Inferior US Medical Care

[columbus_foodie]

I am so damned frustrated. As I may or have not mentioned previously, I developed a seroma by my incision about day 10 post-op. I had it drained three times sucessfully using a syringe (once in my hotel room, twice in the doctors office) before I left Brazil, with the instructions that I follow up with my family doctor on Friday (and probably on

Comments

the seroma

[anonymous]

This may sound terribly naive, but could you just go to the emergency room of a good hospital and beg for mercy? Jancd

Don't leave us hanging!

[anonymous]

Are you okay? Have you performed surgery on yourself?

Re: Don't leave us hanging!

[swampkitty]

Actually, no - I'm not OK. I went to the ER last week, and they refused to treat me, again, because of "liability issues". The seroma popped on its own, and now my incision is dehisced (sp?) and infected. The surgeon in Brazil told me to have my doctor run tests on the fluid to check for infection and to see what kind in order to know which antibiotics to use, and to also go to a wound care clinic if it's open, but the PCP's office refuses to do it, again because of "liability issues". They told me I'd have to go back to the ER. So it's back to the ER again for me tonight, with an active infection and my incision split open, where they are going to treat me or else I'm going to throw a hissy fit and call in a lawyer.

The sad thing is that this all could have been prevented if the PCP just would have drained the damn thing with a syringe in the first place. :(

Re: Don't leave us hanging!

[anonymous]

Wow, this has been a mess, hasn't it! Hope your visit to the ER takes care of the problem tonight. Please let us know what happened. We are praying for you and your recovery. Is eating becoming easier? Jancd