Paramedic’s wish is to walk again
After more operations done on his leg, Pieter is still unable to walk and struggles with financial woes but he is not giving up hope just yet.
Pieter van Wyk is still struggling to walk after suffering a life-altering accident.
The Randfontein Herald previously reported on Van Wyk who worked as a paramedic until an accident on the job eventually led to his left leg being amputated. A few years later his right leg gave way underneath him and his kneecap was on the wrong side of his leg. He proceeded to have multiple operations done due to an infection that set in. On top of that, he has a pen put in his leg from his hip to his knee. He was, however, informed his body was rejecting the pen and it had to be removed.
He was waiting to hear from the Workmen Compensation Fund to have the operation done and eventually was approved.
On August 1, Van Wyk underwent an operation to remove the pen from his leg and a debridement (a procedure that removes dead, infected or unhealthy tissue from a wound to help it heal) to remove dead and damaged tissue from the wound and put in a Lautenbach irrigation to clean the leg.
He mentioned for the first operation he was in the hospital for 12 days and had to be taken to the operating theatre numerous times to clean his leg. Three days after he was released he had to return to hospital due to infection that set in again. Various debridements were done and he was in hospital for 21 days.
“I had a setback as blood clots formed in my leg. I was taken by ambulance to a private hospital in Krugersdorp and had to pay in cash. I still owe money on the X-rays that were taken. Fortunately, someone paid the rest of the costs but I feel obligated to return the money so it is a big stress financially,” he said.
He was then sent to a state hospital in Krugersdorp. The infection is also not as big a concern anymore. Van Wyk was hoping to have more operations done to be able to walk again, but his orthopaedic surgeon informed him these operations are very complicated and he won’t take the chance.
“My life hasn’t changed as I’m still in a wheelchair and my leg is still stiff. My wish is to find an orthopaedic specialist who would be willing to do the operations so I can walk again. I am under a lot of pressure due to the finances and my leg that is not healed yet, but I stay positive and keep going,” he concluded.
Should you want to assist Van Wyk in any way, contact him on 083 651 6300.
