Serious arm lift complications after 6 hour surgery (4 procedures)

Rajiv Sood came extremely highly recommended to me by several plastic surgeons and other healthcare professionals. Indeed, he is among an elite group being 1 of 35 or so chiefs of plastic surgery in the nation. Sood specializes in successfully treating the scars of burn victims. In fact when I met him it was in the burn center of Eskanazie hospital. Although I was not a burn victim, I had a contracted scar and degraded tissue that was not vascualarized and just bands of collagen -- this was a serious complication from a brachioplasty. The contracted scar was very similar to that of a burn victim. That is why so many clinicians sent me to him. In fact, my physical therapist told me that she had never seen a contracted scar as bad as mine and she had worked with burn patients.

After coming through months of depression and anxiety over the complication, I felt very hopeful when Sood told me he was 1 of only 3 plastic surgeons using IPL laser to treat scars, and that he had treated burn victims with scars much larger than mine. He said I would have a very good outcome. He seemed to really know his stuff and he seemed very nice; I did not understand why patients on Vitals.com wrote that he lacked compassion.

Sood said the surgery would probably be covered by my insurance as it was corrective not cosmetic because I had lost the full range of motion in my arm owing to the contracted scar. He also was going to do a series of z-plasties and use Alloderm tissue matrix to promote healthy cell growth rather than do a skin graft, which was a huge relief to me.

I awaited insurance approval and a surgery date. One day his nurse called me and I was excited to hear good news. Instead of a surgery date, she told me that Sood had declined to do my surgery. I pleaded with her to have him reconsider. But I never received a callback.

It is true, he lacks compassion just like the other reviews have stated. I don't understand how a plastic surgeon (or any HCP) could refuse to help a patient. How can these people live with themselves? Where is the humanity?

My insurance only covers Sood's hospital so I am out of options, at least for now. My arm remains injured and it may become a permanent injury without timely and proper treatment.

I've been going to the chiropractor 2x a week for months, since the beginning of the year, for the lack of range of motion in my arms (and other things). It is ludicrous that a brachioplasty caused so much harm.

I found these old photos from 2016 wherein my massage therapist is doing the cupping procedure on me. This is for the pain in my shoulder and back. I can barely get the left shoulder comfortable on her table. The pain is virtually unbearable.

The cupping was an interesting experience. Some parts were painful and others not. Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. People get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.

I think that I look like a leopard afterwards.