.
I hope you feel better soon and that a decent doctor is able to help properly heal your ankle for you.
1 person likes this
@jerzgirl (9291)
• United States
19 Mar 09
I'm thinking about seeing a lawyer, but not until I've got the MRI and other testing out of the way to eliminate any other possibilities for the break. I figure if the original xrays and yesterday's match in location of fracture, I'm pretty safe to talk to someone about it. But, I want all the ducks in a row first. I'm just glad I haven't been wrong in my assumptions this past year. I had more than one person assume I was exaggerating and only complaining to get out of doing something else. So, I definitely feel vindicated, for sure. Just like you.
Your mother - I am so sorry for her. That hospital probably figured she was from out of state and didn't have insurance and wouldn't pay, so they didn't do anything that would create a bigger bill. That's sad because human need is legitimate and they're supposed to have sworn to provide it. Did they take her insurance or was it one that she herself had to file since they didn't accept it?
1 person likes this
