Home At Last From Knee Replacement

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a few weeks ago I posted i was getting a tkr in west haven ct.Well i had surgery on the 30 or 31 of last month.I was discharged the next day at 2.30,had to wait for the pharmacy to get my meds ready took untill 4.30.Then i had a two hour ride home.After only being home for an hour I noticed I was running a slight fever.Another hour and I was running a 102%.Called the ambulance and was taken to the cdh hospital in northanpton ma.I had a severe infection.I was placed in the care of infectious disease specialist-thank god.Five days later I was sent back to west haven ct.They removed part of my new knee and cleaned out the rest.One more week at westhaven,now I am back home.The treatment at the va was at best terrible,they lost my records from the cdh had no doctor waiting when I arrived by ambulance.And gave me shit for pain.I was on dulated-sp?fine times stronger than morphine that worked ok.Glad to be home.Mark.

[Berta]

Mark- it sounds like you got some crappy care-

did I understand that the ambulance took you to a VA? or to a real hosp.

If you believe that you incurred additional disability due to the infection, you can file a Sec 1151 claim.

It does sound like the infection was treated right- but the VA had to "clean out "the knee?

That is not a good sign- they screwed up-

Still they did mitigate the damages- but any further problems and post it here and I will help you prepare a Sec 1151 claim.

Is this for a service connected knee disability?

Somewhere here I posted a topic on Temporary Total Disability comp due to hospitalization (at least 21 days for SC treatment in hosp) and also VA SC convalescence regs)

you could be eligible for something as temp comp-if this is SC disability -but not sure with this info-

the regs will explain the criteria and they should be under the search feature.

If I were you I would obtain copies of the CDH records and also your VA med recs.

Infections can happen and it does not mean negligence-

however one of my local vets they buggered up good with an infection that they failed to treat right for months- long story- he filed a Sec 1151 claim.

(I am not a doctor but it seems odd to me that this infection appeared so quickly- I wonder if you had it before you left the VA and they didnt treat it.There may not be a basis for Sec 1151 claim because they did fix you up quickly but then again-

what if you did not go to the real hosp? I bet many vets i your position might have, after all the waiting you did and then the ride home- might have just used aspirin or something and this could have gotten much worse.)

But I am not a real doctor- dont know- then again I dont consider the VA having many 'real' doctors anyhow)

Edited February 16, 2007 by Berta

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berta,I was picked up at home by ambulance and taken to the cdh,after six days on anti biotics I was taken back to westheaven ct by another ambulance.And yes this is a service connected knee replacement.I dont think i have a 1151 claim.Comtamimation happens-I guess.I did however crack two of my back teeth in half by biting down hard as they tryed to draw some fluid from my knee with a big needle,they did not give me good painkiller.I have been on strong pain killers like morphene and oxycodone for many years for my spine and ankle both s.c. I have built up a tollernce.I now have to have my wife give me iv antibiotic treatments twice a day for six weeks she also has to give me injections every day in my stomach for blood thinners i think.I am worn out.The one good thing is the dav sent me a letter saying they filled for the 100% convalesant .Mark.

[Berta]

Glad to hear the DAV did that-

You will probably need a strong medical statement of support from the doctor showing the extent of the convalescence required.

The regs are in 38 CFR 4.30 (2006)

TDCC temp 100% can be as little as one month comp to three months comp- but the vet can also ask for an extension -to total in all-up to a year of TDCC- if medical evidence shows further need for TDCC.

I posted in another topic some time ago- Under Temp 100% for hospitalization and Convalescence-the exact regs as to the VA 's criteria for this temp award.

[imzdo]

Berta,

Under Title 38, 4.71a, code 5055; the veteran should be entitled to 12 months plus any convelesence time of 100% following in implantation of a prosthetic Knee, Hip, Ankle, etc.

Sounds like he will have a long convelesence based on the care he received at the VA hospital.

Good luck

IMZDO