how a deaf fluteplayer gets to hear again

[kkrell]

Do you have any right to a 2nd medical opinion? Is there a public health consultant that can advocate for you? Are you in a position to sue, and/or have a lawyer advocate for you?

Alternatively, is there some way you can be really, really annoying to the hospital and affect its public image (short of being jailed or sued yourself)? Make with the squeaky wheel. You now aren't just setting a goal, you're on a mission.

[Berti66]

kevin, given the fact that this was the SIXTH hospital don't you think I had UMPTEEN opinions.
there is no consumer health advocate so that's off.
if I wanted a lawyer I would need specialized one and also, I would need proof and there is little (I think not enough)
if I could afford then which of the six hospitals (and soon seven) should I sue?

I have no energy to be annoying to anyone anymore. I heard suggestions about going to the papers and do my story there but then again, who am I.
its the voice of the hospital against me.

I wish advanced bionics would finally stand up to me but according to them (two months ago) they are not in a position to tell hospitals to do the surgery on me.
I myself think differently because, AB is the company doing the delivery of hte implants, and no implants then no money for the hospital.......but that would go too far would it not.

[HDSarah]

[Berti66]

next morning, I got an email from my contact person Fanny Scherf who works for AB.
She was PISSED OFF!!! and totally did not understand why they refused to help me and with the reasons they gave me.
she literally said in her email THAT EVEN AB ADMITS THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE IMPLANT and therefore gives *renewed* warrantee for replacement (which is quite something)
she is going to phone the hospital and ask them herself, she wants to KNOW.
I will hear back later today.
stay tooned!

[Alan]

Hope springs eternal!

[Innocent Bystander]

That sounds a little more rational. It takes an awful time for bureaucracies to join up the dots, and when you rush them, they just slow down or freeze.

[Berti66]

things get worse so fast, that I barely can wear the processor anymore.
when I do, the entire right side of my skull and face feel like under electricity....and start hurting, get a very sick feeling and nausea.

I have looked into lawyers, it turns out the kind (sorry, cannot find the english term) that handles effects after traffic accidents and such, also does medical faults/ hospital stuff.
They will not charge me a thing, but the other party will have to pay up.
Sent them an email and should get a reply within days.
If anyone has ever dealt with such a lawyer and has tips, that would be greatly appreciated.

I have also sent Fanny (from AB) several emails by now and it should be clear how desperate I am and that I am on the verge of collapsing ......I also consider talking to a psychologist to have him make up a report about how I am (not) coping with all this crap.

other suggestions welcome.
oh and if it wasn't enough yet, I am now without a GP because she simply wasn't going to help me with what has been going on now so long, we ended splitting up and turned out they had formed a cartel so I cannot get another GP that easily in this stupid town. Have already filed a complaint against them.

[Innocent Bystander]

That's interesting. In the UK the British Medical Association would be the people to complain to about the cartel. Doctors tend to close ranks, but the BMA do investigate situations like this. There must be some equivalent in the Netherlands.

I see a lot of advertisements for Compensation lawyers, here in the UK. I've heard stories about people being stung for hideous legal bills when their compensation claim wasn't withheld, despite all the noise about "No claim, no fee". I know you are in an awful situation, but please be careful.

[kkrell]

IN the U.S. they seem to be known as "Personal Injury" attorneys. There are also other instances in which an attorney will work on a contingency basis, and take their fee (and expenses) only upon a successful conclusion of the case. A common fee percentage is 30-40% of the value of any award. Depending on the strength of the case, I think the bias of the attorney is to define "success" as obtaining a settlement without coming to trial (since those costs are much higher and involve much more of the litigator's time and resources). This can result in a less significant financial reward than you might consider fair recompense for your time and effort.

I had gone through this sort of activity for the last 5 years (parts of it for over 20 years) in a landlord-tenant dispute ("the largest single-day eviction lockout in Los Angeles’s history") and don't recommend the process to anyone.

