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From: LINDA FERNANDEZ
Date: 06 Sep 2000
Time: 18:42:12
Remote Name: 4.48.208.242
I really don't know where to start. Well, I guess I can start with my name. Hi, I'm Linda, I am a 31 y/o medical student in Tulsa, OK. I guess that is the irony of this whole problem. In December of 99 I went to my doctor (a resident) at a local teaching facility here. I told her that there was something wrong. I had moments of pain in my left hip so bad that it would bring me to tears. Basically, she blew it off. When I continued to tell her about this, she began the "I'm a new doctor, I know what is wrong" thing that a lot (not all, but a lot) of med students go through. When I was a paramedic we had a name for that kind of thinking "PARAGOD". Well anyway, I was taught one thing that I will always remember, that is, LISTEN TO YOUR PATIENT!!!! Listent to them because if they are concious and can talk, they will tell you what the problem is. To bad my doctors teachers didn't teach her that, maybe if they did, well maybe I wouldnt be in the situation I am in. I continued to tell this doctor. I told her that I needed an MRI. I told her that the plain X-ray would not see what she needed to see. This is something that was deep tissue, not just at the bone. So, she sends me for the xray (hahaha), it came back and she said that there was nothing wrong, oh maybe a little of arthritis in the knee. Then she had me see a coligue (yes, another student) and he sat there and tried to tell me that it was simply a tender muscle in my thigh. I'm sure you know by this time, I am truly fed up with these doctors. So, after a bunch of artificial pain pills (meaning the kind that really doesnt work for this problem) and a lot more bit**ing, I finally got the attention of the medical director (My doctors boss). He realized that something was not right. Well all I can say to that brilliant realization is DUHHHHHH!!! (sorry, it still burns me about this whole thing). OK, so the main doc decides to send me for the MRI. That was on a Friday, the following Tuesday I went in and here comes the doctor and her boss....OH BOY, I knew there was something not good about to be told to me. Whether he was there for my support or to make sure I didn't jump all over the doctor I have yet to find out, but they sat me down with the result of the MRI and then she started. She took my hand in hers and looked at me with the oh god, I screwed up look in her eyes, (you know the look, I'm sure we have all seen it once or twice) and said "I am so sorry". Well as the hysteria was building in my stomach on its way up to vent all over her she continued "the results of the MRI were not good, you have Stage III Avascular Necrosis of the left femoral head" in English that is saying that for some reason the bone of my hip is dying and I will need a total hip replacement. Now I didn't mention that not only am I in school full time, I was also working 2 jobs, but after all of this interesting news the medical director told me that he couldnt believe that I had continue to work. OK, so now I need a hip replacement, and soon or else I will end up in a wheelchair (oh joy). I have had to quit both jobs, but I still remain in school. I am appling for TEMPORARY DISABILITY so that I can file for title 19 so I can be blessed to have this wonderful surgery, that I may not have had to need if the doctor would have just listened to me. I am currently waiting to hear from Social Security to see how soon I may be eligible for this operation. Until then I am on Lortab 10 at 20mgs every 6 hours and 30mgs of morphine 2 times a day. I cant take them both at the same time because when I do it makes me sick and I cant function so I alternate drugs. Really good for a someday to be doctor huh? Well I havent had the surgery yet, but when I do I will write a prt 2 to my story. Your website is great, keep on keepin on. L. Fernandez Tulsa, OK