[tps_title]Bites filled with pus and began to pop[/tps_title]
A. And I wanted to show where these bites had began to pop and they were filled with pus.
Q. And that’s the same — the 15th?
A. Yes. All on the 15th.
Q. Okay. And then we have another one which looks to be your right arm.
A. Left arm.
Q. The left arm, okay.
A. That’s my left arm. These are also the bites that got the worst as well. These are the ones that filled with fluid.
Q. And this is your back?
A. Yes. This is my back, on the left side of my back.
Q. And this is the back of your neck?
A. Yes. This is the back of my neck, right in the nape area.
Q. This is the back of your right arm?
A. Yes, back of my — this is one back where it also burst.
Q. And this is your left arm?
A. Yes. These also burst.
Q. And this is your left shoulder?
A. Yes. And this is one that also burst.
Q. Did you take these pictures or did you have help?
A. My mom took the pictures for me.
Q. Okay. But you took them all on the same date, on the 15th?
A. All on the same date.
Q. Okay.
A. It’s actually locked into my iPhone, if you want to see that as well.
Q. Okay. So after you went to the doctor, filled the prescription, you said at some point the — they don’t necessarily go away because some of them you said scarred, but —
A. Yeah.
Q. — they did start to diminish in size; is that correct?
A. Yes.
Q. And the cream that you’re using, is it also alleviating some of the itching and that sort of feeling?
A. Yes.
Q. And how often would you take the cream?
A. At that point, I over-medicated myself. I would take it in the morning, between —
Q. Would you apply it, I should say.
A. I would apply it when I would get up in the morning around 7 o’clock. I applied it again at 9 o’clock. I applied again around lunchtime. I applied again around 2:00. I applied again around 5:00. And I applied again around 9:00. And then if I’d wake up in the middle of the night. But it worked for me doing it that way.
Q. Okay. Were you supposed to take it a certain time or — I know it was a two-week prescription, but were you supposed to take it twice a day, three times, or it was as needed?
A. I think it was a as needed.
Q. Okay. And when would you say you started to see some of them start to diminish in size?
A. In the beginning of November.
Q. Okay. So when you saw the doctor on the 29th and he didn’t make another prescription for it, was that because they were still — why wouldn’t he make you another prescription for that?
A. Because I was satisfied with the cream.
Q. Okay.
A. He wanted to give me injections if I needed it.
Q. Okay.
A. And I told him no, I was satisfied with the cream.
Q. Okay. And at that point he discharges you, says follow up as needed; correct?
A. That’s correct.
Q. And you don’t go back to him for this particular treatment?
A. No —
Q. — I mean for this particular issue?
A. No. I then go to the VA Medical Center, you know, they wouldn’t pay for me to go to him.
Q. Okay. So Dr. Biririan, he’s your personal physician, not through the VA?
A. Right. He’s called — it’s called out of network.
Q. Okay. So when you go to him, I assume you have to pay for him yourself is what you’re saying?
A. No. It’s through Obamacare, because I’m a veteran.
Q. Okay. So you’re eligible to go to Dr. Biririan through Obamacare?
A. That’s correct.
Q. But at some point you have to stop?
A. Yes. The VA — even though I’m through the Obamacare, because I’m a veteran, the VA oversees every medical procedure regardless of that because I am a veteran.
Q. Okay. So at some point did you call Dr. Biririan’s office to get another appointment and you were denied? What happened?
A. Yes. I called to get another visit because I started some swelling at November, October.
Q. Okay.
A. I started some swelling.
Q. And that would be of 2014?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay. And where was the swelling?
A. It was my ankle and foot. To be specific, of the left ankle and foot.
Q. Okay. And why don’t you have any pictures of your ankle or foot in those particular —
A. I took — I sent videos of that.
Q. Okay. But initially —
A. No, initially — because my body was the worst, the foot only had maybe five or six bites, the body was so covered massively with that, I didn’t focus on the feet.
Q. Okay.
A. The body had 42, 45 bites all over. The foot basically just itched.
Q. Okay.
A. So I focused on what was the worst.
Q. Okay. And you said the left ankle and foot; correct?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay. And that’s the same ankle and foot area that you had previously fractured; correct?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay. And these initial pictures that you took on the 15th don’t have any feet or ankle pictures —
A. No.
Q. — on them mainly because at that point they weren’t really bothering you?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay. And when did you first try to go back to see Dr. Biririan?
A. November.
Q. Okay. And that was related to, this time, your ankle and your foot?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Of your left side?
