‘In and out of hell’

A once able, self-employed and talented handyman is now at risk of losing his leg and is on the brink of giving up.

• Also read: WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Man’s fight for treatment at Leratong

Jonathan Willemse (43) severely broke his leg on March 2 last year and desperately required surgery. He was taken to Leratong Hospital, yet despite receiving treatment and six operations, his leg has still not fully healed more than a year later.

His leg is worsening by the day, and Willemse says he is in constant pain and suffering. After a year in this condition, he is not able to work and has lost everything.

“I have lost my job, income and home. I have nothing left. How do you stay positive if you can’t go or do anything?” he asked.

He currently lives off a social grant of R2 190 a month.

I now have to rely on other people when I used to be able to survive on my own. It is embarrassing and hard,” he added.

Willemse says he still needs to go for one operation, but the pain is becoming unbearable.

“The pain just gets worse and worse. I am at a point where I want to have it [his leg] cut off. I don’t know how long I can handle it. It has broken me as a human and a man … people get upset with me because all I do all day long is complain, so I understand their feelings,” he frustratingly said.

Willemse has since grown to hate the hospital and fears the inevitable.

“If it is not the theatre, it’s the beds that are not available. After waiting for almost two weeks for procedures, I was finally admitted again. It’s up and down, and every time I come, it costs me R350 to R450 a trip, for someone who lives on social grants,” he stated.

He said that after his last operation, he waited two days for them to clean the wound; however, when they opened the dressing, they saw the unthinkable.

“There were maggots in the wound. I don’t care if they are helping or not; just the fact that I have maggots in my leg is sick and scary. Sorry, I can’t accept that.

The question remains … must I lose another year of my life because I got proper care?”

The Krugersdorp News reached out to Leratong’s communications officer, Matlhatsi Dibakwane, with several questions regarding a patient’s prolonged medical issues. The News inquired whether it is normal for someone with a broken leg to be in and out of the hospital for almost a year while continuously suffering from infections. The News also asked why the patient is still experiencing infections a year after the injury when he is expected to fully heal and why he requires extensive treatment. Additionally, the News sought comment on a video sent by the patient showing maggots in his leg and invited the hospital to provide any further remarks.

“Our Quality Assurance Department has noted all the questions related to Mr Willemse’s wound on his leg and in our analysis these questions border on breaking the doctor-patient confidentiality clause. Therefore, we are unable to disclose any patient information in response to the questions asked.

However, we have telephonically explained to Mr Willemse that we will facilitate a meeting with his doctor, and he is free to share any information given to him in our presence with the journalist,” she concluded.

At the time of print, Willemse had another operation, however, he claimed the pain was still unbearable.

A friend of Willemse’s has since launched a BackABuddy campaign titled Help save Jonathan’s leg. Willemse also sought legal assistance in the matter, but due to circumstances, he is at the mercy of the hospital.