A Current Health Care Message from a Friend

I received this from an old friend in TX and thought it worth sharing with his permission of course ... it isn't just the VA who provides questionable health care at times. In his words ...

Friends and Relatives,

It has been EIGHT months since my mountaintop fall broke my humerus bone in half. I will have surgery (that I could have had last November) on May 5, 2010! Why, you ask?

My Dallas Orthopedic Surgeon took x-rays in November, 2009 and told me that the Bone Stimulator was working and that surgery would not be needed. That led to my last e-mail to you all, announcing the good news. In December, this same Dallas Orthopedist confirmed his diagnosis with new x-rays. At our January meeting, the same doctor (who, for now, will remain nameless) read new x-rays and told me I could begin lifting 3 # weights with my right arm, swing the right arm fully when I walked and I only needed the sling when I was in a crowd, to let others know not to bump me.
In February, 2010, this doctor took his 4th set of x-rays. He told his technician that she took them incorrectly. He took another set of x-rays (and proceeded to charge my insurance for two visits to cover his costs) and then he told me that my arm was "healing at a 20 degree angle" and this made it likely that future falls would lead to another break. When I was checking out of his office, I asked about the next appointment and was told that he did not want to see me (washing his hands of me).

I had to wait a month to see Dr. Wayne Burkhead for a second opinion. Dr. Burkhead ordered a CT scan of my arm and it showed there had been absolutely NO HEALING OF ANY KIND! My arm looked exactly like it did after the fall on August 22, 2009; in other words, 3/4ths of my right arm remains disconnected from the rest of my body. The surgery (a plate and eight screws that will remain) will be on May 5.

Thank you all for your support, e-mails and prayers! Please continue. Also, thanks for letting me vent,

Donn
PS All these wasted months of pain, sleeping in a chair, difficulties with bathing and toiletries...but hopefully a complete recovery and few measurable damages...