[jamesnmlaw]

My wife, Lynn, has not been able to stand since May 28th after feeling like she turned an ankle. The next morning, she could not put weight on that foot.

Interestingly, the pain does not stay in the same leg. Nor does the pain stay in the same place in either leg. The pain will sometimes be in one leg, both legs, sometimes in one ankle, sometimes both ankles. Sometimes on the top of one foot and in the knee of the other leg. Never goes above the knee on either leg. Sometimes the painful area is swollen, sometimes warm to the touch. Sometimes a distinct skin color difference, say between the top of the painful ankle and the lower part of the same leg – a very demarcated, almost straight, horizontal line across the top of the ankle with the leg looking a normal color and the ankle/foot red, sometimes with white spots. So much pain that just putting a hand on the pained place causes her to scream. Even after +90 days.

She’s had similar episodes over the past 10 yrs. The first few lasted but a day or so, then some lasting for a week, then some for a month, and now this episode going into the 4th month. She’s toughed them out but this episode is not ending and she is weakening.

We’ve been to urgent care, x-rayed, told nothing broken, see your MD. MD scheduling for February.

Lynn had an orthopedist who did a little work on one ankle that Lynn had broken 40 yrs ago (punk skater from back in the day). The ortho had scraped the talus to stimulate/simulate cartilage. The ortho only said his work from 2019 looked well, you just need PT. This from a guy who spent 45 minutes 3 yrs ago counseling Lynn on ankle replacement surgery.

Lynn is a 2x breast cancer survivor and taking Tamoxifen. We saw her oncologist the first of August and he took her off Tamoxifen, did a Doppler, and found a surface blood clot. Now she’s on Xeralto. This was after Lynn was bed-ridden for 7 weeks. I felt like the oncologist wanted to tell something more.

I cajoled her PCP to at least do some blood work. All tests were normal but ANA came back positive. PCP referred Lynn to a rheumatologist. There's an appointment available in early-April. Will her PCP order other tests to confirm RA or some other autoimmune disease? Nope, have to go thru the rheumatologist, maybe in April.

We’re in a medical service provider wasteland. I feel like I need to do something drastic and dramatic to just get someone to give a damn.

This can’t be mechanical as the pain moves around. Electrical? Toxin? Cardiological? F’ me, I don’t know. I’ve taken a few classes at internet medical school but am lost.
I’m asking for ideas, please. Send me a PM if you feel more comfortable. Please, I ask everyone about this matter. I’m now asking you.