DEAR Editor,-
I refer to the letter from ‘Satisfied patient’ (Herald, May 30) and I would like to tell my story.
I am a pensioner who is on a medical aid paid for by my daughter and early last year I had a fall that knocked me out. My son took me to the Hibiscus Private Hospital where they did X-rays, an MRI and numerous other tests to find out why I fell. They were tops!
However, I was sent to a hospital in Durban for an angiogram and was kept in ICU overnight where there is one nurse allocated for every two patients. The next morning, the nurse allocated to me allowed me to fall into the wheelchair, an incident which was not reported or recorded. Later, my right arm was swollen and extremely painful and it was discovered that a large clot had formed and would have to be surgically removed.
After seven anaesthetics over seven weeks and skin grafts taken from my thigh to close the arm wound, I was discharged. Back on the South Coast, I was left with no medical aid funds or money, so I went to the local clinic where the wound was treated three times a week for several weeks.
I was given antibiotics until it healed and then sent to both the physio and occupational therapists at the Port Shepstone Regional Hospital for several months to regain some use in my right hand. Praise God, up to a point, it has worked.
So yes, I can say kudos to the local clinic and the Port Shepstone Regional Hospital. Oh yes, I never did have the angiogram!
E S JACOBSOHN
Port Shepstone
