When Amy Bright gave birth to her youngest son, Jacob, in 2003 at Florida’s Naval Hospital Jacksonville, she was overjoyed. But Bright claims that a 14-year journey started when she had excruciating back pain just two months after her C-section delivery.
Bright, who is 41 years old, claims that she has experienced nerve damage and back pain over the years, which has gradually made it harder for her to use her left leg and foot.
Bright’s problems were first thought to be caused by sciatica, but a CT scan in November 2017 discovered that the real reason behind her problems was a piece of a needle that had been stuck in her spine since the day she gave birth more than ten years earlier.
Bright, of De Soto, Illinois, tells PEOPLE, “I was absolutely livid and upset and scared. Every time I move and walk and bend and twist and sleep, that needle moves inside my spine. For 14 years, I’ve been creating scar tissue in my spine from this needle moving. I’m angry.”
When spinal anesthetic was being provided by medical personnel at the Jacksonville hospital to Bright during her C-section, a significant portion of a spinal needle broke off and became “trapped” in Bright’s lower back, according to Bright and her attorney, Sean Cronin.
She and Cronin are suing the hospital staff, alleging they committed fraud and malpractice by failing to take action while knowing that a fragment of the needle was still inside Bright’s body.
Three centimeters of the huge needle, according to Cronin, are embedded in Bright’s vertebrae, two of which are “buried into the bone.”
Cronin claims, “This is something that was not disclosed. These needles are about 9 or 10 centimeters and they have a tip on the end that the provider is supposed to inspect to make sure they have the whole needle. They knew this was in her, according to our experts, because so much of the needle was missing. And the safety tip is still in her.”
In the upcoming months, Bright and Cronin may launch an official lawsuit in addition to their complaint against the hospital.
The U.S. Department of Justice was contacted by Naval Hospital Jacksonville officials regarding PEOPLE’s request for comment; however, the department declined to comment.
‘I’m Very Scared of My Future’
Over the years, Bright, whose husband Charles was serving in the Navy when she gave birth, claims that her back pain has become a constant companion in her life.
She has visited several doctors, who have recommended muscle relaxants, painkillers, and other drugs to aid with her discomfort.
“It has gotten to the point where it just burns constantly. I’m very scared of my future. [My leg] is getting weaker,” Bright claims. “I’m probably going to be in a wheelchair. It’s scary because I don’t know.”
According to Cronin and Bright, Bright was informed by medical professionals that taking out the needle might cause paralysis. Cronin, however, claims that if medical personnel had removed the needle right away, her prognosis would have been different.
According to Cronin, “There was a golden window of opportunity for them to remove the needle. By them not disclosing what had happened, it took that chance away from her.”
The mother of six now claims that she doesn’t discuss the incident with her kids because her husband Charles is “so upset” over it. She claims she wants to protect 14-year-old Jacob from the hurt caused by the circumstances.
Regarding her future, Bright states that she is unsure of what will occur.
“I don’t know what my future holds. I’m very paranoid and scared,” she says. “The reflexes in my legs are affected already. I’m trying to make arrangements for [physical] therapy, I’ll probably be in that for the rest of my life. I’ll probably going to be on medication for the rest of my life. I’m trying to prepare for my future and the help and support I’m going to need.”
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