It All Started With A Post Surgery
The hotel parking structure was dim - there was not enough light to see what was in front of me. Low and behold, down I go into an uncovered pothole.
I guess the hotel was doing some work and did not cover it up.
As I fell, thank goodness I dropped my book and put my hands forward to catch my fall. I twisted my ankle and caught my knee, thinking "what do I do? Scream for help what next?"
I don’t know how I got myself up? But I did, went to hotel security to let them know that there was an uncovered pothole in the hotel parking structure, and I had fallen into it.
I thought I was ok.
Foot and ankle pain impacts pregnancy
Forgetting that I had to use the bathroom, I went on my way, clocked in and headed to my department, and started answering phones.
Within a few minutes of beginning work, I realized I had to go to the bathroom, as I lifted myself I began to feel an overwhelming pain shooting up from my foot. I could not walk.
I let security know, and I was taken to the emergency room. My ankle and foot were purple, pink, and yellow, and as big as a house.
Because of me being pregnant, they could not get a thorough x-ray of my ankle, so they wrapped my foot and sent me on my way. They referred me and my x-ray to an ankle and foot doctor to review my x-rays.
The foot doctor found no fractures and gave me a brace for support for the next 12 weeks.
When it was time to deliver my daughter, my foot was still in a sling so instead of delivering my baby naturally, I had to have a c-section.
Ankle surgery, PT, and a new baby
After ten months of physical therapy, and another doctor, and an x-ray, it was found that my ankle was fractured.
So, on October 7, 2001, I had four-hour ankle surgery to remove all bone fragments and to place a pin in my ankle to hold it together. After four months of recovery, I once again began another year of physical therapy. Still in pain.
It’s now 2002 and the pain in my ankle has not gone away. I wanted to get back to running, but I always felt tired, ran down, and the constant pain shooting up my leg, into my knee.
And let's not forget the unexplained, sciatic nerve pain in my back that I was told in 2000 would go away after my daughter, Jennee, was born. And here we are in 2002 and the pain is still there.
So many doctors
So can I name all the doctors I’ve seen. Let see first was:
- Robert S., my physical therapist, 2000 to 2003
- Dr. M.
- Dr. Kevin K. S.
- Dr. Dimitri S.
- Dr. Lawrence F.
- Dr. Earl F.
- Dr. Charles H.
- Dr. John R. M.
- Dr. Herny E. B.
- And Dr. Kent A.
The nine orthopedic doctors that have poked and prodded, took blood from me, and other X-rays every time.
There was one doctor in Santa Ana, that drew blood once a month, and a therapist named Teresa J. who would work through my system because I was told it was “stress-related."
Declining health with an unclear cause
In 2004 and 2005 my fevers were getting worse, I was only able to sleep two to three hours a night. The pain had become so overwhelming that I could not even get through all of my medical bills, let alone my daily chores.
The doctors said that I now had arthritis in my ankle.
Since my fall in 2000, I have incurred other things happening to me: constant fevers, sore throats, and fatigue.
Pain pills were not helping! I began to think maybe it was diabetes since it runs in my family. I was then tested for diabetes but that was not the answer!
Health's impact on career
In 2004 I was hospitalized for excessive blood, and again in 2005 for anemia.
I tried to go back to work but struggled to keep a job because I was always sick. This did not make sense to me, but finally, I was able to get a job at Michael’s Craft Store working with kids. I was so happy with my job!!!
There were days I had to push myself to go to work, that’s when I lost it all!
I ended up in bed for days on end, only able to literally crawl to the bathroom, crawling down my stairs to get something to eat or drink. I couldn’t even dress myself at times, or even shower.
Diagnosed with RA
In 2006, I began to see a wonderful doctor at South Coast Medical in Aliso Viejo, who accepted my insurance, Dr. S. and Dr. H.
Finally, the ball began to roll, many tests were rushed to Dr. S and he immediately began me on a high dose injection for pain and swelling.
He then sent me to a rheumatologist, Dr. William C. S. and my diagnosis was severe rheumatoid arthritis. I was then told had it been caught sooner it would have been treatable.
In 2007, I was hospitalized two more times which included a blood transfusion.
In 2008, I would once again lose my job. And, finally realize I would not be able to work because of my constant pain.
Setting out once again to find help, and again hitting many walls, in 2009 I found “my hero”, Dr. Mark J., in Laguna Hills, CA.
Dr. J. listened to me and then began by taking more blood, more x-rays, and then sat me down to explain to me, what a horrible case this was for someone my age, that it did not have to be this way. He was sorry that no one had helped me.
How I manage RA today
Today, I take a cocktail of medication, knee injections every six months.
I also began injections for Remicade and found some relief, but three treatments in I began experiencing adverse reactions and had to stop my treatments.
And because my insurance will not cover any of the other biological treatments, I once again live in chronic pain and fatigue.
And, for my ankle, there is nothing else that can be done at this time! How? It was just one left ankle, foot, and knee? I believe that that fall nine years ago is the cause for my diagnosis today, be it post-trauma, induced trauma or trigger factor, I live every day of my life in pain.
Now nine years later, still dealing with doctors and lawyers, not one of these people ever took into consideration not only was I put in harm's way that day.
So was my unborn daughter, and that she could have been hurt or worse, God forbid! I look at her every day as my blessing.
Today, with all of my heart, I believe that my fall on that day on September 17, 2000, changed my life. That is what triggered my diagnosis today of rheumatoid arthritis, and no one will ever be able to tell me different.
That pothole should have been covered.
Thank you [redacted-name] hotel in California.
It has been life-changing! Especially my lawsuit is still pending after 10.5 years. I still have to see more doctors.
2011 must see three more doctors. What can they tell me that I don't already know!
Here it is in 2021 I have two knee replacements, hip replacement, and two shoulder replacements coming up next.
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