I’m doing better. I’m exercising most days, feeling stronger, eating right and still losing weight – although not as fast as before. Mostly, I’m feeling good. I’m down more than 80 pounds.
Sounds great, I know, and I’d be a happy guy if it weren’t for the abdominal pain and a surgical wound that’s still open and draining. (Gross. Sorry.) Storm clouds are brewing; I might need another operation. Ugh.
It turns out I probably have a significant surgical complication that my original surgeon, and a bunch of radiologists, completely missed. It’s a surgical error, a small tear in my abdomen called a fistula that has kept me from fully healing for months. It’s obvious on the scans, even to a non-doctor like myself. Fluid is leaking where it’s not supposed to.
The fistula is the latest in a string of complications going back to my original surgery on May 10. I’m ready to get past all this crap and move on with my new, thinner life. But I’m in limbo. I can’t look for a job, because I’m not really able to work. I’m still taking pain pills, which I hate.
It’s not clear yet how serious the fistula really is. It may actually have healed a bit on its own, or it may still be leaking. I’ll need further testing for that.
Honestly, I’m not angry about the error itself. Mistakes and complications happen, and there’s really no one to blame. That’s the risk in surgery. It’s frustrating that the error was missed, for months, not only by the surgeon, but by multiple radiologists reviewing dozens CAT scans, MRIs and other tests. They’ve cost me more time.
Frankly, the doctors were as disturbed as me by complication after complication. But instead of harnessing all of their strength and powers to cure me, they stepped away. They moved on to other, less complicated patients, whose problems they could fix quickly, and with less effort. They were tired of dealing with me
I’ve moved on too. I’ve got a new surgeon at a new hospital, and I’ve asked my amazing primary care physician to take a more active role in coordinating my care. I’m hopeful that the worst is behind me.
Honestly, it’s hard to complain. I’m not dead, and I very well could have been. I fought my way back from complication after complication. I’ve lost a lot of weight. Now I just want to get on with my life.
Big Fat Mike 
“…instead of harnessing all of their strength and powers to cure me, they stepped away. They moved on to other, less complicated patients, whose problems they could fix quickly, and with less effort. They were tired of dealing with me.”
They’ve moved on because they fear a lawsuit. And, if I were you, I’d pursue one. Find a great personal injury lawyer. Best wishes with your new team as well!
No, Sally, no lawsuits. Life is too short and I’m not a litigious guy. I need to get this fixed and go on. It was a mistake, but it wasn’t malicious and he didn’t try to hide it. I really don’t believe he feared a lawsuit. I think he’s a good guy with a very narrow interest – cutting. Once the problem became more complicated, he just couldn’t muster the focus to solve it, particularly after everything else that I had been through. So it made sense for me to move on, from both our perspectives.