Oh he asks... and then someone in a cubicle without a medical degree decides it's "unnecessary" and he starts the whole process over again. Including calling/writing his senators, DOD, VA mucky-mucks. He's gone to the media.
He and I have been through this together every couple months for 3-4 years now. Long distance of course, but I'm here for him. Even when he admits he's whining - and refuses to tell his other friends on the forum because he's getting sensitive about the sympathy and pity he gets. I'm one of the handful that actuallly gets angry he's treated this way and I make suggestions that he might not have tried yet.
Both medical negligence and medical malpractice apply in his situation, as legally defined. No one I know believes this is necessary, to go to lawsuit lengths. But there is literally nothing ELSE left that he hasn't tried. He knows I will help if he needs me too - whatever the situation is.
Lighter - originally, he had a morphine pump (for pain mgmt) and the stimulator for the nerves in his back & legs. Each has failed once or twice over the years, needing to be replaced. The last time they replaced the pump - something in their protocols slipped and he was infected with staph -- which went inadequately treated until it had ramped up to be septic & resistant to most antibiotics - except the one he's deathly allergic too. While he was in the hospital, someone didn't read his chart and started an IV drip of that particular antibiotic - which caused him to go into cardiac arrest. They kinda sorta got the infection under control finally after his persistence, when the pump started pushing out through the original incision used to place it (they are supposed to be anchored internally). So his last surgery was to take the pump out. He was managing pain OK between what his T prescribed for him (guy is a psychiatrist) and some herbal things I could suggest he safely try. Yes, I did extensive homework on those and his other meds.
Sigh. So after his trip up here in June, he started noticing that the stimulator battery was discharging a LOT, shortly after being charged instead of lasting a few days or a week - depending. He'd had a consult with the device support people who informed him that the surgeon from 2 surgeries ago, placed the paddles in the wrong place - which was why his pain levels were increasing. Those internal paddles, I'm guessing relatively small, are secured along the spinal column at certain vertebra to stimulate the proper nerves for his legs to work right. Think internal TENS unit. He suspects, the device support people aren't sure but said it was possible - that the workaround they suggested for the incorrect paddle placement - to turn it up higher - has shortened the life cycle of the device.
Due to the MUSC docs, and their approach to things - if the stimulator needs to be replaced (according to device manufacturer's assessment) then he MUST have the morphine pump re-inserted. (No one will say WHY; he's asked; he's been managing quite well WITHOUT IT. He doesn't WANT it; doesn't want to go thru detox again.) HOWEVER they will not attempt any surgery until his infection is cleared - and that is managed the total clown show in Infectious Disease... who have told him to his face, that they simply can't treat his infection; there is nothing they can do... and they are treating antibiotic courses like opiod narcotics... DESPITE his primary care doc referring him for specific doses of specific antibiotics for a duration of x number of days. They also misdiagnosed his rash/reaction to the steroid shots that they insisted was a symptom of staph. (which is an internal spinal column/bloodstream infection; it never STARTED as a skin infection; something wasn't properly sterilized or got re-contaminated in the surgical process)
If all of this is confusing, I understand. I always understood "First, do no harm" to mean, do what you can - instead of do nothing. When they don't act on the referral advice of an outside doc (who has a copy of all 4000 pages of his history since the accident in '94)... and he can NOT go to another hospital system, per the VA... I understand why his T is still seeing him monthly, doing what he can for pain mgmt... and checking for depression symptoms and uncontrolled anger. Fortunately, he's good on the anger issues - fantasy notwithstanding. And his down moods don't last long; not with me doing my best work in comedy ever. He still isn't giving up - even if some of the worst days he feels like he's been thrown on the reject pile to just die already - and THAT'S why I go out my way to find whatever I can to support him, emotionally.
One light at the end of the tunnel would be if he got his official retirement papers - all signed & approved - by the Navy. Then he could change to the Tricare insurance -- and choose his own docs/hospital. But it can take up to 6 months for that retirement package to go through the bureaucratic process. And no, there's no way an NCO has enough pull to get that fast-walked.
It's just SOOOOO frustrating - and this particular part of the circle is also physically debitlitating. I am now threatening to kidnap him... and deliver him into the hands of real professional docs. LOLOLOL.
SHHHHhhhhhh.... I sent him a Youtube vid of a belly dancer to try to distract him....
