I Am In a Wheelchair
On september 30, 2009 I was driving home from work when my right leg went numb. I could not get my foot off the gas and onto the brake. I had been having back pain for over 20 years and was being treated at a pain clinic with shots, pills and patches. I was walking with a walker and barely able to
get around. It was discovered that I had one disk that went east and one that went west and they had trapped a nerve. I was in excruciating pain and
was unable to sit for even 5 minutes because the pain in my hip was so bad. It was decided that I needed surgery. By the time this was decided it was
November, so the surgery was set for January. I had to travel to appointments by ambulanc e since the pain was so bad.When I went for my pre-op the doctor told me my insurance had changed Jan 1 and he was no longer my doctor. I was unaware of this because I had not been at work and no one let me know. I had to find another doctor and when I did (no easy task when you are confined to bed) the doctor would not do a pre op until he did a complete physical. Unfortunately, his soonest opening was 6 weeks and no begging and pleading about how much pain I was in or how long I had already been
in bed would move him. While I was waiting for the apointment I ran out of sick time at work and my insurance was cancelled. Fortunately, I am a dependent on my husband's insurance so I was able to go back to my original doctor. Finally, I got my surgery in May, after 8 months in bed. I thought as soon as I had the surgery, the pain would be gone and I could walk. Sad to say the nursing home I was in did not change my bandages in a timely manner and I got a MRSA infection. I suffered six weeks with vancomyocin, a drug which created nearly fatal diahrrea and the most unbearable itching
which is beneath the skin so that to scratch it you must scratch off the first layer of skin. Any attempts to walk were thwarted by big plops of diahrrea. After the drug was complete, I was sent home 3 months after surgery with itching, diahrrea and a urinary tract infection. Having been in bed 10 months by this time, I was totally unable to walk. Twice I have managed to get my insurance company to put me in rehab but the facilities are aimed at maintaining the
elderly, not helping those who want to regain their mobility. Sixteen months after the surgery I still have the diahrrea and when I try to find doctors to help me, they just look at me with a blank stare. I exercise my arms and legs every day with weights and therabands, just as they did in the rehabs. I can walk with a walker about 10 to 20 feet as long as someone walks behind me with the wheelchair in case my legs give out. My legs and arms are frequently numb and swolen. I have no normal feeling. So, I am in a wheelchair. I lost my whole life, friends have abandoned me and even my husband says he does not want to take care of me, and avoids my room as much as possible. It is a very lonely life, so I would like to make some new friends. I could possibly live for another 10 to 30 years like this and I would like to make the time as productive as possible, given the circumstances. Anybody out there need a friend?
get around. It was discovered that I had one disk that went east and one that went west and they had trapped a nerve. I was in excruciating pain and
was unable to sit for even 5 minutes because the pain in my hip was so bad. It was decided that I needed surgery. By the time this was decided it was
November, so the surgery was set for January. I had to travel to appointments by ambulanc e since the pain was so bad.When I went for my pre-op the doctor told me my insurance had changed Jan 1 and he was no longer my doctor. I was unaware of this because I had not been at work and no one let me know. I had to find another doctor and when I did (no easy task when you are confined to bed) the doctor would not do a pre op until he did a complete physical. Unfortunately, his soonest opening was 6 weeks and no begging and pleading about how much pain I was in or how long I had already been
in bed would move him. While I was waiting for the apointment I ran out of sick time at work and my insurance was cancelled. Fortunately, I am a dependent on my husband's insurance so I was able to go back to my original doctor. Finally, I got my surgery in May, after 8 months in bed. I thought as soon as I had the surgery, the pain would be gone and I could walk. Sad to say the nursing home I was in did not change my bandages in a timely manner and I got a MRSA infection. I suffered six weeks with vancomyocin, a drug which created nearly fatal diahrrea and the most unbearable itching
which is beneath the skin so that to scratch it you must scratch off the first la
elderly, not helping those who want to regain their mobility. Sixteen months after the surgery I still have the diahrrea and when I try to find doctors to help me, they just look at me with a blank stare. I exercise my arms and legs every day with weights and therabands, just as they did in the rehabs. I can walk with a walker about 10 to 20 feet as long as someone walks behind me with the wheelchair in case my legs give out. My legs and arms are frequently numb and swolen. I have no normal feeling. So, I am in a wheelchair. I lost my whole life, friends have abandoned me and even my husband says he does not want to take care of me, and avoids my room as much as possible. It is a very lonely life, so I would like to make some new friends. I could possibly live for another 10 to 30 years like this and I would like to make the time as productive as possible, given the circumstances. Anybody out there need a friend?
By:
intd
Age:
61-65
,
Female