A. That’s correct.
Q. And it was denied by the VA?
A. That’s correct.
Q. So what did you do at that point?
A. Nothing.
Q. Okay.
A. I continued to apply the cream until I used it — used it up, almost used it up.
Q. So you said the ankle and the foot began hurting in October or November?
A. Uh-huh. That’s correct.
Q. And what’s the symptom that you’re feeling at that point?
A. The same itchiness and the swelling to a point where I couldn’t get my shoes on.
Q. Okay. And at that point are you — is it safe to say that the arm, the back of the neck, the body, that swelling has gone down?
A. That’s healing.
Q. Okay.
A. That’s correct.
Q. So while the body and the other parts are healing, the foot and the ankle is now starting to manifest itself; is that fair to say?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay. Were you using the cream initially on your foot and your ankle as well as your body?
A. That’s correct.
Q. So during that period in September — after the September 15th visit with the doctor, you were using the cream on your ankle and foot as well?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay. Describe how you learned the — your attempt to go get additional treatment was denied.
A. Dr. Biririan, when he submits his paperwork, however he submits his paperwork, it goes through the VA some type of way, I’m not a part of that as the patient, the veteran, and it comes back that I’m not authorized to treat you, the VA wants you to come there to see them.
Q. Okay. So did he actually treat you and then it went — they said he’s not authorized, or these two visits he treated you and then it was bounced back to the VA?
A. Exactly.
Q. So when you tried to go back in November, I think is what you said —
A. That’s correct.
Q. — he had already learned that those prior two treatments were not accepted by the VA?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay.
A. He seen me pro bono to make — he wanted to make sure he took care of at least the initial problem.
Q. Okay.
A. So he did see that. I don’t know how he worked that out. But he seen me on his own. I don’t know how he wrote it off.
Q. When you say “on his own,” that was the 29th and the —
A. Yes.
Q. That was the 15th and the 29th of September —
A. That’s correct.
Q. — of 2014?
A. That’s correct.
Q. But any additional treatment, he wasn’t going to be able to see you?
A. Exactly.
Q. So when did you first present at the VA?
A. In November.
Q. Okay. And I assume these are in the records as well?
A. They wouldn’t see me until March.
Q. Okay. So when you called in I guess November of 2014 to make an appointment, I assume — what happened? Just describe what happened.
A. In November, end of November, I called the VA to make an appointment in reference to my feet swelling. I was given a call back from — I don’t know who it was, it wasn’t my primary care, saying that it could be something because my left foot was — they see my left foot was sprained back some years ago, it could be something exacerbated.
Q. Okay.
A. I told them no, it was already seen — I was already seen by Dr. Biririan and he says because bedbug bites.
Q. Okay.
A. The VA denied instead — because of the bedbugs, they said it had to be because of the sprain, and so they would call in to get me a brace. So they called in, and had to go to the VA and I would pick up a brace.
Q. Okay.
A. They didn’t see me until March.
Q. So they called in a brace prior to seeing you?
A. Yes.
Q. How did they know about a sprain?
A. Well, because their records already show they treated the sprain — not the sprain, the fracture that I had, they did the cast for me, so all that was in the record.
Q. Okay.
A. They told me to try the brace first, and if it didn’t work out then I’d make an appointment.
Q. So in between November of 2014 and March of 2015, your only contact with medical — any sort of medical treatment is through the phone with the VA?
A. That’s correct.
Q. And then as a result of the phone contact with them, they send you — or they tell you to get a brace for your ankle?
A. That’s correct.
Q. And did you get the brace?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. And what happened at that point? When did you get the brace?
A. About end of February.
Q. Okay. And did you use the brace?
A. Yes.
Q. And what were you finding from the brace?
A. The swelling got worse. And then at that point is when the right foot also began to swell. That’s why they was willing to make an appointment with me.
Q. Okay. So the right foot started swelling at some point in February?
A. February, that’s correct.
Q. Of 2015?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Okay. And you get an appointment in March?
A. That’s correct.
Q. And I’m just trying to find the March records.
A. I should have them back there somewhere.
Q. Okay. I have an April 2nd, 2015.
A. Oh. Oh. That’s what it is?
Q. Okay. Here’s a March 24.
A. There you go. That’s a old one — and what doctor does it say — well, as long as it was March, that’s — I knew it was March, yeah.
Q. Primary care note, March.
A. Okay.
Q. And it says here — so at this point you — at this point, both of your ankles are swelling; is that what you’re saying?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Is it your ankles or your feet that are swollen?
A. Both. That’s why I make sure it’s stressed, it’s the ankle and the foot.
Q. Okay.
A. So it’s around the ankle and the foot. That’s why at first they said it had to be from the fracture, because they would not even pay attention to that.
Q. Do you recall asking for physical therapy or anything over this?
A. No, I didn’t ask anything. I didn’t know what to do.
Q. Okay.