Not to hijack Berti's thread, but info for the curious here:

THE MASS EVICTIONS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UngEHGXlHb0

LINCOLN PLACE LIVES!
http://freevenicebeachhead.wordpress.co ... ace-lives/

THE SETTLEMENT
http://www.smmirror.com/?ajax#mode=single&view=30659

PICS BEFORE THE REBUILDING
http://sitonthefloor.wordpress.com/2010 ... partments/

PLANNING THE REBUILDING
http://www.buildingtradesnews.com/index ... &Itemid=77

[Berti66]

kevin you you mean you don't recommend me to do what I am planning or do you mean not letting it come to trial?

[anniemcu]

I''m with IB on the 'be careful' bit... the 'no charge' thing is usually a come-on. Read the fine print, ask for clarification, etc. It's often that there will be no charge to you *if* you win any case they bring... but if you do not win, and therefore they cannot take a chunk of it as their fee, they can still charge you.

[Berti66]

Whew, has it really been two months almost, since my last post and DO I have some things to tell.
As the year is about the end, things are drawing to a close..............

After the last disaster in that hospital who refused to help me without giving reasons, I called in help from Advanced Bionics by just writing them the story.
The CEO of Europe got so fed up he asked someone working for them in netherlands, to talk to my original surgeon who now works in a different hospital.
I didn't know that, but because I got so desperate after that all, I did make an urgency appt with an ear specialist in the town hospital here.
Told part of the story and next thing I knew he actually picked up the phone to make a call to that very same doc.
I was told to get home, and would my daughter get a phone call the same afternoon after the doc had called back.
Ok so I did and BY JOVE, he did call back to tell me the NEXT day I had an appointment in that other hospital!!

I went.....met a very nice student doc,who actually listened and not only that, she really showed she cared. She also clearly was instructed to consult my own doc who is now head of department.
Suddenly I heard her talk about SURGERY DATE ASAP.
Had to return next week for pre p checks and talk to surgeon (not mine).
Didn't really click with that one because he wasn't listening etc but despite that I got a surgery date for december 8th ....THEN got a letter from that doc I didn't like, saying he wanted to talk to me as he wasn't happy with what I had reported about him....

Last week, I went to my own doc and we talked, was nice and he sure had to explain me why they spoke about an partial replacement of the implant instead of fully. It turned out the last doc had not been communicating too well.
They mean to take the spool/ magnet part out and leave the electrodes in place because otherwise, everything would grow closed and would it NEVER be possible anymore to implant a new one if they waited.

Fact is AB is having problems with two of 28000 implants and did a worldwide recall, meaning all surgeries for this brand have been cancelled.
So the docs decide on the following. They are going to do the surgery in two parts. First take out the implant part and as soon as AB gives green light (hopefully next month!!!) take out the old electrodes and place a complete new implant.
This way, they can take a good look at the inside to see whats up there, and give my body a rest period.

Of course I am not too happy to have to face TWO times surgery but at least now something is being done because AB is on top of them (which is really good to know).
This means that by february/ march 2011 we will know whether it works and without pain this time.

Saillant detail: the problems AB is experiencing with their implants, is that of those two the sound is TOO LOUD, something I have also been experiencing since last year. My implant will also be sent to the USA lab to be tested. Because it comes out in two parts, they cannot perform all the tests but it was the best option to help me as soon as they could.

Meanwhile my fully restored Keith Prowse has arrived home last week and I am totally over the moon with it. It pains me to have no sound for a few months but will nonetheless try to keep playing at least with the help of an hearing aid in the left ear (right ear is implanted ear). It won't be the same but better than nothing and will pull me through everything and keep me motivated for what is going to come........

I am leaving for hospital on tuesday morning 7th and will have computer access aside my bed so will try to update this tread when possible.

[mutepointe]

Please let everything be successful this time. You deserve it.

[Jayhawk]

Berti - we're pulling for you and will keep you in our thoughts and prayers (as well as crossing our fingers...which will make playing just a bit harder ).

While 2 operations will be less fun than one, it sounds like you're finally going to get the help you need so you can get a working implant again!

Eric

[Denny]

'bout time!