Robert Anthony Mlaka

My name is Robert Anthony Mlaka, and I fell off a ladder in August of 2006. I went to the local emergency room and was told I tore something in my right knee. I saw an orthopedic surgeon where I live in Lynchburg Va. I underwent orthoscopic surgery in November of 2006. When I awoke in the recovery room my wife Lida said that the surgeon said your knee needs to be replaced it was a lot worse than he thought. I had that surgeon replace my right knee in March of 2007. My physical therapy was so painful that twice I passed out. The surgeon blamed my lack of healing for me not taking my physical therapy correctly. My knee was swollen hot red and the pain was unbearable. He manipulated my knee in June of 2007. I went straight back to therapy and still my knee was no better.

I went to see my family doctor for my blood pressure check. I told him about my pain. He looked at my knee and immediately made me an appointment to see a doctor at the University of Virginia Hospital. I went to UVA and was given a simple blood test that showed my right knee was infected. In Sept of 2007 they removed my knee prosthesis and put in an antibiotic spacer. I went until Dec of 2007 with that spacer. In Dec 2007 they replaced my knee. I rehabbed it for all of 2008 and also returned to work in Jan of 2009. The knee still hurt and I couldn't bend it or straighten it well but at least I could work and try to get out of debt.

In July of 2009 my knee gave out and I fell and broke my right ankle. I underwent ankle surgery in July 2009. In August of 2009 they removed a screw that was holding things together in my ankle. They stitched the opening but going to work the stitches brake and the wound was open for about a month. In Dec of 2009 I slipped in my backyard going to start my wife's car and broke my right hip. I underwent hip surgery to fix break in Dec of 2009. I went to a rehab center for a month where my hip and my knee started to hurt very badly.

My right hip started to catch and release with a snapping noise. I went to UVA in March or 2010 and I was told my right knee was infected again. They removed the prosthesis in March of 2010. I also asked to have my hip checked I was told that a lock nail that was put in backed out and was catching and cutting a tendon. I begged the surgeon to do both things at once but he refused saying when we clear the infection and put your knee back in we will take the nail out. June came and the pain in my hip was so bad he agreed to take it out. They removed the nail in June of 2010.

Three days later I slipped and bumped my vanity in my bathroom and shattered my hip. They rushed me back to UVA where 3 days after removing the nail they replaced my right hip. My knee was put back in in Aug of 2010. I had a lot of pain in therapy and I developed a cracking and crunching bending it. I went back for my check up and told the surgeon he said it was scar tissue in my knee causing the noise. He arranged for orthoscopic surgery. When I went for my pre-op in Jan of 2011 I asked if the noise and pain would be gone. He said that the pain was something different and that the surgery would not take care of that. He consulted with another surgeon and cancelled my surgery and opted to give me and injecting in my leg between the knee and hip which would tell him where the pain was coming from. He said to go home call in 2 weeks and let him know if and how long the shot helped. I called in 2 weeks and said to his nurse that the injection helped for a week and now the pain was back. She said ok she would tell him and see what he says. I waited 2 weeks and no call so I called and his nurse said she told him what I said but in her exact words "He threw up his hands looked up at the sky and sad he had no clue." I asked to talk to him but he refused. I waited 2 months and no call. This is where I thought God helped me.

My nephew from NJ said to me that his best friend who I know well is married to Penny - Dr Sculco's nurse from HSS. She called me and asked if I could send her my most recent x-rays and bone scans. I did and she showed them to Dr. Sculco she said he thought they could help me and she made me an appointment to see Dr. Mathias Bostrom. Dr. Bostrom to help me said to get new x-rays and a new bone scan in Lynchburg and send them to him. I did and at my appointment on March 12th, 2011 he told me that my implant was in on a slope too big and the knee cap wasn't taken care of and that the surgery the other surgeon wanted to do wouldn't help. He said the knee would be a challenge and he could do it but he could only guarantee moderate results. The hip was also in need of redoing in his words but it would be an easy surgery to replace the total hip.

I had the surgery on May 12, 2011 and when I woke up I thought I had gone to heaven and God gave me a new knee. I got out of bed the next morning with a walker and had my leg flat on the ground and knew that this was very different from all my other surgeries. I knew right away that he had done something miraculous. Yes he said that it was just another of his surgeries but why couldn't 3 other surgeons do this. I will tell you why because he is a dedicated and very gifted surgeon who cares about quality not quantity I will forever be in his debt and will when this heals have him fix my hip. You have a miraculous hospital and a very gifted surgeon in Dr. Bostrom. I wish everyone could read my story so they can know of the miraculous gifts of your hospital and surgeons. Thanks for listening to my story.