September 21,1996, riding in the "Trail of Tears" a car pulled out and hit the Harley I was riding on. On call was the orthopedic "Doctor" James O'Brian. I knew nothing about him. I presented with a compound fracture of the right femur. I was taken into surgery after laying in the ER for several hours waiting on him to arrive. After the surgery, I was in the hospital for 5 days, during which I never had a bandage change, a bath or help of any kind from the nursing staff or the doctor. I had torn ligaments and tendons in my left foot, so I was unable to walk at all. The hospital was located in Tuscumbia, AL, Helen Keller Hospital. When released from the hospital and finding myself in extreme pain, I called Dr. O'Brian's office to find he had left town on a vacation. I had to find an associate to attempt to get something to relieve my pain. Later, he removed the staples and argued with me that I was doing fine despite the fact that my knee was red, swollen, hot to the touch and locked so that I could not bend it beyond a 45 degree angle. After being released to go back to work, I tried to go on as though everything was ok. I was a Hair Stylist, on my feet all day and in major agony. Finally, I went to Birmingham 6 months later to see an Orthopedic Surgeon there. He looked at my leg and announced it was infected. I was scheduled for surgery immediately and afterward found out Dr. O'Brian had failed to properly debrided the knee, leaving 17 foreign objects, such as rocks, dirt, grass, etc in the femur as well as the end of the bone floating. As a result, I had two bone infections, one being Psuedomonis and the other being osteomyelitis. I was on 1500 mg of Cipro for months. I now have to deal with Chronic Osteomyelitis... A very painful condition that has changed my entire life. I was once an active outgoing social person... I now am a crippled, depressed woman living in constant pain. He is no longer allowed to practice in either hospital in the Quad cities area... He moved to Athens, Alabama, then I heard Center Star, Alabama... I don't know if he is still there. I do know I have met many people he has butchered besides myself. Why is he still being allowed to practice medicine??? I also learned despite his obvious and I found... Well known incompetence, other doctors stick together and I could not, unfortunately sue him for malpractice without their cooperation. Fair? Not in my opinion.
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