Patient waits in agony for elbow surgery
Tumble in carpark stairwell proves a shattering experience
IT’S been one week since Jessica Allie shattered her elbow after falling down a set of stairs at a Hobart carpark and she is still awaiting details on when she can have surgery.
On Tuesday last week, Ms Allie, 34, of Mornington, had parked in the Argyle Street carpark to go shopping when she tripped down about three stairs in the stairwell.
Ms Allie, who works in the mental health industry doing art therapy, said she stuck out her left arm to break her fall.
“When I realised I couldn’t move my elbow, that was when I knew there was something seriously wrong, but as far as the extent, I had no idea until I was able to get the scans back,” she said.
She was helped by a passing nurse until an ambulance arrived more than 40 minutes later and took her to the Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department, where she was seen by a surgeon and had an X-ray and CT scan.
Ms Allie said she was told she would have surgery last Thursday.
“On Thursday, I was told someone else had to take my place because they would have lost their leg, which was fair enough, so I waited, and the next day I demanded to speak to the treating surgeon and they came around and didn’t provide me with much information,” she said.
“I was told to go home for the weekend and that at some point I’d get a phone call, but that never happened.
“I went back this (Monday) morning and found out I’d been discharged, so we had to basically start the process over again.
“At this stage they’re saying it could be towards the end of the week when I’ll find out when they might operate on me.” Ms Allie said her shattered elbow left her unable to do anything. “I can’t shower myself, dress myself and the swelling is so severe,” she said.
“I’m getting a sensation down the left-hand side of my body so I’m struggling to concentrate on things, even just remembering who I’m speaking to. I’m quite messed up cognitively.
“All I can think about and focus on when people are talking to me is ‘when is this getting fixed and can something please just put me to sleep until it is’.” A Tasmanian Health Service spokesman said there were occasions when more urgent cases took surgical priority. “These decisions are made by clinicians based on the full and thorough assessment of a patient’s medical situation,” he said. “Our staff work extremely closely with patients and their families to ensure the required surgery can occur at the earliest opportunity.”