Hey Unicorn
I'm sad with the way things have gone with you. Let me share my problems over the last few weeks, may be they'll make you feel better (not because I'm suffering but because we're not alone in this journey).
I got bad skin infection/itch near one of the pin site. I found out the next day that I got it from one of the servant here who cleans up my room. He had a bad infection on his toes, and he cleaned my room with the same dirty hands he uses to scratch his itch on his toes. That's gross and he didn't bother telling me until it's too late.That's unacceptable, and I forbid him from entering my room from that day. The infection was spreading badly, so I went to a near by dermatologist. I spent 15 mins and explained my whole story. After listening to everything, he outright refused to treat me. He said he hasn't dealt with an infection involving external frames, and I should seek medication from no one else but my orthopedist. Then I had to go to another orthopedist, who said it's a superficial skin infection (which means its just peripheral infection over the skin and not a deep infection, which could potentially lead to bone infection) and only a dermatologist is the right person to treat it. Then I had to find another dermatologist with good ratings on the internet, as the first one refused to treat me. I took an Uber cab to get there. After reaching the destination, I found out that the address posted on google was obsolete. I was just left there alone with dirty and crowd roads. I couldn't ask the same cab to continue the journey because he got another ride. Then the unexpected happened. I lost mobile network coverage in that area!!! I had to walk past couple of lanes on these metal frames while everyone on the road are watching me, had to restart my phone twice, and then the signal was back. Then I finally got the signal back and booked a cab again to go the dermatologist. I got there, waited for 30 mins as there were other patients waiting in the queue, and then I got to meet her(dermatologist) and spent time explaining the whole thing again and she prescribed some medication and antibiotics for 5 days. I took the medicines for 5 days but was no improvement and I had to go back to her after 5 days and she gave me another ointment. I took them for 5 days and now the infection has spread to all the other pin sites. Good thing is that this new ointment healed the infection that I originally had. So at least I now have hope from that it works, and I have to apply that to all the pin sites. I'm also getting blood tests and skin culture tests performed tomorrow, just to be sure. Remember I was all alone and had to go everywhere on foot with these big metal around your legs, you become an eye magnet.
I could never afford a doctor like Guichet or Paley in my lifetime. So I had to deal with third world problems like poor sanitation, crowded roads, long waiting queues at the clinics, haphazard mobile network coverage on a regular basis. No doctor that I dealt with ever called me to check how I am. It's always I who takes the initiative and calls them regularly to make sure I'm okay. Some people around me, not all, who knew that this was a cosmetic surgery frown upon me, despite the pain I go through. Their stares always convey the same message - "See, I told ya!!!". What Dr. Guichet did to you is sort of an accepted norm in India. But you paid such a premium, so I don't deny that you deserve a much better quality service than me. All I'm saying is that we both are both fighting against all odds to reach our destination. We both have many reasons to fail and very few reasons to succeed. So focus on reasons to succeed. Be positive that you're in a first world country and you can afford the best technology available in the world to get you there. You're a strong woman and I wish you nothing but the best. I want you to reach your goal and enjoy your new self, and remember that any obstacles you face will be temporary and will not matter once you finish this journey. Stay strong and don't let anyone or anything hurt you mentally. I used to read your diary when I feel low on self esteem. So hope my words would restore some of your strength and give you the momentum to stay on track.