(Graphic images) Needle prick leaves big hole in woman’s arm
Natalie de Beer has a hole in her arm which she believes is the result of blood samples being taken with a dirty needle.
“My arm started to swell less than a week after I visited Far East Rand Hospital (FERH) on February 9 and soon thereafter, a blister formed,” she says.
The 25-year-old epilepsy sufferer recently went to have blood tests done at the hospital and claims a regular check-up turned into a nightmare.
She alleges the nurses couldn’t find a vein in her left arm and chose to look for another vein on the side of the same arm.
Read: Alleged bad language of FERH nurse
“The needle pricks left red marks which soon caused a swelling and redness on my arm,” she says.
She noticed a blister forming at the spot where the second needle prick was and went back to the hospital to have it checked out.
De Beer, who lives in Brakpan, was asked to return the next day to have a doctor look at the blister, which the nursing staff allegedly made out to be a spider bite.
She says her arm was swollen and quite painful as the blister burst and formed quite a big hole.
When she returned the next day a doctor on duty allegedly gave her local anaesthetic and cleaned the hole.
She claims the doctor informed her that it was indeed a spider bite.
“However, it is not, as I know for a fact that the hole is exactly where the nurses drew blood from my arm,” says de Beer.
Natalie was asked to return two days later to have the wound cleaned again, but instead she was taken to a private doctor.
The hole allegedly got bigger and she claims since a private doctor treated the wound, it looks substantially better.
“It is scary to think that there is a hole as big as a R5 coin in my arm but at least the wound is almost healed,” she says.
Read: Woman pleasantly surprised by treatment at FERH
FERH spokesman Hendrik Buda confirms de Beer’s visit to the hospital.
She was seen by the doctor on duty, given treatment to take home and was referred to the medical outpatients department to be seen by a specialist.
“We advise the patient to honour this appointment in order for the doctors to address whatever medical concerns she has.
“She can contact me and I will ensure she is referred to the relevant doctor,” says Buda.
Warning: Graphic images
