Posts by Anthony Peterson50

Does anyone here know which clinic offers the absolute best reconstructive leg surgery in the US?
Word on the street is that Johns Hopkins Hospital is the top choice, and I actually saw footage on their website of a heel reconstruction they performed that looked absolutely flawless. A friend of mine, who works as a technician over at Cleveland Clinic, suggested I look into them. He mentioned he heard they’re the premier option for leg issues, though apparently, you’d head to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital if you were dealing with neck or head problems??!
The situation is this: I live in Miami and have been living with a 100% disability since birth. On June 18th, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, I had an atheroma cleaned out on my left lower leg by the Chief of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Zdravko roj. Since the wound is still open, I sought his opinion yesterday; he told me that further surgery is mandatory, though he hasn't decided yet whether he'll operate on me next week. To be honest, I walked away with the impression—though I could be entirely mistaken—that he’s actually hesitant to perform the procedure because he views it as too high-risk.
If he decides to pass on my case, who should I turn to? Should I make the trip to Johns Hopkins, or is there a better alternative where I can get my leg fixed once and for all and finally put this issue behind me?
Then again, maybe he’ll provide a referral, though I find myself skeptical. He is a "primarijus," after all, and he certainly didn't spend years specializing at two different California universities for nothing, right?!
That is why your insights on this forum mean so much to me, as I am hoping there might be someone here with similar experiences who can offer some guidance.
Thank you all in advance for your help.

goldengardener said:I am looking for recommendations for a top-tier ophthalmologist; I have heard that this particular group is quite reputable.
http://www.bilicvision.com/

Has anyone here had any direct experience with them?

I came across a list ranking the top 16 clinics in the US, and it claims that the premier facility for ophthalmology in our region is St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, located on Vinogradska in Washington, D.C.
It even goes so far as to state they are the leaders in pediatric ophthalmology.

I’ve been using my current wheelchair for quite some time now, and back in July of last year—after four years of use—I officially became eligible through Medicare for a new standard model. I finally decided to pull the trigger on that request, only to receive a rejection today citing an expired deadline. My sister was at the local Social Security office handling things at the counter, and she didn't bother to press them for a specific reason. I plan to call them myself tomorrow to demand an explanation, but in the meantime, does anyone happen to know why they would deny me based on a "deadline"? It’s hard to believe they’ve somehow reverted to the archaic regulations from the old days when we used to be entitled to new mobility equipment just once every five years!!!
If that truly is the logic they're following, then the ruling class is far more deranged than I ever dared to imagine. Reverting to primitive, outdated laws to strip benefits away from the disabled just to line the pockets of corrupt corporate tycoons isn't just bad policy; it's a profound, psychopathic "Superhik disorder" that requires immediate clinical intervention.

I am inclined to agree that posts shouldn't be deleted entirely, but they ought to at least be subject to editing—provided there is a valid reason and moderator approval. This is especially true when a thread has zero engagement, and you simply wish to tweak the wording to better elicit a response. The current system is utterly nonsensical. I submitted my last post four or five days ago; it has been viewed by roughly 160 people, yet not a single soul has deigned to reply. Now, I want to make some minor adjustments so it stays in the same category while hopefully finally garnering some attention, but that is impossible due to the arbitrary rules regarding post edits on this Forum. It is complete nonsense.
We, as regular users of this Forum, are permitted to edit our own posts only for a fleeting moment, whereas the moderators can manipulate them whenever they please! What an absolute absurdity!

Anthony Peterson50 said:Since I have a Windows 8 upgrade on hand, would it be effective to attempt an upgrade from a corrupted Windows 7 installation using my functional Windows 8 upgrade? Both licenses are perfectly legitimate.

I neglected to mention that I resolved a similar issue involving a broken Windows 95 system quite some time ago by simply upgrading it directly to Windows 98, which successfully cleared up the problem.

Joshua Garcia3 said:That approach isn't going to solve anything. You need to ensure the Windows 7 versions match perfectly, and even then, there is no guarantee your product key will be accepted by the system.

Furthermore, given that I possess a Windows 8 upgrade, would it be effective to attempt an upgrade from a corrupted Windows 7 installation using my valid Windows 8 upgrade? Both licenses are perfectly legitimate.

