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Whole back and head injury after a terrible fall
I fell on August 1st 2019 from a 6.4' ladder, all away to my whole back. The ladder moved, and projected me on a hard floor. I even heard the crack it did on my back, especially in the middle of my back,After months of doing nothing to even understand or do the tests necessary to diagnose the extent of my injuries, I just learned yesterday - something I knew already because of my weakened legs, the numbness, the fatigue, the pains and my readings here, on Mayo Clinic articles - that I have a spinal cord damage.I am in the UK now because I came as a tourist on October 2019 and hoped to stay a while, but I couldn't go back to the US because of my fall and also because of COVID 19.To make it short, because of lack of test, diagnosis and treatment, I can now hardly walk, stand or do whatever I used to before my fall. In 6 months, I became a true old woman not because of my age, but because of the suffering and lack of treatment.Now I need to know: can something be done, still, or am I going to go worst everyday, as it was my case since my fall, to finally become totally paraplegic, paralyzed, or worse.I say worse because now, I have additional symptoms I never had before: blisters in my skin, some kind of painful pimples, rashes, head pain and confusion, memory loss, terrible fatigue, nervousness. My life has become a nightmare.I want to add that in 2013 I also had a brain aneurysm surgery (no rupture) and since my fall, my head also has problems: pituitary cyst, injury near my clips, CSF or possible hydrocephalus.If anybody had this kind of experience, or some of it, I would love to know what was the outcome.Thank you very much for your kind support, all of you, and hope and which everyone a wonderful recovery.
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No, I didn't because for now I can do nothing. Something else happened. Now I have some terrible skin conditions all of a sudden, with severe dizziness, like being drunk, with a lot of rashes in my skin. My walking also is more difficult - pain in the right leg and more weakness in the legs as well.
They won't help me here. I am sorry to be so unhelpful to others.
AND I WANT to apologize for not responding to everyone. There is time difference, I cannot sleep and I am in a hotel trying to find a solution.
THANK YOU For supporting me in my troubles. Perhaps I should get in contact with a neurosurgeon at Mayo and ask for a second opinion on video and by sending my images?
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1 ReactionI think someone’s suggestion of contacting US Embassy isn’t far fetched. Perhaps it is worth a try!
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1 ReactionGreat suggestion.
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1 ReactionI would contact Mayo, and get your information to them. I would, also, contact the US Embassy as well. Prayers.
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1 ReactionI agree. Please contact the U.S. Embassy.
Let us know later if they could make a medical recommendation for you.
Do not worry about your response to us.
Take care of YOU first.
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1 ReactionI will try today. Thank you
Thank you. I will.
Thank you but who at Mayo? What specialty doctor? They don't even know what causes my weak and numb legs, they in fact don't know if it is my brain or my spinal cord? Do I need a neurosurgeon, a neurologist (and if so, in which specific field), or perhaps an orthopedist? I did try to find a way to send them my medical records with CDs but I don't know how?
@ergodesign You might have missed my earlier post to you. I am a Mayo spine surgery patient, and I posted 2 patient stories about my spine surgeon. He became my surgeon when I wrote to him and requested that he review my imaging because none of the local surgeons I saw would help me. After he reviewed my imaging, he offered me an appointment. Doing that much doesn't cost anything except the postage for sending in the imaging CDs. They make a decision about if they can help or not and will contact you. Mayo surgeons are busy now catching up on elective procedures that couldn't be done a few months ago because of PPE shortages and that can affect how long a patient waits to get into Mayo. Mayo also prioritizes urgent cases. I suggest that you call Mayo first and determine if your insurance will cover treatment there. You can request a particular surgeon like I did, or you would be assigned to one if you don't make a specific request. The surgeon will arrange all the other specialists who need to see and test you like neurology, so don't worry about where to start. Start with the spine surgery consultant. Weak and numb legs can be caused by a spinal cord injury and it will be their job for figure that out. Both a neurosurgeon or an orthopedic spine surgeon can operate on the spine, but my advice would be to consult one with an interest in a spine deformity like my surgeon. He is a neurosurgeon who also has orthopedic spine fellowship training, so that's the best of both worlds, and if he needs assistance on a complex case, he will call in an orthopedic spine surgeon to assist. So after you know you'll have insurance coverage, the next step is to call the neurosurgery department to set up a temporary patient account and they will give you directions on how to mail in the imaging. If you want to do that, let me know and I will send you the contact information.
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1 ReactionDear Jennifer, please forgive me, but I am 6 hours ahead of you and I don't know if you read that since Friday, I have other symptoms, very frightening. I am now very dizzy, like if I was a drunk with one bottle of whisky in my belly. My legs have become much worse, and I have incredible allergies that I thought first to be shingles - although I am not sure I don't have them.I am very disappointed about EU health systems.
It is very generous of you, and I accept your offer with tremendous gratitude. So how are you since your surgery? Have you got back to more or less normal?
I am very new here and I don't know how to read the profiles nor to follow up on conversations. I wanted to post another page to say thank you to all the wonderful members who gave me their blessings and support, and I wanted to tell them to be patient with me if I don't reply right away. I am in a strange situation.
I couldn't find out how to do it. The first page I wrote, I had a welcome and I believe the page opened I believe. I think Colleen helped me the first time. Thank you Colleen. But I want to write the reasons why I couldn't respond to all of you, but couldn't.
I also have problems with my head. They did find an injury near my aneurysm clips as well as a possible hydrocephalus. They did say I have CSF. So you see, I have many worries.
So to all of you I send my apologies for not responding to you soon enough. I will respond to you but gradually. I didn't expect so much warmth and concern for me. THANK YOU ALL!