Second Collarbone Surgery LAWYERS PLEASE READ BELOW

[MikeT]

Second Collarbone Surgery LAWYERS PLEASE READ BELOW (Post #9)

Please read post #9

Well, after I broke my collarbone 9-11-2004 I had surgery on it because it was lapped so far my shoulder wasn't remotely in the right spot. After the surgery I noticed that my cb was bowed out quite a bit more than the other one. I told the Dr. and he said it was the clip and swelling (yeah right). Well 15 months later it is still bowed out a lot. I have gotten three second opinions and they all said that an additional surgery could help me. The cb sticks out so far I can't wear my seatbelt correctly in my car. I have to have it slid down as if I were really short. When it's up at the normal height it rubs really bad. I seem to hit it on any type of box I'm carrying, it really stinks. My daughter grabbed it like a hand hold and I nearly fainted one time. Something has to be done.

The two options are

1. The new Dr. (I won't let the first one touch me) has recommended removing the clip and shaving some of the bow out of the bone. This will make it a little closer to its original shape but not much. I think removing the clip will also help.

2. They can re-break the bone and reset it. He said he believes he might have to break it in two spots and then put a REALLY long clip on it. Then he said he would also have to take a piece of bone out of my hip to fill in the gap that would form from the repositioning of the bones. He also said the clip would probably cause me a good deal of trouble because it would be right under the skin and because of it's size.

He recommends (as the other three doctors I've seen) to go with the shaving of the bone and not rebreak it.

This really stinks and I just hate being in this situation. I think the bone will still be pretty bowed after this but not as much as it is now, plus the clip won't be sticking practically through my skin like it is now.

Please weigh in on this because I need some support. I am bummed :ugg:

 

[High Lord Gomer]

When I had my spinal surgery, several people told me that the removal of bone from the hip hurt more than the spinal fusion. I opted to cgo with cadaver bone slices.

I don't know about collar bones, but I'd always heard that weight bearing bones like the tib / fib / and humerous (sp?) would straighten themselves out along the lines of force that they had put on them.

I'm surprised that they would leave the clip in on a collar bone. They heal rather quickly, so I would think they would take it back out fairly soon.

 

[MikeT]

They said they will only remove it if it causes problems. Mine is probably causing more of a problem because of how much the bone is sticking out due to the bad way the Dr. set it. They will be removing the clip and shaving the bone down a little.

It is going to still stick out but not as much. I'm hoping that, along with the clip being gone will help me a lot.

I'm still bummed. :(

 

[justin_credible14u]

well, why dont u just go and rebreak it the way that u didthe first time and then they wouold have to fix it the right way, lol, i broke mine a few years ago and they had to drill out my collar bone and run a titanium rod the size of a bic pen, it sucked so bad, the surgery hurt 100 times more then the broken bone did, i had to wear the rod for about 3 monthsand 2 trips to the sand dunes before they took it out, and now my collarbone has a slight dip in it,but overall, it matches my other one about 95%

 

[CamDayKX125(4)]

yo

yo miket, whats up? hope that youre surgery goes well, ill be looking forward to seeing you at TNT soon. good luck

 

[MikeT]

Well, thanks for asking. I am awaiting a call from the first doctors office for them to tell me whether or not they will be paying for this second surgery. They are supposed to be calling me in about one minute (8AM) to tell me the verdict. Either way I am still going to have the surgery to get some relief with this. I didn't want to but if they give me some runaround I will be taking photographs of my CB and contacting a lawyer to get them to pay.

BTW, I didn't get your name..... Your Dads name is Kevin but what is yours?

 

[tn_tuxedo]

My daughter grabbed it like a handhold and I nearly fainted one time.

OMG! I read that and cringed. I broke my cb in '95 and rebroke it three times before it finally set. I remember EXACTLY what it felt like each time. I feel for ya, bro.

 

[crazy4nitro]

well,any updates?

Good luck,hope all goes well..

Crazy

--

 

[MikeT]

Well, They called me and want me to re-write the letter I wrote asking them to pay for it. They want me to write down exactly what my maximum out of pocket expense is. They said they would pay that however they just want it written down.

The other thing is they want me to sign this "Hold Harmless" agreement that will prevent me from sueing the original Doctor or his practice. I didn't really like the sound of that because I thought it might be a malpractice thing. I then under the advice of my Dad called a lawyer and asked about it. They said that malpractice is something that is done to you that cannot be undone or corrected (permanent), like removing an organ you need to live. Or making a mistake that gives you permanent brain damage or something like that. With that said, it appears that they can take the radical surgery (break the bone, do the hip bone graph and long clip) and actually repair it.

