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5/12/2009

I would like to file a complaint regarding my visit to the Pain Clinic the afternoon of 5/12/2009.  I would also like to ask that Dr. Mark Wilson be given a copy of this complaint because he knows me and can get my chart and find out what the nurse practitioner, D' Ann Somerall CRNP is doing in giving or with me the case is that she would not give me my prescriptions on 5/12/2009 and accused me of several things such as not realizing how strong the medications I take are, taking more of the medication than what is prescribed and trying to get refills too soon, lying about the dates I had been in the Pain Clinic for the past several months or that someone might be stealing my medication which I know no one has been stealing my medication and I have not been over dosing or trying to get my prescriptions early.  I got my Blue Card back in October of 2005 because my husband had to retire from his job as a police officer due to silicosis disease he acquired while he was employed at ACIPCO for ten years and we lost our health insurance and I had no money to continue medical care at the Kirklin Clinic and I had no money to purchase my medication which was approximately $600.00 per month just for my medication.  Since 11/2005, I have went to the Pain Clinic, given urine for their testing and never had a problem until today (5/12/2009), when “I had the pleasure” (totally sarcastic remark) of being sent to talk to this nurse practitioner who I have never seen during the almost 5 years that I have been coming there. Anyway, this is what happened today.  I called the clinic on the evening of 5/7/2009 and left a message that I needed refill prescriptions for Percocet, MS Contin, Robaxin and Prozac and that I would need to pick them up on 5/12/2009.  I signed in to pick-up my prescriptions.  I arrived at the clinic around 2:30 P.M.  I sat in the waiting room 30 minutes and there was no other people sitting out there.  I sat there a little longer and finally asked the lady at the sign-in window if there was a problem with me getting my prescriptions.  She called someone in the room where you get a cup, go get your urine sample, take it back to that room and sign in a book verifying that you have received your prescriptions.  The lady handed me the prescriptions and I noticed there were only three prescriptions and I had called in four and looking at the prescriptions I asked her what happened to my prescription for Percocet.  She goes and asks Ms. Somerall about my Percocet and everything went downhill from there.  She said I should not have been given any medications because I was there before my medicine was to be filled and she ripped off  the prescription they had given me for MS Contin.  I had already signed the book saying I received MS Contin.  She said I could keep the prescriptions for Robaxin and Prozac.  I showed her my empty bottles from the pharmacy purchase I made in April, 2009 and told her she could contact Plaza Discount Apothecary at 205-674-0680 and they could verify when my prescriptions were filled and would probably fax her a copy of the prescriptions that the Pain Clinic had given me.  She said my bottles meant nothing to her and that if my pharmacist filled my prescriptions on 4/17/2009 that he could be reported to DEA for filling narcotics before the time they were supposed to be filled.  They said that I had been to the clinic two times in April.  The first time was 4/12/2009 and again on 4/22/2009.  I don't think I have ever been to the pain clinic two times in one month especially in 4/2009.  After all her accusations and not counting my empty bottles or even trying to listen to me or contact my pharmacist, she said she would give me a prescription for four days of Percocet and that when she gave me that prescription I would have to sign a form stating that I had violated the rules of the pain clinic and was non-compliant.  But then, she said she would not give me the prescription for MS Contin. I had already signed the book saying I had received that presciption.  She said that I would have to come back on Friday (5/15/2009) at 1:00 P.M. to get my Percocet and MS Contin prescriptions.  I did not take the prescription for four days of Percocet because I have not violated any rules and I want to make sure that it is noted in their book that I did not get the prescription for MS Contin today, 5/12/2009 (I really doubt they made any notation of this fact).  Their rule is that you have to call them three days before you need your prescriptions so the doctor will have time to get them ready.  So, now they only give you a 28 day prescription for narcotics.  When I call them, the day I walk into that clinic I am out of medicine so I start my counting 28 days beginning with the day I get my prescriptions because I leave there, go straight to the pharmacy and take my medications beginning with that day.  I know you probably think this is just a bunch of dribble but I want someone to investigate me through the pharmacy or any other way because someone has some serious false information concerning the medication I get from the Pain Clinic in my file.  This is how my medications have been filled starting with March, 2009 which is the month she started with saying I had been getting my prescriptions early:  Prescriptions picked up and filled on 3/19/2009; prescriptions picked up and filled on 4/17/2009; called prescription line on evening of 5/7/2009 and requested the four prescriptions mentioned in this note earlier and advised them that I needed to pick-up them up on 5/12/2009.  Counting from 3/19/2009 to 4/17/2009 is 30 days; counting from 4/17/2009 to 5/12/2009 is 26 days and I said I would be there on 5/12/2009 because I was trying to follow the instructions stating that if my last name began with an "H" that my day for prescription pick-up would be TUESDAY.  Ms. Somerall kept me in her office until after 5:00 P.M. badgering me and asking me what happened to my medicine since I was trying to get refills "SO EARLY". I picked up the calendar she had been shoving in my face counting days and she jerked it away from me and kept saying I was not counting the days correct.  She had gotten me so upset I don’t know if I was counting them correct or not.  She just kept talking on and on and I finally told her I was tired of listening to her since she was so sure she was right and would not listen to me or contact my pharmacist.  Of course everyone had went home and I had no physician or administrative person to help me.  Outside the clinic there was a man who said he had just seen Dr. Wilson in Clinic A.  He said he was thrown out of the pain clinic due to a confrontation he had with the personnel in the pain clinic.  I have asked about Dr. Wilson many times and the people in the pain clinic said he no longer worked there.  The way they said it, I thought he had left Cooper Green Hospital.  I need help.  I never want to see Ms. Somerall again.  I would like to see Dr. Wilson.  He knows my situation and how I have four missing left ribs, the lower lobe of my left lung is missing, part of my sternum is gone and 22cm of muscle and tissue have been removed below my breast, my diaphragm has been reconstructed and my chest is stuffed with Goretex mesh to protect my heart and my lungs.  All this happened because of a 13cm sarcoma that was in my chest under my left breast.  I told Ms. Somerall that I have enough on my plate just trying to halfway live and I cannot handle harassment about my medication I have been on for five years with a clean urine sample every month and have never had any problems with my medication until 5/12/2009.  I am going to call Dr. Wilson's secretary on 5/13/2009 and I would appreciate it if someone will give him this letter so he will know why I am calling him.  Also, I left Cooper Green crying and upset around 5:30 P.M. (5/12/2009).  In getting to where our vehicle was parked in the Cooper Green parking deck, my foot hit some debris inside the parking deck and I fell.  I have two skinned knees with my right knee bleeding, a bruised left shoulder and injury to my right hand which I tried to use to not fall.  Unfortunately, my right hand did not keep me from falling.  So, I now have more pain from the fall and could not even be seen within a reasonable amount of time concerning my injuries.  We went into the emergency room and it was filled with people trying to see a doctor.  They said I would probably have to wait several hours.  I was upset, tired and hurting and I just wanted to come home where I could at least lay down.  I don't want to stir up trouble but I need someone to PLEASE HELP ME.  I want to see Dr Wilson from today (5/13/2009) and until I pass away or have to be put in a nursing home.

