The Aftermath

The Aftermath Project: The Long-Term Impact of Medical Error

What if there were a way to change the law?

In the state of Alaska, the statute of limitations allows only two years to file a malpractice claim. Two years to recognize that something went wrong. Two years to understand the full impact of a medical decision. Two years to act.

But what happens when you don’t know a mistake was made?

What happens when the consequences don’t reveal themselves right away?

For many people, including myself, the true aftermath unfolds slowly. Sometimes quietly. Sometimes painfully.

A surgery meant to help became the beginning of a lifetime of medical care. Injections. Medications. Additional surgeries. Regular appointments with multiple specialists. What was supposed to be a chapter in my life turned into a permanent storyline.

Yet by the time I understood the full scope of what had happened, the clock had already run out.

The law had closed the door.

Not because the harm wasn’t real.

Not because the consequences weren’t life-altering.

But because time had passed before the truth became clear.

This blog was born out of that reality.

For a long time, I thought about starting something like this and talked myself out of it. I wasn’t sure anyone would be interested. I wasn’t sure my story mattered. I wasn’t sure I had the energy to revisit something so personal.

But I’ve come to realize that stories like mine are far from rare.

There are countless people living with the long-term impact of medical error, navigating physical pain, emotional tolls, financial strain, and a system that often feels stacked against them. Many don’t even realize there is a deadline ticking quietly in the background until it’s too late.

The Aftermath Project is about what happens after.

After the surgery.

After the diagnosis.

After the realization that something went wrong.

After the legal window has closed.

It’s about the long-term consequences that don’t fit neatly into a two-year timeline.

It’s about healing, learning, advocating, and asking hard questions about how our systems handle medical harm.

Some posts will share my personal journey.

Some will explore the realities of medical error and patient rights.

Some will highlight stories of others who have walked similar paths.

And some will focus on the changes I believe are necessary to protect patients in the future.

This space isn’t about blame.

It’s about awareness.

It’s about accountability.

It’s about compassion.

And it’s about hope.

If you’re here because you’ve experienced something similar, know that you’re not alone.

If you’re here because you’re curious, thank you for listening.

And if you’re here because you believe systems can improve, I’m glad you’re part of this conversation.

This is the beginning of The Aftermath Project.

The story doesn’t end when the surgery is over.

Sometimes, that’s when it truly begins.