Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubious
Hi Vrae,
I do recognize you from the RSD list. First, any hospital that accepts state or federal money cannot turn you away. ER is always an option, at least for emergent issues. Depending on the state, if you have an ortho/PCP that can refer you into the neuro dept. of such a facility, your wait time might drop to a week or two (at least it is that way around here). Also, if you are clinically/neurologically a mess and unstable, ER can call for a neuro consult while you are there.
The CRPS issue is messy. And I would stay away from any doc who does not feel comfortable with CRPS as they could make you worse. Exhaust all state and federal aid programs that are available until hubby finds a job/insurance. Lumbar sympathetic blocks, if not already tried, may be instructive. If your recent MRI is blaringly positive for cord or root compression, don't bark up that tree!
Lastly, while even great and perfect surgeries can result in CRPS, I would get a full copy of your surgical records, hand over to an attorney versed in medmal and explore whether or not there was an error of ommision or commission that led to your demise. That part didn't work out for me (although all docs I worked with said the surgeon screwed up big time), but it might for you.
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Thank you Dubious. I may give the ortho route a try. Disability is also something I will be exploring but I already know that work credits may be an issue (self-employed for many years). And yes, I did try the E&O with an atty but I was two months too late with current tort laws. Several atty’s said I had a case, but the time had passed to file a case. The tort law reads (for colo.) that I should have known before two years. I think wow… okay, so I was supposed to know hu? When I went in for the surgery they told me a year min to heal. I was diagnosed within 6 months or so, but I still had no idea what the RSD CRPSII Dx really meant, and I mean jeeeeeze show me any group of practicing physicians and I’ll show you how 98% of them have never even heard of, or know what RSD is, but yes…
I should have known… right! I stayed in a state of denial for a long time just thinking “I’m going to get better, more time is all that is needed”.
And you bet, if I can’t get a handle on the back issues or the CRPS issues, I will go to the ER. It’s just a Gawd aweful process. The wait time is terrible and the having to prove everything CRPS (except the MRI the now have on record). I am going to be up against a wall very soon as I can only ration meds for so long.
The good news is the back has let up a bit. The muscle relaxants and pain meds, and babying it really proved helpful, thank God. It was bizarre, in that I just woke up that way (when I wrote my original post). Not sure what in the heck I did during my SLEEP for goodness sake.
Anywho, thank you both SO much!! I was losing my mind in pain.