[tps_title]She told them bed bugs compromised her immune system[/tps_title]
A. So they should have — because maybe they could have found out what it was. Because I told them it was bedbugs. I told them my immune system was compromised, the other doctor had told me that. Had they just done the blood work supposed to, because Dr. Biririan could not do it, maybe they would have found something.
Q. Okay.
A. So at that point, yeah, I refused.
Q. Okay. But you’re aware that when you went to the doctor each of those times and they did your vitals, they did your blood pressure, your —
A. Right. That’s called the level one. That’s the basic level, which I didn’t know that even exist — it’s a level one.
Q. Okay. Even if those are normal, they’re supposed still to do a level two is what you’re saying?
A. Exactly.
Q. Okay. Because your vitals were normal in terms of your temperature and things of that nature?
A. Right. Yes.
Q. Okay. So you don’t do anything between April 30th and going to rheumatology other than deny more care — what’s the issue?
A. When the swelling happens, I still have a little bit of the cream left, so I just dip into that, and that cream, whatever that cream — I forgot the name of it, it takes care of it for a week or so, and so I just balance my life with that until I can find someone to do what Dr. Biririan did for me.
Q. When you say the cream takes care of it for about a week or so, what do you mean? Are you taking it throughout the day for a week, or you take it one day and it lasts a week?
A. I take it one day and it would last. Like, I take it in the morning —
Q. Okay.
A. — it will last throughout the day. And if I see it sort of swelling up by the end of the night,
I take it before I go to bed.
Q. Okay.
A. I mean I wipe it — I mean I apply it.
Q. Okay.
A. Some days I use it and it would go away for three days. And so I just wouldn’t take anything since it’s gone for three days. And so I was back and forth with that.
Q. During those three days when it would be better, are you still using the brace and the bandage?
A. I’m using the Ace bandage.
Q. So you’re using that at all times?
A. At all times.
Q. Okay. And so you would take that medication once, it would feel better sometimes three days; you would take it maybe twice, it would feel better a couple more days. So you didn’t have to take it as frequently when you were in —
A. No, I figured — in my own psychology, I figured my body probably got used to it or the pores got used to it, whatever may have happened. But it worked for me.
Q. Okay.
A. So once I found I didn’t have to apply it eight times a day, at that point only required three times and the swelling would go down.
Q. Okay.
A. And so I just did my own applying the cream, wearing the Ace bandage.
Q. Okay.
A. And that’s what I continued to do.
Q. And then you show up at podiatry again on June 4th. And it says here patient relates a hundred percent improvement to her symptoms and she has taken a PCN. Do you recall what PCN was?
A. No.
Q. Okay. I’m assuming that’s a medication. 12 A. June 2015?
Q. June 4th of 2015. So are you disagreeing with the hundred percent improvement in your symptoms?
A. At that time it could have been.
Q. Okay.
A. Because I had the upswing.
Q. Okay.
A. So yes, it could have been. There were days where there was no swelling —
Q. Okay.
A. — and there was — you know, there was no problem with me walking, and then it would flare up. But Dr. Biririan had told me when I go to the VA, let them know when the immune system is compromised it could flare up unless they take care of the initial problem.
Q. Okay.
A. Which he was going to do.
Q. Now, it says here that you started taking PCN 500 milligrams. Do you recall taking the PCN —
A. Oh, that’s probably a type of antibiotic.
Q. Okay. So you were taking an antibiotic at that point?
A. Yes. That probably was a type — I’m not sure, but I think that’s what that is.
Q. Okay. And then your swelling went down tremendously; is that correct?
A. That’s correct. That’s correct.
Q. And that’s by June 4th of 2015?
A. That’s correct. That’s correct.
Q. And at this point your vital signs are normal; no open lesions again; no discoloration of your left foot. And the orthopedic evaluation notes again something called a sinus tarsi of the left foot noted, pes planus deformity noted, and then the pain in your ankle, and HAV of the left hallux. So again, they’re not noting anything about the bedbugs; is that correct?
A. That’s correct.
Q. And you are to continue with the supportive shoes and go to rheumatology on the 19th of June, and to wear the ankle sleeve; is that correct?
A. That’s correct.
Q. And on the 19th is when you go to rheumatology for the first time; correct?
A. I’m not sure of the date, but if it’s there, then that’s correct.
Q. Yes. And it seems like you were examined by a Dr. Roy, Ranjan Roy. Does that sound familiar?
A. Yes. I think he’s the head of rheumatology, if I’m not mistaken, my memory.
Q. Okay. And it seems like he goes through a lot of your sort of medical history, indicates you’re a 53-year-old with PTSD, right rotator cuff tear which had a repair, chronic low back pain, given ECI with relief, on June 14th had a right-sided headache, visual blurring, was seen in the VA, given prednisone. Does that sound familiar at some point in 23 2014?
A. Actually, I had symptoms of aneurysm, and the VA turned me down.
Q. That was back before this incident, I’m assuming?
A. Yes. Uh-huh.
Q. Okay. You had some sort of artery biopsy. Do you recall that?
A. That was my right temple?
Q. Yes.
A. Yes. Another hospital took me in, because I passed out.
Q. Good Samaritan Hospital?
A. Yes. They had to cut into my right temple lobe to do a biopsy, because the VA turned me down.
Q. Okay. And then had no other sort of reoccurrence?
A. No.
Q. And then you have a note that on 9/14 had an insect bite. And then you developed foot swelling, according to your history. And then you had other — it seems like you had other examinations which came back negative, one of them called the venous Doppler, and that you had taken some leftover amoxicillin. Do you recall doing that?
A. Yeah. That’s antibiotic.
Q. Okay. And left over from what?
A. From when I had an infection way back when.
Q. Okay.
A. I don’t know how long ago that was. I don’t know if — no, Dr. Biririan did not give it to me. I don’t know when — I can’t recall when that happened.
Q. Okay. And again, this was focusing on your left ankle. So by now has the right ankle resolved itself?
A. No.
Q. Okay. So you’re still having issues with your right, but they’re not — what are you saying to them about the right ankle?
A. With the VA — again, Dr. Biririan — let me say this to you. Dr. Biririan looks at both and examines both, that’s why I wanted to stay with him. With the VA, they’re — to me, what they’re doing is they look at what is prevalent. They don’t — if it’s minor, they’re not going to pay attention. If they have some kind of history with it, they’ll focus on it.
Q. Okay.
A. And — which is not the right thing. So they have obviously in the past — they have done that before. That’s just the way they focus. If there’s not any history with it, they don’t focus on that.
Q. Okay.
A. So it’s not like I’m the first one. Since the left ankle had such history and fractures, they focused on that.
Q. Okay.
A. So that was the frustrating thing with them.