Sincerely,
Karla J. Hogan
  .  

5/15/2009

I was told by Ms. Somerall that I could return to the clinic on Friday, 5/15/2009 between 1:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. to get my prescriptions and that she could page Dr. Shuster and he would come and discuss my medications with me.  I arrived at the clinic around 1:30 P.M.. and signed the sheet showing that I was there to pick-up my prescriptions.  Nurse Parker called me to come back to the room to get my prescriptions.  She was there the whole time Nurse Somerall had harassed me a few days before and she heard everything Nurse Somerall said.  She started to hand me a cup for a urine sample and I told her I had given a urine sample when I was there on 5/12/2009.  She then had me sign the sheet to get my prescriptions and handed them to me.  I told her that Dr. Shuster was supposed to come to the clinic and talk to me about my medications and she said he was not available so I left and went to the pharmacy and went home.

6/8/2009

I was given an appointment to return to the clinic on Monday, 6/8/2009 to see Dr. Shuster,  My husband was with me because of all the things that had happened during the past month.  Basically, Dr. Shuster and Nurse Somerall had gotten together and when I went in the exam room, he tells me that he is going to quit giving me my prescriptions for Percocet and Robaxin.  I tried to talk to him about the condition of my body and the fact that I cannot walk around and function without pain medication.  He told me that I needed to go out to the waiting room and wait for my prescriptions because he was not going to negotiate with me concerning my medications,  I usually got a prescription for Percocet that had instructions to take two tablets three times a day as needed for pain (28 day supply - 168 tablets),  He also said my prescription for Robaxin was going to be discontinued.  My prescription for Robaxin normally read to take one tablet three times a day for pain (28 day supply - 84 tablets)..  I left the clinic that day with a prescription for Percocet that read take 2 tablets by mouth twice a day for 1 week then take 2 tablets once a day for 1 week and then stop taking Percocet (number of tablets 42).  My Robaxin prescription read take 1 tablet twice a day for 1 week and then take 1 tablet every day for 1 week then stop taking (number of tablets 21).  It was also stated on the prescriptions that they could not be filled until 6/12/2009.  I was given an appointment to return to the clinic on 7/1/2009.  Approximately two and a half weeks after I left the clinic on 6/8/2009, I called and talked to Nurse Somerall about the fact that my pain was not being controlled while I was taking the medication as prescribed.  I told her I needed to talk to Dr. Shuster because I needed more Percocet.and Robaxin.  She said Dr. Shuster would not prescribe more Percocet.  After arguing with her, she said she would mention it to Dr. Shuster and if she did not call me back that I should assume that Dr. Shuster’s answer was “no more Percocet”.  I did not receive a return phone call.

