Mark Walkden of Vanderbijlpark writes:
My wife Natasja (Walkden) was left to lie for ten hours before she eventually went into theatre after suffering a stroke. I believe the chances of recovery would have been a lot better had action been taken sooner. Now every time they try to take her off the ventilator her blood pressure rockets, placing her in even more danger of brain damage.
I want this to be an early warning to others. I want an explanation and an assurance that this won’t happen to anyone else.
At approximately 3:40 (am) on June 19 I was awakened by my wife thrashing around in bed and making gargling noises. She was trying to grab my arm and was in no way acting normal.
We called 082 911 and an ambulance was there in about ten minutes. They informed me she had suffered a stroke. They stabilised her and transported her to Mediclinic Emfuleni.
There we were informed no ICU bed was available and they would phone around till they could find one. They eventually found an available bed at Milpark Hospital (Johannesburg) and she would be transported by ER24 personnel. (By the way, you guys rock. Always professional and caring. You all deserve medals).
At 10:00 she finally left Mediclinic Emfuleni for Milpark Hospital. I was, however, expected to pay a sum to Mediclinic Emfuleni before she could leave. Apparently, our medical insurance scheme does not pay for casualties unless you as a patient are admitted. I told them that on the 25th of the month I did not have those funds.
I told them I had no idea what funds I would need for Milpark Hospital, but, don’t worry Emfuleni, you will get your money on the 26th as promised. When we entered Milpark the difference in hospitals was incredible. Every member of Milpark staff we encountered was so professional and constantly helpful; but another drawback we encountered there was our medical insurance company.
Natasja was being prepped for an operation to relieve intracranial bleeding, which she had been suffering from since 03:30 that morning. We needed authorization from the medical insurance company and I kid you not, and the company can check its phone records, we called at 13:42 and were eventually answered at 13:58 after numerous recorded messages about how important our call was to them. I mean ‘helloooooo’! Time is of the essence here. Eventually we got the authorisation and everything went ahead.
At nine this morning (June 25) Natasja had the ventilator removed, but not for long as she could not breath alone so they had to reinstate it and sedate her again. This I’m sure is because they took so long to begin with the operation.
I know that the longer treatment is withheld the more serious the effects are.
She should have been able to handle coming off the ventilator by now. This is not a good sign. The latest on June 25 is that Milpark Hospital phoned me. It was then necessary to do a tracheotomy to reinsert the ventilator to minimise damage … as the ventilator has been in too long.
* Hospital manager of Mediclinic Emfuleni Joe Sandows responds that on June 19 Mrs Walkden arrived per Netcare ambulance and was assessed. Pathology tests were conducted.
The treating doctor contacted the physician on call who requested a brain scan. The scan indicated intercranial bleeding which required intensive care so the patient had to be transferred to a suitable facility. Mediclinic staff and doctors contacted various hospitals to locate an available ICU bed and were later notified that Milpark Hospital could accommodate the patient. The transfer was then immediately arranged with ER24.
During this period, reports Mediclinic Emfuleni, the unit manager personally kept Mr Walkden updated on his wife’s condition and on the status of the transfer.
Says Sandows: “We have subsequently attempted to contact Mr Walkden to address his concerns without success and would welcome the opportunity to do so.”
