Man suffers horror hospital stay before amputation
Swanepoel's foot was infected with gangrene and had to be amputated.
A Moot resident had to spend a gruelling eight days in pain at two local state hospitals before his foot was finally amputated, following a severe infection.
Barnard Swanepoel, a 45-year-old businessman, was rushed to Tshwane District Hospital on October 4 when the infection became visibly worse.
After four days at the hospital, he was transferred to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital where he received treatment for the infection, but it was clear that an operation was needed to rescue his foot. He then had to wait four days before the operation.
Nurses were changing his bandages while they waited for an operating theatre to be made available to him.
Swanepoel’s wife, Annalize, was extremely concerned for her husband’s well-being, but her hands were tied and there was very little she could do.
“It was so frustrating to sit and wait there for an operating theatre to become available,” she said.
“We saw other people go in and just kept hoping that they would free up a space for him.”
During this time, Barnard was in an extreme amount of pain and began to worry about being away from his business for so long.
According to Annalize, he had to wait at the hospital for four days before an operating theatre was made available to him where the amputation took place.
At the time of writing, Barnard is still in hospital waiting, for a second round in the operating theatre to ensure the infection has stopped spreading.
“I have had barely any sleep, but the staff at the hospital have been wonderful in allowing me to visit him at odd hours and stay with him.
“The nurses took very good care of him and the doctors were great.”
Annalize is very pleased with the treatment her husband has received at the hospital, but feels there is a need for additional operating theatres.
“We completely understand there were very sick people who needed to be operated on as well, but he was lying there in pain for so long.”
Steve Biko CEO Mathabo Mathebula told Rekord there are a total of 21 operating theatres open 24/7 at the hospital.
When asked how patients are prioritised for the operating theatres, she said they worked in accordance with the international medical categorisation of the triage system.
“Among many things generally: appropriate infrastructure availability, ICU or high bed care availability and how life-threatening the condition is compared to others,” said Mathebula.
“We also take into consideration how many patients are waiting for similar or equivalent types of operation, how long the operation is expected to take, how urgent the surgery is, the survival rate if delayed, age, pre-illness, physical state and fitness.
“Finally, we look at the type of surgery, the availability and skill and where we can slot the patient in,” she said.
She said the hospital has no plans on building extra operating theatres in the near future.
Currently, Annalize is trying to figure out she and her husband will adapt once he is released from hospital.
“We will have to adapt to a new life with him in a wheelchair, at least for the time being.
“Luckily the people here in the Moot are very kind and have offered to donate a wheelchair.”
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