[tps_title]Taking the antibiotics twice a day[/tps_title]
Q. How often were you taking the antibiotics?
A. Twice a day.
Q. For how many days a week?
A. Twice a day, seven, eight, nine days a week. Nine days straight.
Q. For how long?
A. About nine days. Nine —
Q. So for about nine days, twice a day, straight —
A. Uh-huh. Straight.
Q. — you took the antibiotics —
A. Antibiotics.
Q. — and you still have some left?
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. And you stopped taking it because?
A. The swelling stopped.
Q. Because the swelling stopped. Even though you said the swelling stopped in December?
A. That’s correct.
Q. But you stopped taking it in November?
A. Stopped end of November, right.
Q. So had the swelling stopped in November or December?
A. Well, I began to see, you know, a change, you know, within —
Q. Okay.
A. I mean, it’s not just stop like one day. I began to see the swelling decrease.
Q. Okay.
A. So within the five to nine date, I seen the swelling decrease. So after ninth day, I seen the swelling decrease we’ll say at the end of November. So once I seen it decrease to a point where we’re down to where I could put my shoe on, I stopped it, because I was on the cream and antibiotic, I stopped it. If it would have came back, I would have started back. December came around, it still didn’t swell. So when I stopped it — I continued to stop it. Second week of December, so nothing happened, so then I stopped it all together.
Q. And today you’re still not swelling?
A. No, I don’t, not at all.
Q. When did you stop using the Ace bandages and all of that that Dr. McRudin had given you as well?
A. I was using it during the swelling, so it had to be November. I was using it back and forth. So even though the swelling stopped, I used it just because it’s a crutch, I think, at that point. So the swelling was down, but I still wanted to kind of get balance on my ankle.
Q. Okay.
A. So the swelling was down, but I was still in the Ace bandages around December, couple of weeks in December maybe, back and forth every couple of days.
Q. Okay.
A. Not every day. When I felt like I was walking and my ankle felt kind of weak, I would put the Ace bandage on.
Q. What about the boot, the shoe?
A. Not on any of that at all, no.
Q. Okay. Even from the beginning when they first prescribed it for you?
A. Oh, yeah. Had to wear it. I couldn’t wear any shoes.
Q. Okay. When did you stop using the shoe, the boot?
A. I don’t know the exact time of that.
Q. Okay. But after that, you continued using the bandage?
A. Yes.
Q. And it’s fair to say you used the bandage during the period of time where you were taking the antibiotic and the cream?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay. In terms of the emotional issues that you described having as a result of this, did you see any physicians for treatment for that?
A. I seen my psychiatrist at the VA, because the VA was not treating me correctly, I felt. So I just started seeing my doctor, Dr. Jolie, J-O-L-I-E.
Q. Okay.
A. And I told her that they weren’t treating me properly as far as my examination and things of that nature.
Q. Okay. Were you seeing her specifically for the issues related to the bites?
A. I was seeing her for treatment —
Q. Was it for frustration?
A. For treatment — yes, frustration, the way that I was being treated as far as treatment, what the VA was not doing, all of that.
Q. Okay.
A. I just went to see her because I had gotten anxiety at that point. And I was given a prescription for Diazepam for antianxiety.
Q. Are you still taking the medication?
A. No.
Q. How many occasions did you see Dr. Jolie for the anxieties related to the treatment from the VA?
A. Once every two months, with my last visit being two weeks ago, something like that. Yeah.
Q. Are you saying that her treatment is related to the bites or related to frustration from —
A. Well, it’s related — it’s all this with the bites.
Q. Okay.
A. So the treatments — the way I’m being treated for the bites, when the VA was treating me for the bites, all of that became frustrating to me.
Q. Are you able to obtain those records?
A. Dr. Jolie?
Q. Yes.
A. Sure.
Q. Okay. But you’ve been discharged? You said the last visit was two weeks ago?
A. Yes.
Q. So you don’t have any more visits with Dr. Jolie?
A. She says she wants me to follow up to make sure everything is okay.
Q. Okay.
A. My last I had an appointment with her was December 28th.
Q. Okay. And do you have any other upcoming medical or — appointments related to any of this coming up?
A. I’m going to meet with Dr. Jolie just to give her an update on the 25th about, you know, my foot and all of that. February 25th, I’m sorry.
Q. That’s your next appointment?
A. Uh-huh. My psychologist.
Q. Okay. Let’s see. Are you back to being able to fulfill your duties as a chaplain?
A. Not yet, no.
Q. Okay. When do you think you’ll be able to go back to do that?
A. I’m going to wait a little while to make sure that I’m okay, because it’s only been a month, December, so I don’t want to commit to anything.
Q. Would that be similarly with your education, getting the master’s Ph.D.?
A. Yes, because it — I can’t — I have to do more walking. So right now I’m doing a lot of sitting. So I really don’t know until I start walking, see if I get irritated by that. So I haven’t done any of that.
Q. Okay. How did you travel down here for this deposition?
A. I drove down here. Uh-huh.
Q. Okay. And did you drive yourself or —
A. Yes.
Q. — did someone else —
A. I drove myself.
Q. Okay. At the time of this incident, you were not employed; is that correct?
A. No.
Q. Okay. And you’ve never been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor —
A. No, sir.
Q. — involving lying, cheating or stealing?
A. No.
MS. HARBER: I think that’s all of the questions I have. You have the ability, and this took a little bit longer than I anticipated it to be, but you have the ability to read a copy of the transcript before it’s certified. Would you like to read it or would you waive the reading? I can’t advise you one way or another, but I just want to let you know that you have the ability to make arrangements with the court reporter to read the transcript before it’s certified.
THE WITNESS: No, I don’t need to do that.
MS. HARBER: So she’ll waive.
(Deposition Exhibit 2 marked for identification.)
– – –
(Deposition concluded, 1:41 p.m.)
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