Man missing piece of brain

CLAIM: DOCTOR SAYS IT WAS REMOVED DURING SURGERY TO REPAIR HAEMORRHAGE

I can’t lift weights and I can’t play with my dogs.

Richard Roets

23 year old needs financial help to repair damage.

ACenturion man’s life was turned upside down when a piece of his brain was inexplicably removed during an alleged botched surgery to repair a brain haemorrhage.

Righard Roets, 23, has since started a Back-a-Buddy account to assist in his attempt in paying for surgery to fix the damage to his brain.

Roets started experiencing severe headaches in September. “One afternoon after a day of water sports with my girlfriend and her family, I was bedridden with a severe headache. I went to the doctor the next evening and was diagnosed with whiplash.”

Roets, however, continued to have bouts of nausea, vomiting and headaches for two months thereafter.

“At the start of December, my girlfriend’s mother took me to a private hospital in Pretoria where the doctors conducted a CT scan. I was rushed to Steve Biko Academic Hospital for emergency surgery,” he said.

“I do not have a medical aid, so state facilities were the only option. I had a massive brain bleed called a chronic subdural haemorrhage.”

After two holes were drilled in Roets’ skull to relieve pressure and to drain much of the blood, the subdural haemorrhage was treated and repaired to his knowledge.

“I felt so much better, the severe pressure, headaches and vomiting had subsided,” he said.

“The day after my operation [on 9 December] another CT scan was taken of my brain. The doctor said I would have to stay in hospital for another week to do an MRI scan. The doctor suspected I had a stroke.”

After having the MRI scan, results came back normal and he was instructed to return for a follow-up appointment this month. “On 12 January, my girlfriend’s mother booked a private consultation for me with a neurosurgeon at that same private hospital. It was here where my life would change forever. The doctor informed me a piece of my brain was removed during my surgery.”

The doctor told him another brain surgery had to be performed as soon as possible to remove old blood causing his brain to push against his skull.

“There is a whole space filled with fluid where part of my frontal left lobe was supposed to be, which was sucked out during the operation at Steve Biko hospital. I was devastated.”

Roes is not allowed to exercise. “I can’t jog, lift weights, and I can’t play with my dogs. I am not allowed any sudden movement which might shake my brain a bit. Bleeding can start at any time if I’m not careful,” he said.

“Doing the operation at a private hospital will cost a maximum of R200 000. That is a lot of money, which I do not have but I am willing to do whatever it takes to get my life back to a normal and healthy state again.”

Steve Biko hospital was asked for comment but none has been received by time of going to press. –