Dr. Donna Cashdan referred me to a surgeon who operated against need, consent, or rationale and…read moredisabled me. After this severe bodily harm Dr. Cashdan dismissed my complaints and refused to physically examine me appropriately to evaluate the damage.
Instead, she prescribed inappropriate medications that caused tachycardia, allergic reaction, bizarre feelings, akathisia, (an urge to move beyond one's control), and many other common detrimental effects of these drugs. When I reported intolerable and dangerous effects of these drugs that weren't appropriate for me, Dr. Cashdan told me to take more.
Ten doctors, including four surgeons, (who examined me in the correct ways Dr. Cashdan did not), demonstrated and testified the surgery was overly aggressive, contra-indicated, and against consent; this constitutes surgical battery they said. "The surgery irreversibly destroyed much of the patient's subcutaneous myofasical and other tissues. Portions of her body are missing, affecting her whole structure. This is CLEAR-CUT BUTCHERY. HORRIBLE."
A physical therapist from USC requested full physical disability status for me. Another physical therapist wrote, "Though in disabling pain, she is rational, kind, and bright. She's more highly organized and functioning than many people I know without disability; I can only imagine how high functioning she must have been before she was so injured."
11 months after the violations by the surgeon Dr. Cashdan referred me to, Dr. U. finally broke the cycle of medical abuse: he did evaluations for muscular and systemic function, studied the case, charted surgical scars and bodily damage, had me fill out a pain-disability questionnaire, ordered an MRI, and wrote reports about the unconsented removal of needed myofasical structures and the life-altering outcomes, and he respected me and treated me well -- totally unlike Donna Cashdan did.
"The tissues are over-stretched, leading to pockets of painful adhesions that pull tightly upon movement. These procedures caused many other systems to be affected: muscular, lymphatic, circulatory, mobility, and others."
It seems clear to me Dr. Cashdan did not want to acknowledge the damage the surgeon she referred me to caused; I found her records to be full of lies and omissions. She did not document severe bodily harm, extreme pain and other problems caused by the surgeon. I learned that for legal purpose, if it is not in the medical record, it "never happened," This is said to be a legal veil to protect doctors. The defense used Dr. Cashdan's lies against me.
In what I find to be classic victim blaming, (DARVO - Deny and Reverse Victim and Offender), Dr. Cashdan said I "asked for it" and any problems are my fault. I've met others who have serious complaints from this surgeon since then. The ethical doctors I've met since are outraged by Cashdan's actions.
Five months after the surgical harm, Dr. Cashdan insisted on doing osteopathy, which was against my wishes, as osteopathy is not indicated for mutilation. She put her fingers on my neck and said, "Your whole body is torqued!" I said, "Yes, from the assault, as I've told you." When I continued to ask for the help, (including but not limited to an MRI, which another doctor finally referred me to - it showed damaged structures), Dr. Cashdan wrote in her notes I was "teary," and "whiny, as usual."
In an article about medical misdiagnosis, Dr. Diana Cejas, pediatric neurologist, said, "Sometimes a patient's complaints seem outlandish and their symptoms impossible. But sometimes they're right. Sometimes just listening to a patient can save their life."
Before this referral, I ran businesses I loved, was accepted to graduate school, planned to become a homeowner, and had an active, social, athletic life; after, I'm physically disabled, in extreme pain, survive on a tiny disability stipend, and now have valid concern about homelessness. I asked Dr. Cashdan to do the right thing, but she was noncompliant. It's vital to have a skilled physician who has your best interests at heart and charts the truth.
