I had been thinking about a nose job for years. Everyone tried to talk me out of it, but with my stubborness, it just made me want one more. I was referred to an ENT's office in Pembroke Pines, Florida. I took all the precautions I thought I needed to. I checked to make sure this person was board certified, I checked with the Florida State Medical Board to make sure there were no complaints and even asked to have a former patient who had the same procedure to contact me. Everything seemed in order so I scheduled my rhinoplasty. The beginning of my nightmare for the rest of my life.
After surgery, I was severly bruised, swollen and in a bit of pain. I was assured this was normal and to return to the office for my follow up. At this appointment my bandages were removed and I was not impressed. I was told I was still very swollen and that could take months to go away. As months passed, I had no feeling in my nose, the tip of my nose would turn an array of shades from red to purple and I constantly had a runny nose. I mentioned these concerns at another appointment and again was told this was normal.
A second surgery was discussed and scheduled. When I awoke from this surgery, I was deathly ill. I told the recovery room nurse I was not feeling well and she related this to the anesthesia and told me to go home and rest and if there were any further questions or discomfort to call the doctors office. The next day my Mom called the office and explained I was still extremly sick; that I was vomiting, fever, dizziness, etc. We were told to come in right away. I was looked at, given a prescription for the nausea and sent home. The office had called to check on me and my Mom told them my symptoms had worsened. We were then told that the doctor "had gone out of town" and would return our calls when he got back. I never heard from them again. We telephoned my primary physician who told us to go to the Emergency Room and he would meet us there. I was hospitalized for one week and diagnosed with an inner ear infection and sent home once again with a prescription. I still was not getting any better. I was dizzy, faint, nauseated, my body ached, I had the worse headache ever, my ears were ringing...you name it, I had it. I could not get out of bed, I could not eat, If I had to use the bathroom, my Mom literally had to wipe my ass. For the next 8 months I laid in bed helpless and hopeless. I had seen over 20 specialists from ENT's to neurosurgeons. I had every test imaginable and nothing. I couldn't do this anymore. I had to fight, something had happened to me during this surgery and it was up to me to figure it out.
I started doing research on the internet and found a specialist in Nashville, Tennessee. I brought all my medical records, films, scans, etc., but to no avail. Just one more doctor who was "stumped". I was now living in Nashville and took employment with a builder. In a conversation with one of our clients, he mentioned a friend of his who was in a serious accident and how this doctor helped him. Gregg called his friend and got the referral information for me. By this time all of my optimism had faded and I had resolved myself to just living like I was for the rest of my life. Mind you, none of my symptoms had improved and something new popped up every week. I was being medicated for each symptom and that was how I got by day to day. I did not want to get my hopes up just to be let down once again.
This doctor actually listened to everything. He didn't disregard me. He got out a sculpture of a skull and showed me and explained what he thought may have happened. He needed to send me to a specialist to confirm his suspicions of a possible CSF Leak (Cerebral Spinal Fluid) which he said was very rare. This was the closest I had been to a diagnosis in over a year. I am forever in my friend Gregg's debt. If it wasn't for him taking a few minutes out of his busy schedule to connect me to his friend, I know I would not be here.
The specialist placed cotton wedges up in my sinus cavities and I was ready for my lumbar puncture. I laid still on my stomach up on a cold flat table where they prepped my lower spine and inserted a large needle inbetween my vertebre into my spinal cord and injected dye. I could hear my bones cracking as they forced the needle in and my legs went numb and I just cried. I was alone in a new city, had no friends and no family up here for support. But I couldn't fall apart now. I just turned my head and looked at the screen where I watched the rest of the procedure. I had to leave the hospital with the cotton wedges in my nose. I looked rediculous. I had these things shoved up my nose with bright green strings comming out taped to my face. They looked like tampons! I returned to the hospital a few days later where they removed the wedges and tested them to see if the dye that was injected into my spine had leaked through my sinuses onto the wedges. It was confirmed that the wedges were positive for the dye and I had a diagnosis. (Sometimes I think back and wonder of all the tests I had performed on me, which one was the worst? I must say the ENG / ABR was. I had warm and cold water shoved into my ear canals. This is supposed to make you dizzy and I threw up everywhere-it was awful.) Back to my diagnosis. In Lehmans terms, I had a fractured skull where brain fluid was leaking out my sinuses. I was told I was having reoccuring meningitis and the doctor did not know how I was alive. I was told I had permanent cranial nerve damage, permanent inner ear damage causing my balance disorder, permanent nerve damage to my nose and a bunch of other stuff with my nose. This was suspected to have been caused by the rhinoplastic procedure. BUT, the first procedure not the second. It was assumed that is why I had the constant runny nose following the first nose job and all hell broke loose during the second procedure and I was basically opened up and then just closed on the second one. As if this hadn't been enough, I needed surgery to repair this CSF Leak. I was told that in some cases a CSF Leak could repair itself and the fracture sight is "suffocated" thus repairing the leak. Since mine had not done so, probably due to the meningitis, I needed surgery right away. I would have my head shaved and an incision made from one ear over the top of my head to the other ear, basically have my face pulled down to reach the fracture sight and have a special glue-like substance made from my own plasma and a drain tube placed in my spine for a few weeks stay in the hospital. To this day I'm still making a decision on that. I had major antibiotics to clear up the meningitis. On the heels of all this, I started to have problems with my eyes. (Click on TED)
As thurough and proactive and informed I thought I was before going into this rhinoplasty, It took almost two years to learn what had happened to me. During this time, I learned that it didn't matter to anyone but myself. There is a Patients Bill of Rights Creed in every physicians office. In my opinion, this only stands as long as nothing happens to you under the care of a physican.The laws in Florida are designed to protect the doctor NOT the patient. I learned that just because there are no public complaints on record, doesn't mean that there aren't any. A complaint can be filed, but it can be up to an internal review board whether or not a complaint will be made public knowledge. Same for a lawsuit. If there are negotiations for a settlement that are ongoing, you will never know a complaint was filed. After all was said and done, I learned this physican had a few complaints and a settlement out of court. None were made public knowledge. I tried tio file a law suit, but was bluntly told that even with my permanent injuries, it would cost more money to bring this case to court than what would be awarded and no attorney wanted to put all the time and effort for a chance that this physician would file bankrupt. My health insurance only covered so much and bankrupt is where it eventually left me. Even if I would have died due to this, it would still be just as difficult. If you know me, then you know I am not about money. I wanted this guy's medical license. To take away his opportunity to harm another human being and not give a shit. |
