Surgery postponed three times while she suffers

By Francine Black, Staff Reporter

Archibald McDonald cannot bear to see his wife in pain and now that the couple will have to wait until January to get a date for the surgery to end her pain, he is quite upset.

McDonald's wife has been a patient of the orthopaedic ward of the University Hosptial of The West Indies (UHWI) since September when she started having knee pains. After several examinations, the doctor determined that she needed surgery and they were told to pay $245,000 for a TKR Stryker.

A receipt provided by McDonald showed that the sum was paid in full on October 26, 2007, however since then the surgery has been put off three times. "We paid the sum and everytime we go there, them put wi off. We went November 5 and they put us off for November 19, " McDonald said.

He said when they returned on November 19, they were told that there was no fixed date and they had been placed on a waiting list. "They told us it can't be done for this year again and we have to wait till January (for a date)," he added.

This has not gone down well with McDonald who said his wife is in a lot of pain, and he is not pleased that she has to continue to bear it with no end in sight. "(The pain) it very bad, she caan walk, when she do get up she have a bandage thing on it. She can't sleep at night. If she turn her foot hurt up, if she walk or drive the same thing happen," he said.

increased trauma

His 58-year-old wife has been given a prescription to help with the pain until the doctor can reschedule the operation.

Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at UHWI, Dr. Trevor McCartney, said he could not comment specifically on what led to the rescheduling of McDonald's wife's surgery. However, he said that at this time of year some surgeries have had to be rescheduled because of the increased trauma cases that come to the hospital.

He said that trauma caused by accidents often place a lot of pressure on the orthopaedic department of the hospital especially at this time of the year. He also said the doctor dealing with her case would make the necessary decision as to the urgency of the surgery and schedule as such.

"The particular consultant would make a judgement as to how urgent the case is when scheduling the surgery," he said.