I apologize if this question has already been addressed, but I simply lack the patience to sift through 367 pages of forum history looking for an answer.
Here is my predicament: when I purchased my HP Pavilion laptop three years ago, it arrived pre-installed with the original HP Windows 7 Home premium x64 operating system. It didn't come with a recovery DVD, but it did have the installation files stored locally on the machine—files which, due to my own youthful ignorance, I eventually deleted. Now, the computer has failed, and I am faced with the necessity of a complete reinstallation, yet I possess neither the physical media nor the local files. I have managed to acquire a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate x64, though it lacks its own serial number, so I find myself wondering: if I attempt to use this Ultimate version and input my original product key, can I successfully reinstall the Home Premium edition? In other words, will Windows Ultimate recognize my specific serial number and allow me to downgrade back to Home Premium, or will the process fail? The technicians at the local Best Buy where I bought the unit are asking me to provide $100 for a Windows 7 recovery disc, but if I can resolve this myself for free, it would be much more efficient. I would appreciate any insight you could offer. Thank you in advance.

I fail to see how such a procedure is even feasible; one would have to flush the catheter with that specific antiseptic both internally and externally, then store it in some sort of sterile container afterward, which strikes me as an impossible task. Perhaps you ought to consult the very doctor who provided you with that advice in the first place. Personally, I rarely struggle with a shortage of catheters, yet I am perpetually running low on gels, and what irritates me most is being forced to purchase my own antiseptics. I seem to go through an entire liter every three weeks. My research online suggests that the product known as Orajel is restricted to hospital use in Austria and the US, making it unavailable at local pharmacies. In fact, according to the usage regulations here in America, advertising it directly to the public is strictly prohibited. On a different note, I encountered an Austrian physician online recommending a 20% borax and glycerin solution—something that can be compounded in a pharmacy lab—as a substitute for Hibiclens. Has anyone here actually tried this? Does it serve as a reliable alternative for self-catheterization antiseptic?

swiftbear86 said:We aren't out here promoting anything!
We are simply suggesting what is readily available on the market, and frankly, there is a distinct lack of products suitable for the urogenital mucosa.

My apologies; I had no intention of offending anyone or causing any sort of disturbance.
I am still struggling to locate an antiseptic for self-catheterization that is more affordable than Hibiclens. At the moment, I am using Cepacol, which was given to me by a friend undergoing peritoneal dialysis, but it isn't quite working for me. After applying this Cepacol, I have to wait a significant amount of time for the antiseptic to evaporate, otherwise the stinging sensation becomes unbearable.
Back at the hospital, they used some sort of red liquid as an antiseptic. Could that perhaps be a diluted version of a red Betadine solution? Furthermore, I find myself quite perplexed by the sheer variety of Betadine options available; I genuinely cannot discern which one would best serve my specific needs. Should I opt for the red Betadine or the gluconate version? Does the choice matter, and if so, what is the required dilution ratio for self-catheterization?
The Betadine gluconate appears to be clear, so perhaps that isn't what they used in the clinical setting, or...? If these require heavy dilution, they might actually be more cost-effective than Hibiclens since the supply would last much longer. Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide.

Alright, I appreciate the assistance. I intend to make inquiries at several more pharmacies, though one quickly learns that most retailers, much like any other merchant, tend to push their high-margin inventory first. ;-)

I have also included the manufacturer's link for Zylocaine from McKesson here: http://www.farco-pharma.de/index.php...mod&np=63&p=63 It explicitly states that I am required to cleanse the urethral opening before applying the gel itself.
It appears I will ultimately need to track down a more budget-friendly alternative to Hibiclens. Does anyone happen to know of a more affordable antiseptic than Hibiclens?
I am somewhat skeptical about whether Chloraseptic gluconate would be a superior choice; since it requires dilution, I would likely be forced to purchase distilled water to go along with it, wouldn't I?

According to my insurance benefits, I am entitled to 450 single-use Nelaton catheters, 900 ml of gel, and bed pads for incontinence—none of which are actually useful to me. What I truly require, yet cannot obtain through my coverage, are antiseptic solution and gauze pads. I have been using "Zylocaine" from McDavid, which serves as an antiseptic, but the staff at the hospital instructed me that before inserting the catheter, one must clean the urethral opening using both an antiseptic and gauze. Is this step strictly necessary, or would the gel alone suffice given its antiseptic properties? Both the antiseptic and the gauze are prohibitively expensive since I consume them in such high volumes—roughly 80 pads a month—so if the gel is sufficient on its own, it would be a significant relief.
I would appreciate any advice you might offer.