July 1, 2009

I returned to the clinic on 7/1/2009 after spending several weeks of suffering with pain and barely being able to get out of bed.  Nurse Somerall was the one that called me into the exam room and Dr. Shuster was not even in the clinic.  She asked about my Percocet and Robaxin and I told her that they were gone because when you reach the point where you are crying and praying because of the pain, you have to take something to help the pain.  She asked me what my pain level was that day and my answer was 10+.  She said that the MS Contin should have controlled the pain after the Percocet was gone.  She paged Dr. Shuster (she said he was somewhere in the hospital).  He came into the exam room and stated that if I was having pain while taking the MS Contin that I obviously did not need to take it either.  My normal prescription for MS Contin 30mg stated to take one tablet every 12 hours and to not take more than 2 tablets in 24 hours (number of tablets 56).  Again, he said there would be no negotiating and gave me a prescription for MS Contin 15mg that stated to take one tablet every 8 hours (number of tablets 21).  I was not given a return visit date and time so I guess since my medications have been discontinued they no longer want me to be a patient in the Pain Clinic.  I do not understand what is going on in the Pain Clinic.  As I mentioned before, I have been going there since 10/2005 with no problems until Nurse Somerall decided to make me her target to torture.  I am also very upset because Dr. Wilson would not try to help me and find out what was going on since he was the doctor who put me on these medications almost five years ago.  Dr. Wilson’s secretary told me that he said he was not going to intervene in whatever was going on in the Pain Clinic.  Why was the other gentleman being seen by Dr. Wilson because he had a confrontation with the people in the Pain Clinic?  Is my inability to function not important?  Is this man’s need for pain management more important than my needs?  I need help.  My having to stay in bed and cry because of my pain level is disrupting my whole family.  There are three other people in my household which include my husband who is disabled due to lung disease and degenerative arthritis of his spine; my 21 year old son who has Crohn’s Disease and problems with his legs and joints; and my daughter who is 18 years old who has undergone two heart surgeries and two foot surgeries.  Some days there may be only one of us who is able to take care of the others as far as getting food and something to drink for everyone else.  When taking my medications I try to take care of everyone because I am a mother and a wife and I know they depend on me.  I have a friend who did some research on Dr. Shuster and she said she could not find any information showing that Dr. Shuster had any experience in pain management.  She said he was a psychiatrist and had worked with palliative care for people who had terminal diseases,  Do I need to be dying in order to get pain management?  I have lived longer than what I was told when my tumor and half my body was cut out.  I would like to continue living as long as I can and not be bedridden.  If I cannot find a doctor to get any pain medication by tomorrow, 7/9/2009, I will probably have to be put in the hospital and I will have to go through that with all the other pain I have been living with for the past month because of a nurse practiconer who thinks she knows everything about pain and a doctor who cannot practice pain management unless you are laying in bed dying.  I wish both Nurse Somerall and Dr. Shuster could have four left ribs removed, part of their left lung removed, part of their sternum removed, their diaphragm reconstructed, all tissue and muscle removed from underneath the right breast to their left breast and Gore Tex mesh packed in their chest to protect their heart and what is left of their lungs and then have the skin flaps glued together over the mesh.  I would like to see how much they can do under those circumstances without anything to control pain. Dr. Shuster’s famous comment saying that if I was having pain when taking medication that I did not need the medication.  I have not had a pain free day for thirteen years.  For three years I went to doctors telling them that I could not breathe when I tried to lay down.  I sat in the floor, rolled around on the floor and tried to prop myself up on the couch so I might be able to sleep a few hours.  All of the doctors told me that I had acid reflux and I was given Prilosec, Zantac, Pepcid etc. and none of those medications helped.  One doctor told me he thought I had some kind of bed phobia and prescribed Xanax.  The Xanax actually help for a little while.  