Good Evening. My T score for my Right Hip was -2.8; for my Left Hip it was
-2.0, and the Mean Hip Score was -2.4. The only medication I have been
given is a bi-yearly shot of Prolia given to me by a Rheumatologist that my
Gynecologist sent me to two years ago because of her concern that I had
fractured too many bones in the time she had been seeing me and felt that
someone should be concerned about why this was happening. I did not even
understand what my numbers were, or how bad things.were until I actually
got to see my report online this year. I have a PDF of the report if that
would help.

Let me give you some background: First of all I live in a small coastal
area in the mid-Atlantic where healthcare is less than desirable. There is
one hospital that serves the state I live in, and a smaller hospital that
is more convenient for me to use, that is located 20 miles into the
neighboring state. When I moved here I was just recovering from a very
grueling two years that started with a simple TKR in March 2014 and ended
in June 2015 with the removal of a concrete spacer put in in April 2015,
and a new TKR put in, with what little bone was left in my right leg due to
the infection. Without the Infectious Diseases Specialist at the hospital
in Virginia, I would have lost my leg. The infection resulted from the
need for the surgeon to replace the patella, which after two
consultations, was determined to have "patellar clunk," and I was referred
back to my original surgeon who reluctantly agreed to fix it in late
January. at which point the infection set in viciously. Ultimately, I
was left with chronic kidney disease and chronic potassium deficiency for
which I take bi-weekly blood tests to ensure my levels are within range.
About four years after moving here I began to experience falls - I broke
my ankle when I fell over a table leg; next was a fall where I broke my
left metatarsal and four months after that, while putting off my scarf in
the Infusion Unit, I fell backwards as my crutches gave way and hit the
floor and broke my pelvis. The final fall was in May 2019 when I fell in
my closet and managed to screw my right ankle up with a bimalleolar
fracture. At that point, my orthopedist ordered me into a wheelchair for
my own safety and told me to try water therapy. After six months, I was
referred to a Advanced Orthopedics in the Baltimore Maryland area who has
put me thru the ringer with requirement after requirement, such as can I
walk 100 feet (no, I've been in a wheelchair for six months) (I requested
physical rehab from my local orthopedist after that meeting and can now
walk 240 feet); have I seen a vein specialist (they were to provide the
vein specialist and did not so I now have an appoint with a local one) and,
after a discussion with one of the doctor's staff doctor's, the Baltimore
physician decided I should not have come expecting to be scheduled for
surgery when I only went to the appointment (4.5 hours from my home) as a
follow up to the last appointment, as required by the doctor..

I believe that my local doctor does not want to deal with me because he
does not want the chance of a bad outcome on his record - the hospital he
works at is a 62 bed hospital with an ICU, but no onsite Infectious
Diseases staff. Additionally, I believe he does not like my overall health
profile (I have serious digestive problems that are managed by a doctor in
Virginia; minor heart issues that are also managed; I am obese but as of
this afternoon, my nutritionist weighed me and I have yet again lost
several pounds and have continued to stay under 200 pounds moving towards
190 rapidly; and of course, the osteoporosis). He also, somehow, made an
odd comment to me about not worrying about getting taken care of because
"we (my husband and I) have the money". This was very surprising news to
me and my husband. And very insulting. He has told me to accept that I
will be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life (NOT IF I CAN HELP IT) and
accept it. When I was in his office a few week's ago for a new issue, as I
was leaving I told him that I was going to see the Baltimore surgeon in a
few week's and that I expected him to dismiss me as a surgical patient, and
he immediately spoke up and said yes, he expected that too.

I feel at a loss and out on a limb because my husband agrees with the local
orthopedist. I cannot believe that my knee cannot be replaced. It is
buckling on me regularly. In August, getting out of the shower, it buckled
and my lower legs hit the edges of the rails that the shower doors run on.
I am still in Wound Care for that fall. Then, to everyone's disbelief, on
Christmas Day, the same thing happened and I have additional wounds I am in
Wound Care for.

I apologize for the long and winding tale but as mentioned, I am at my wits
end. I do not know where or who to turn to. I am trapped in my home,
unable to drive because my husband refuses to allow me to, unable to get
into my girlfriend's homes because the homes in our development have two
very steep steps and another one to get over the thresholds of the houses.

I would be very appreciate of any wisdom you can impart to me even if it
means I have to stay in the wheel chair for life. Thank you for responding
to me, Maryrose Cline-Buso