ThIs is my opinion:
Almost SIXTEEN yrs ago, TM did foot…read moresurgery. Soon afterward an infection developed. TM was insistent it was not an infection, but would repeat, it's an "allergic reaction to the fixation screen" which he said he had never seen before.
I said look at it, it's got to be an infection.
A doppler was ordered, even though i insisted it was not a blood clot. It was not.
I was sent to a pain clinic for an ordered painful spinal injection to check for a sympathetic nerve disorder. I was told it will only work if I had RSD sympathetic nerve disorder. I insisted that's not what it was. It was not.
Before that appointment TM apparently notified the pain clinic dr it was not an infection.
Throughout this time, I kept saying it has to be an infection. I was repeatedly told it was not.
Even though there was redness, incredible, screaming pain, much swelling (the foot was huge) and oozing from an incision. Pain meds did no good. The pain was off the charts. I could barely deal with all that constant pain and I never thought I would ever walk again. I had gotten weaker, with less snap.
With an unsterile cotton swab TM swabbed the ooze for the lab. Until the nurse came in and said here let's use a sterile one (though the area was already swabbed relatively clean by then).
We discussed several times, having a CRP test, but none was given.
Days turned into weeks, then months passed.
One follow-up appt, about 4 months after the initial surgery, a podiatrist was at the clinic and TM asked me if the podiatrist could take a look. Of course, I said yes. The podiatrist looked at the foot and seemed like he practically ran out of the room. TM came in and ordered an I&D.
Complete w a wound vac, etc.
Yet the oozing, redness, edema, incredible pain, etc continued.
After dealing w TM for 6 horrid, painfilled months, we went to a specialist from the University of Iowa. As soon as he saw it, he knew (he confirmed what i repeatedly had said) that it was a chronic infection and ordered a couple more clean up surgeries plus a PICC line w strong antibiotics.
Antibiotic allergies issues developed.
More surgeries resulted.
We were also told the infection had been eating away the tissues etc inside the foot.
With a total of six surgeries, a day has not gone by, day after day, where i have not have pain and issues.
I was told with an extended infection and multiple surgeries, painful arthritis developed.
I had also been told by a source, they thought the tendon had originally been pulled too tightly.
I did not have this foot pain prior to this.
But going on about 16 years, i have pain and issues morning, noon, and night. It even interrupts sleep. It has affected every aspect of my (our) lives.
It's going on SIXTEEN years of constant pain and issues.
Also, since that time, my foot has been overpronated outward, making the inner ankle receive the impact of every step.
16 years ago, i asked TM about the outward swing of my foot often, because I was worried and concerned it would now always be overpronated and swing awkwardly outward. I received no real answer.
Yes, it is still overpronated and still has an outward swing, causing many issues and constant pain.
Our lives have been greatly impacted by all of this.
In the years past, i had asked other Drs about a surgery to help fix it, but was told it's too messed up and they didn't want to touch it, for fear of opening up a " Pandora's Box".
In summary, I would never, ever recommend TM.