During these thirteen years, I went to work and did not call in sick because of a lack of sleep and being in pain all the time.  I had children who were involved in dance, school bands, soft ball, pageants, piano lessons, etc. and after work I would make sure they went and participated in their extracurricular activities.  I made sure they did their homework, got something to eat and took a bath and went to bed at a time where they would be ready to get up the next day and do what they needed to do.  In November, 1998 right before Thanksgiving I went to the doctor because I had a lump growing under my left breast.  My ribs were actually being pushed out also.  The doctor examined me and said he did not see any great difference in my left rib cage and my right rib cage.  They took a urine sample and noted that I had some blood in my urine and I was scheduled to undergo an IVP.  After the IVP, the doctor told me that my kidneys were O.K. and that there were no kidney stones or infection.  I asked him about my left rib cage and he said I probably just had some arthritis in my rib cage and to take Aleve as needed for pain. The report from the IVP did state that there was a shadow over my left kidney but he said that the shadow was from the x-ray not being processed correctly.  So, I kept going with my pain, taking Aleve and trying to have a nice Thanksgiving with my family.  The lump under my left breast kept growing.  One day after the first of December, 1998 I was standing by the fax machine and a lady who worked in the office next to mine asked me if I had an appointment to see the doctor again.  She said she asked because when she saw me standing at the fax machine and she had a sideway view that she could she the lump under my clothes.  A few days after that, my rib cage was hurting really bad and I just started crying while at work.  The doctor I worked for told me to just schedule a CT scan with him being the doctor ordering it and I could be satisfied that nothing was wrong.  I had the CT scan at Kirklin Clinic and the doctor I worked for had left the operating room and was sitting in a chair in front of my desk.  He told me I had an 8cm tumor in my left chest wall.  He said he would get one of the other doctors to do a biopsy but I needed to go home and talk to my husband about what the CT scan had showed. You see, the very strange fact was that I was working for a doctor in the General Surgery Department at UAB and the doctor I worked for actually specialized in cancer surgery in the liver, pancreas, etc.  So, I had sat there for three years trying to get someone to find out what was wrong with me and the doctors I went to said there was nothing wrong.  Things moved fast after that CT scan and I was scheduled to have surgery on 12/16/1998.  We were told the tumor was encapsulated and they should be able to just remove it. When I was finally halfway awake a few days after the surgery, I was told it was a lot worse than they thought it was and besides removing all these parts of my body, the tumor had grown to 13cm one week after the CT scan.  I tried returning to work six weeks after the surgery.  They gave me pain medication to take so I could work, but with the pain I was experiencing while taking the pain medication, I had no patience with anyone and was on the brink of having a nervous breakdown.  In February, 2000 I had to go home and was not able to work.  The pain I had the three years before the tumor was found and the pain I have now with no pain medication is very hard to describe.  It feels like I am having spasms in my chest.   It feels like someone has a drawstring in my chest and is pulling it tighter and tighter.  When you try to lay down it feels like you are drowning and there is always a dull burning feeling in my chest and in my back.  The pain medication does not take away all of the pain but it does keep it from becoming so bad that I sit and cry and the medication does make it possible for me to at least get up and walk or sit and watch television.  I know only women can relate to the fact that I feel a huge part of my life was taken away also.  I have friends who are in their late 30s and 40s and they say that they feel better than ever, have more confidence and tackle problems with no second guessing.  I usually do not go out to eat and sit inside a restaurant because I cannot wear a bra since my surgical scar is exactly where the bottom elastic part of a bra fits onto your body.  I have been married to the same man for 31 years and it devastated me when my husband said that I was an embarrassment due to the fact that my breasts are not small and it is hard to conceal them especially in the summer when everyone wears t-shirts, etc.