I think I have what amounts to an out of court settlement that will pay for the whole surgery to do the less evasive surgery.

Do you guys have any opinion on this???

 

[kdx200chick]

I think it's great that the 1st doc is willing to compensate you for your second surgery but are they willing to compensate you for lost wages and medication? Seems that will be an important factor as well. You should probably get a second opinion from another attorney as well. Cover all of your bases before you agree to sign anything.

About 10 years ago I had surgery and it was botched up. I didn't sue but spent the next 2 years trying to have my body repaired. I found out that 15 other patients had malpractice suits against this doc. AT THE SAME TIME! These people successfully sued him and he lost the ability to practice medicine in North Carolina. Sad....

 

[MikeT]

are they willing to compensate you for lost wages and medication?

Good point. They said they will pick up the copays for the medication but I don't think they will compensate me for wages. I am a salaried employee so my paycheck won't go down however I will be using probably 2 "vacation" days. That might not be too bad a tradeoff for them paying for all the rest....

 

[kdx200chick]

I would ask for those 2 vacation days to be compensated. Especially since you have already used days off for the original surgery.

It can't hurt to ask...

 

[CamDayKX125(4)]

hey miket, my name is cameron. couldnt reply for a while because i was snowboarding in boone,nc. i hope that your surgery goes well.

 

[MikeT]

I would ask for those 2 vacation days to be compensated. It can't hurt to ask...

I did, but they said no. I am awaiting the check from them this week. I had a conference with them and all they have to do is write the check which they said they would do. We'll see.

Surgery is now set for February 10th. :ugg:

 

[kdx200chick]

I wish you lots of luck w/ your surgery!

Petra

 

[MikeT]

Thanks chick. I did get the check from the Dr.s office to pay for the surgery. Now all I have to do is wait until Friday........ It will be a good and a bad day. I hate having to go through with it but I want to get it over with.

 

[crazy4nitro]

:cool: Best of luck....

Crazy

 

[MikeT]

Well I just had the surgery and everything seems to have gone well. I won't get the bandage off until tomorrow to see what it looks like. I think the lump is smaller but I'll have to wait.

The pain level in my collarbone is minimal maybe 2 out of 10. The pain in my throat from that tube they stuck in there was like a 9 out of 10. It is getting better and it is now down to about a 3 out of 10. I'm really only taking the pain meds for my throat. Pretty crazy but they seem to be working.

 

[DWreck]

Hope you heal quickly and properly this time. I have been lucky so far, four surgeries and they have all turned out well.

 

[MikeT]

Hope you heal quickly and properly this time.

Thanks. With my arm in a sling and typing with one hand isn't fun. I'll pull through it.

 

[kdx200chick]

Glad to hear that you are recovering! Good luck with continued healing.

Petra

 

[MikeT]

I pulled off the bandage and it doesn't look too bad. A definate improvement but still a lot of swelling. Now it's just a low bulge instead of Mt. Everest coming out of my chest........ So far.

 

[CamDayKX125(4)]

hope it gets smaller in time. i also hope that the pain goes away. im going to TNT tomorrow(most likely), wish me luck. attempting my first intentional tail whip on my bros. 85. hope to see you soon!

 

[MikeT]

It will be a while but so far I am pretty happy with the results from my surgery. As the swelling goes down it should get better.

 

[MikeT]

Well, I had the stitches out and they got all but one that was way down in there. I even tried to pull it out but conldn't get it. It is pretty deep inthere so I guess I'll leave it. The whole thing is actually starting to look pretty good. I am much happier with this surgery than the last one. I really wish I would have gone to this surgeon the first time but how was I to know? Now it just looks like I broke my collarbone and it healed naturally with no big sharp bumps. Before (as my new doctor put it) it looked like I needed to be on the SCI-FI channel (his words). He said this was one of the worst sticking out bones he has ever seen. He also said that the results are much better than even he expected. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't look like God made it but it is pretty good seeing all I've been through.

He told me that in the next few months to see how I like it and if I can't live with it in present form he will go back and do the more radical surgery but he doesn't think I'll need it and neither do I. I really hope this is the last I need to talk about collarbones!!!!!!!!