This is Karen's story
A painful purple toe brought me to the medical clinic.
"I now suffer from depression, PTSD, anxiety."
My new surgeon determined I had another blockage left leg. This surgeon guaranteed me that he would not put me on the table if he was not absolutely confident it would be successful. Surgery was performed in February. A few months later I was experiencing pain, an ultrasound was performed and the femoral tube that fed blood from my left leg to my right residual limb was blocked. My residual limb now survives on the small vessels our bodies naturally make. From that point, the surgeon refused any further procedures.
I returned early spring as I could no longer handle the pain in my leg. I had an angiogram performed and while waiting I was informed that there were meetings held between 2 vascular surgeons, the radiologist that would perform the angiogram, and herself. The angiogram was performed and I expressed extreme pain and burning during the procedure. After this test, I had to lay flat for 6 to 8 hours. While in the recovery room approximately 2 hours after the test I woke in unbearable pain, I called for the nurses as something was wrong. I could not hold myself back from sitting up and vigorously started to remove the bandages in search of relief. Now at 57 years of age and several more years of many tests, surgeries, and excruciating pain, I am confined to a nursing home, totally disabled with only 60% of my income and no closure in sight.
An ultrasound was done and there were blockages in my groin. I was informed emergency surgery was required. Uncontrollable pain, fear and I could see from knee down including my foot that my skin was turning mauve. I was given pain medication but it did not help. I was informed I required an angiogram prior to surgery. I admit the fear was out of control. The Radiologist returned to speak to me and he explained this was exactly why he did not want to perform the angiogram the risks were too high, the result was what he expected.
Shortly after I was in the OR. As my veins are very poor and ultrasound was required to locate a vein in my upper left arm I cannot express the pain involved. After surgery when I awoke I recall the first I did was verify I still had my leg. I had received an epidural and other medications for the surgery. Over the next days the radiologist returned to speak with me and he told me I had created a colony of blood clots and with their instruments, they fished them out but using these tools anything else in my artery was pushed down and my arteries below-knee were now completely not repairable. He explained in the future I would lose my leg. He was compassionate, apologized but I had asked for the truth which he provided.
I have lost most of the feeling in my leg and foot, much weakness and balance I no longer have. After surgery in July, there was no longer a choice. I had to give up many personal items and moved October 1st into a semi-autonomous apartment in Quebec. Now I require surgery, the surgeon repeated the high probability of losing my only leg. It’s all high risk. I am on high doses on Med. Like everywhere all surgeries are backed up.
This was all caused or advanced by July 2020 episode. I don't think it’s going to be a good outcome, I just don’t see that happening. It all started with an angiogram that should not have happened. The damage and losses I endured; physically, mentally, financially, pain, pain medication, and side effects, my career, my family, my child, my grandchildren, my independence, the ongoing list. I strongly feel there could never be an accurate amount of money to replace my losses, my pain, my ability to live any form of a normal life. I now suffer from depression, PTSD, anxiety.
From there I was set up with a surgeon in St Jerome, Quebec. An angiogram was done and the diagnosis was a blockage in my abdominal aorta, followed my Abdominal Aortic Surgery. Angioplasty, vein removal from my left leg to my right replacing the artery, surgery replacing the right leg artery with a human vein from a donor followed and all failed. I was admitted for a blockage in my left leg. I recall tremendous pain as I was prepared and waiting in the operating waiting area.
A brief conversation with my surgeon who was clearly exhausted and frustrated with my continuous surgeries that only fail. I recall my surgeon loudly said as he swung his arms up said ‘Today we are taking care of everything’ and gave the signal to wheel me to the OR. I recall yelling no no no down the hall and I knew there was something different.
I awoke the following day, yes he had preformed angioplasty on my left leg and my right leg was amputated above knee. Yes I had multiple surgeries on my right leg but that day I was there for my left. I did not consent to amputation. My daughter had called the nurses station in the evening of surgery was told I was stable, no mention of amputation. When I woke the following day my daughter was by my side. She was informed of the amputation as she was told to dress in the isolation gown, gloves and mask.
My daughter was the emergency contact should an alternate procedure be required but did not receive a call. From the hospital I was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital for 2 1/2 months.
Then I was admitted to the emergency of St Jerome, tremendous pain as I had once again had a blockage in my left leg. Surgery was almost immediate. At the time of discharge I explained clearly to my surgeon something did not feel right, I did not feel well at all. He was leaving on vacation and told me upon his return he would contact me. I refused, I insisted on staying hospitalized and I did.
His colleague came daily to check on my condition. On the 4 day when she entered I was sleeping and awoke, both of us in disbelief as my hospital gown was soaked in blood and puss. There was infection and it had made a pin hole in my residual limb which is how the blood and puss evacuated from my body. I was not put on antibiotics and was told I required surgery when my surgeon returned, I waited approximately 5 days until May 2nd when he returned and surgery was preformed.
Surgery was huge, vertical incision down my abdomen and an incision about 5 inches right side abdomen. I survived however there were moments of uncertainty and I was brought into ICU. I was eventually told by my surgeon that the infection came from what was suppose to be a sterile fabric/patch used when arterial surgery is preformed. He explained once a bacteria was in the heat and humidity of a human body it spread like wildfire. He explained he removed as much as possible and I would be on antibiotics for months or maybe the rest of my life. After 13 months he stopped the antibiotics. Once I was able to see my family doctor I insisted that she takes the necessary steps to have me transferred out of that hospital. A process almost impossible with severe vascular issues. Then I was transfered and would now be treated at the hospital in Laval which was also where I lived. Then another complication had started.