I have a high threshold for pain.  I never even took Tylenol until all this happened.  I had three miscarriages and  I had my three children and I never had anyone offer to come and help me.  I have taken care of my children through some very serious medical conditions and no one offered to help me.  My husband was a police officer and he worked night shift and weekends.  Me and the children did our things during the day and on weekends, so he was never around to help us and we rarely saw him unless he was going to work and we were coming home and passed each other.  There is one thing that I am extremely afraid of and that is the pain I experience in my chest if I have no pain medication.  Sometimes it feels like I am having a heart attack.  Playing with someone’s medications can cause some very serious things in people.  A girl I went to school with had a father who worked at U.S. Steel and they used Lloyd Nolan Hospital for their medical care.  For years, a doctor had given her mother medication for her nerves.  When her father did not work at U.S. Steel they began seeing doctors outside of Lloyd Nolan.  The new doctor would not give her a prescription for the nerve medication she had been taking for a very long time.  They ended up having to put her in an institution because she could not function without the medication.  When she was on the medication she was a very active person and was extremely kind to everyone.  Even in the waiting room at the Pain Clinic at Cooper Green, a man in his early 30s was having to use a cane to walk and one of his legs was almost paralyzed.  One of the other people in the waiting room asked him how his leg got hurt.  He responded to the man and told him he had been seeing a doctor for back pain and that doctor was treating him with Oxycontin.  One day, the doctor told him he did not think he needed to continue taking the Oxycontin and when that doctor would not give him the Oxycontin, he had a stroke and was gradually trying to regain use of the right side of his body.  In the definition of doctor, he is described as being a friend and a “healer”.  There is nothing that says he can ruin your life and do things that can cause you to be even more sick.  What has taken the word “healer” out of the definition of “doctor”?   

I NEED A DOCTOR AND MEDICATION BY TOMORROW, JULY 10, 2009.  I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG THAT WARRANTS BEING TREATED LIKE THIS.  DEAR GOD, GRANT ME A MIRACLE AND HAVE SOMEONE CALL ME TOMORROW (205-647-6611) THAT CAN HELP ME.

SINCERELY,

KARLA J. HOGAN
379 WHITE OAK TRAIL
P.O. BOX 223
WARRIOR, AL  35180
(205) 647-6611
DHOGAN64@YAHOO.COM    

P.S.  Thanks to all of my special friends who helped in preparing this information.