Poisoning my husband

I said I'd tell you about Ron's former doctor. Mine, too.

God put it on me a few months back to pray for her daily; I am. I am not excited about it, but I am at least dutiful.

Ron and I saw her off and on for a while. She was part of a practice. If you go back and read the August and September 2008 posts, you'll get a good idea what we endured.

Basically, Ron had a strange lump on his face. It turned out to be an infection. Everything I read said lance the infection, drain it, and give antibiotics. Ron's doctor kept sending him for imaging studies and blood work, and flatly refused to lance the abscess even when it started draining green pus.

When she saw that, she gave him a prescription for Bactrim. Ron took it dutifully for about a week, then came in for a follow-up. She said she wanted to give Ron a penicillin shot. She acted as though it carried some danger, but Ron assumed if she wanted it then it was a good idea. Frankly, we were very sick of coming in to the doctor and just wanted him better.

I wanted to use a hot compress (we were later told by a facial doctor that would have worked), but Ron refused. He was going to do it Doctor's way.

He got the shot. A few hours later he was in such pain he had to go to the ER. It turns out, on study, that giving penicillin with Bactrim can cause an allergic reaction to Bactrim. That's exactly what happened.

A lot of pain for both of us, back then. Ron developed debilitating neuropathy. I will never forget the look on his face when he said he needed to start using the wheelchair at work. His feet were too painful to stand. Would I mind? MIND? Awful. He kept going back to the doctor, she said he was diabetic (ever since then his sugars have tested fine). She kept acting like it was HIS fault he got sick She seemed angry.

I can understand, in my own case, why she was uncomfortable with me. Back in 2006 I had gone to her for antidepressants. I listed all my symptoms, which I realize now scared the crap out of everyone involved in my case. She felt I had to be forcibly hospitalized. Her boss disagreed and sent me to the ER for an evaluation. I wasn't going to hurt myself; they let me go home. That's how I discovered I was bipolar.

I think everytime she saw me, she saw that list of scary symptoms like "Hearing voices". I can see why she felt awkward in my presence.

But I have a hard time forgiving her for acting so angry with Ron, who simply did everything she asked. She was probably feeling defensive. Here's a bright, vibrant, active guy, and you've turned him into an invalid. Way to go, Doc.

Ron found a neurologist who prescribed his Neurontin. He takes that and things are better. I doubt he will ever get back to where he was; but he isn't hurting like he was.

When Ron went back to the practice (me? I ran like hell and found another doctor, a great guy who did wonders with the Horrible Hives last year.), I was dreading seeing her again. Especially since the visit would entail detailed descriptions of Ron's neuropathy.

"Oh, she left the practice 2 years ago". Right after all the Ron drama. I wonder if they forced her out. I hope and pray she is a better doctor now.

Yesterday, we saw someone else.