Post by Banker on Feb 23, 2012 8:57:03 GMT 7
Perth woman Glenyse Schmidt is standing by claims her bowel surgery was cancelled after she had been put under general anaesthetic, despite there being no records of her experience.
Mrs Schmidt today said the pain and suffering of her 16-month wait for elective surgery, which she said was cancelled three times, had made her suicidal.
She was initially relieved when she woke up in Fremantle Hospital in December 2010 after being put under general anaesthetic, believing her surgery had taken place, only to feel betrayed that it was cancelled at the last moment, with no explanation.
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She was also concerned the hospital had put her health at additional risk by needlessly putting her under general anaesthetic.
"I was devastated, I was literally devastated," Mrs Schmidt said.
"They never gave me an explanation."
However Health Minister Kim Hames said there were no records of Mrs Schmidt ever being put under general anaesthesia for bowel surgery and her procedure had been cancelled twice, not three times.
He conceded two cancellations was not ideal but guaranteed her surgery would either go ahead on her next scheduled date of March 22, or she would be transferred to a private hospital at the government's cost.
Mrs Schmidt's case was raised today by the Opposition in a bid to highlight the growing elective surgery waiting list.
The Opposition stood by Mrs Schmidt this afternoon.
Mr Hames refused to criticise Labor for not having researched her case before presenting Mrs Schmidt to the media, but called on her to present evidence of her claims.
He did not deny her situation was concerning and that Mrs Schmidt required surgery.
The 65-year-old pensioner's chronic bowel issues have caused her constant stomach pain and diarrhoea.
She is regularly "drugged up to the hilt", including today while detailing her situation to the media.
"I can't go nowhere, I haven't got any sort of life unless I've got to take my medication with me," Mrs Schmidt said.
"If me and my husband go for a drive and I haven't got any medication I have to say 'stop' and the nearest bush I have to go into because I just cannot wait until we get to a town."
Mrs Schmidt said the emotional turmoil of putting her life on hold while waiting for surgery was so bad she had wanted to end her life.
"Every time I'm given a date for my operation they ring me two days before and say it's been delayed and then they'll just put you back and put you back and put you back," she said.
"I was prepared last year if it was going to continue to take my own life.
"[It made me feel] like I wasn't wanted, that I was just another number."
Opposition leader Mark McGowan called on the government to bring forward Mrs Schmidt's surgery to as early as tomorrow and offer her an apology for needlessly putting her under general anaesthetic.
"No Western Australian should have to endure what Mrs Schmidt has gone through," he said.
Premier Colin Barnett stood by his previous statement that "elective surgery is just that, it is elective surgery. There might be long wait times" and "sometimes you just have to wait".
"I'm not suggesting that they're not painful situations and cause huge frustration for people but they're not life threatening," he said.
"Therefore there is a waiting list."
"It is not possible tomorrow to provide all the surgery, all the theatres, all the operations for all of those people on the elective list.
"The elective list is that: it's deemed on clinical or medical grounds to be not life threatening and therefore there is a wait."
Mr Hames said while there were more people waiting for elective surgery because of a growing and ageing population, they were being treated "far" quicker than under the previous government.
goo.gl/cOQFx
Mrs Schmidt today said the pain and suffering of her 16-month wait for elective surgery, which she said was cancelled three times, had made her suicidal.
She was initially relieved when she woke up in Fremantle Hospital in December 2010 after being put under general anaesthetic, believing her surgery had taken place, only to feel betrayed that it was cancelled at the last moment, with no explanation.
Advertisement: Story continues below
She was also concerned the hospital had put her health at additional risk by needlessly putting her under general anaesthetic.
"I was devastated, I was literally devastated," Mrs Schmidt said.
"They never gave me an explanation."
However Health Minister Kim Hames said there were no records of Mrs Schmidt ever being put under general anaesthesia for bowel surgery and her procedure had been cancelled twice, not three times.
He conceded two cancellations was not ideal but guaranteed her surgery would either go ahead on her next scheduled date of March 22, or she would be transferred to a private hospital at the government's cost.
Mrs Schmidt's case was raised today by the Opposition in a bid to highlight the growing elective surgery waiting list.
The Opposition stood by Mrs Schmidt this afternoon.
Mr Hames refused to criticise Labor for not having researched her case before presenting Mrs Schmidt to the media, but called on her to present evidence of her claims.
He did not deny her situation was concerning and that Mrs Schmidt required surgery.
The 65-year-old pensioner's chronic bowel issues have caused her constant stomach pain and diarrhoea.
She is regularly "drugged up to the hilt", including today while detailing her situation to the media.
"I can't go nowhere, I haven't got any sort of life unless I've got to take my medication with me," Mrs Schmidt said.
"If me and my husband go for a drive and I haven't got any medication I have to say 'stop' and the nearest bush I have to go into because I just cannot wait until we get to a town."
Mrs Schmidt said the emotional turmoil of putting her life on hold while waiting for surgery was so bad she had wanted to end her life.
"Every time I'm given a date for my operation they ring me two days before and say it's been delayed and then they'll just put you back and put you back and put you back," she said.
"I was prepared last year if it was going to continue to take my own life.
"[It made me feel] like I wasn't wanted, that I was just another number."
Opposition leader Mark McGowan called on the government to bring forward Mrs Schmidt's surgery to as early as tomorrow and offer her an apology for needlessly putting her under general anaesthetic.
"No Western Australian should have to endure what Mrs Schmidt has gone through," he said.
Premier Colin Barnett stood by his previous statement that "elective surgery is just that, it is elective surgery. There might be long wait times" and "sometimes you just have to wait".
"I'm not suggesting that they're not painful situations and cause huge frustration for people but they're not life threatening," he said.
"Therefore there is a waiting list."
"It is not possible tomorrow to provide all the surgery, all the theatres, all the operations for all of those people on the elective list.
"The elective list is that: it's deemed on clinical or medical grounds to be not life threatening and therefore there is a wait."
Mr Hames said while there were more people waiting for elective surgery because of a growing and ageing population, they were being treated "far" quicker than under the previous government.
goo.gl/cOQFx
