The Broken Soldier

In the course of a primary source lit review I’ve discovered my symptoms are perfectly consistent with my injury. Each symptom corresponds, in a textbook fashion (literally), with L5-S1 herniation and typical consequent nerve root compression/lesion. This doctor, Robert Toon, has either made a very amateurish mistake (which I am disinclined to believe), or he is deliberately confusing this matter (to what end I can only speculate).

Dr. Toon’s method of remedying his (possibly feigned) confusion was irregular at best. When the MRI (from his 10 second assessment) didn’t match the MRI report, and, according to him, no longer did my symptoms match the diagnosis (which isn’t true by the way), Dr. Toon sent me to X-ray, lab, and to radiology for an additional MRI. This is a non-standard approach. Lateral disc herniation is very difficult to find on MRIs with the naked eye (esp. a casual look at a sagittal view MRI). A contrast dye CT scan/myelogram and a careful clinical evaluation and documentation of symptoms is the usual approach to confirming a lateral disc herniation.

In his report he makes certain statements that, in light of the information I’ve found, are irrelevant to my injury. For example, he speaks to the presence of a normal patellar reflex. Of course it’s normal, as I have an L5-S1 disc herniation with S1 nerve root compression - a type of compression in which patellar reflexes are preserved.  Had he opted for the correct diagnostic measure for my injury - an Achilles tendon reflex, for example - appropriate for L5-S1 disc herniation with suspected S1 compression/lesion (which, as explained above is a diagnosis consistent with my symptoms and MRI findings, even his own), he would have found it depressed.

I feel this man is trying to set me up to deny me what is rightfully mine.  He is doing so in a fashion that I’m certain would usually work, especially with junior enlisted and junior officers (troops less inclined to know medical terminology and/or question the opinions of a retired colonel). Speak in the magical language of medical sciences/neuroscience to give the appearance of actually doing the right thing, when in reality his allopathic prestidigitations serve only to confuse a doorway diagnosis.  He’s a paid government whore.  A man willing to harm his own kind for money.  He should be ashamed of himself.  But I doubt a man capable of such action has shame.  But fear not, even with Feres his just desserts are in prep (courtesy of our resident chefs, Jimison and Raymond, who will be reporting his unethical and possibly illegal handling of this case to his certifying board).