Save Sheila - A Summary of What Happened

 

A SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED

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SAVE SHEILA'S LIFE CAUSE

Note: During my blogs, you will see that I'll be talking about 3 different government medical facilities; their names will be changed to prevent me from being sued, and prevent interference with a possible future court case.

I will be calling them:  Local Hospital 1, Clinic 1 and Clinic 2.

Mom Sheila 2023

My 81-year-old mother has always been a healthy person overall - with an optimistic and gentle personality. This photo shows her appearance in 2023.

She has Diabetes Type 2 most of her life, controlled with tablets.

I always knew that she had edema as well, but it worsened in the previous few months, so she sought treatment from a private GP. He prescribed treatment and assured her that continuing with the current medication would reduce it. 

Unfortunately, this did not happen. 

On March 12, 2023, she suddenly lost the ability to move her legs due to how waterlogged and heavy they had become.

I am sure you can understand that I was desperate for answers and for her to receive treatment.

I called a private ambulance and rushed to the Clinic 2 Casualty Department.

God intervened and provided the money to pay the private ambulance and the private taxi who brought her home the next day!

Clinic 2 Casualty Department diagnosed her with:

•  Diabetes Type 2 (Sugar 27+),  (known existing condition)
•  Congestive Heart Failure (Severe Oedema - legs like cement  pillars (new condition)
•  Cellulitis Infection of the legs - weeping legs with an open sore.

They disregarded her other condition, Asthma. 

Some of the staff were great, but some of them and more so the night team was rude, arrogant and inattentive to her needs. 

They kept her in one position on a drip for 18 hours, without turning her despite her cries of pain
and pleas for help due to a pressure sore on her coccyx and lack of support under her knees and neck.

They completely ignored me when I called for help to turn her, and often mocked me, saying it's my responsibility, not theirs. 

They did not offer her any food during those 18 hours of treatment, nor did they provide pillows or blankets. If I had not brought in food, water, blankets, and pillows, she would have been hungry, cold, and in even more pain than she was.

Remember this is a summary, not the full details of what transpired; these will be laid out in the blog posts I write from my notes and memory. 

Today, Sheila is in serious danger with a terrible open wound on her coccyx and a massive necrotic diabetic ulcer covering half of her lower leg, which I believe was caused by two factors:

1. During three different visits to Clinic 2 Casualty Department, The Doctors said that they didn't need to examine my Mom's sores; one Doctor said its because he "knows what it is".
   
   Another Doctor blamed her for being ill for "not taking medication they prescribed" - despite our explanation that she is taking medicine prescribed from a Private Doctor because the medication that Clinic 2 had initially prescribed made her sick and we were seeking alternatives.
   
   Another Doctor said the wound care must be handled by Clinic 1 or Local Hospital, not Clinic 2, yet he refused to give a letter referring her to one of those institutions.
   
   

2. A few weeks later, I couldn't bear to see the growing sore on her leg any longer. I rushed her to the Local Hospital Casualty Department where they treated her leg wound over two appointments.

   
   The day after the second appointment, the wound had progressed from simply infected to necrotic overnight. Their treatment involved encasing the wound in a vacuum-sealed plastic outer layer. In my opinion, this created a breeding ground for bacteria.

We continued with their recommended wound treatments at another Clinic 1 Wound Care,
but the wound grew from bad to worse.  Clinic 1 Wound Care, said we could take her back to the "zoned" Clinic 2  and they could dress her wound there.

I eventually rushed her back to the Clinic 2 Casualty Department and once again we were treated badly by certain medical staff members -  and her wound ignored once again.

The attitudes of those specific staff members caused us so much stress and anxiety that we were reluctant to go back and even afraid to return to those clinics for further medical help. 

We didn't believe we would receive help, and it felt like a waste of time and resources. We often felt as though we were being punished.

My mother, Sheila, is in a desperately dangerous state, and I feel compelled to turn to the broader South African community for help and seek alternative treatments for her out of desperation..

My sister and I frantically began searching for help, and I will detail that journey on the 'Sheila's Story' page of this blog.

the steps we took so far are:

1. Approached a private wound care specialist nurse - she said Mom needs surgical debridement.

   
   
   
   
   
2. We went to Clinic 2 but they refused to look at her wound, saying treat it with salt water and bandages every 2 days.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. We went back about 2 weeks later saying the sore is worse, but they refused to look at it, gave us a disinfectant to clean her leg with, said use salt water and bandage every two days - and gave us an appointment for a months time.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. After two weeks I was alarmed at the fast growth of the leg sore, and took her to Local Hospital Casualty. They treated her over two appointments and referred us to Clinic 1 Wound Care, and gave us a review appointment in a months time.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. We took her to Clinic 1 Wound Care faithfully over about a ten day period, but the sore got worse and she got weaker, to the point where she could not walk, sit or stand.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Tried to get her into the Local Hospital, but the ambulance refused to take Mom because she needs a referral letter from a Doctor.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. We got a referral letter from a Doctor, and then a private surgeon reached out to us. The private surgeon did a house call and taught us about wound care, issued some antibiotics and medical advice, and confirmed Mom needs surgical debridement which cannot be done at home.
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. We tried once again to get Mom to the Local Hospital,  but the government ambulance refused to take us their as it is against procedures; they did not accept the referral letter from the private doctor that we had.
   They said we have to get the referral letter from a Doctor at Clinic 2.
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. They took us to Clinic 2 Casualty Ward who refused to give us a referral letter; they treated mom for pain and diabetes only. They refused to look at her wound. They sent us home again. This happened 3 times so far.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. We appealed to the pubic for nurses to help us dress Moms wound, and a team of three nurses volunteered - one is a wound specialist with her own wound care clinic. We now have a team of nurses helping dress Moms wounds.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. I visited the Local Hospital in person without Mom showing videos and pictures of Moms
    wounds and they said we can bring her next week, but need a referral letter from Clinic 2; they said we don't have to take her to Clinic 2, just go
    there and ask the Doctor to phone them.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. I immediately went to Clinic 2 the same day, and they refused to issue a letter without examining Mom. I explained that the government ambulance won't take us to the Local Hospital without a letter from Clinic 2, and we can't afford a private ambulance.  The Doctor kindly called Local Hospital to discuss it further.
    
    
    
    
    
    
13. The Doctor at Clinic 2 advised me that we can take Mom to the Local Hospital if she has an appointment - and we can call the private ambulance. The private ambulance will bill the government since she already has an appointment. However, if Mom is not admitted and sent back home, we need R1250 to pay the private ambulance to bring her home.

The above info was given to me yesterday. 

We are now raising funds for the private ambulance as well as Moms other needs.

I'm sure you can imagine the frustration and heartache, watching Mom decline while dealing with the above stories. 

In the meantime, we have used up almost all our savings to buy bandages, gauze, topical debridement medications, special foods and more.  We have run out of funds to help her further.

But we know that God is our provider and He provides our needs. All we need to do is trust Him and stay focused on Him.  

Philippians 4:5, AMP:  Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.

Philippians 4:19, KJV: But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

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Thanks!

Christine Livingstone

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The author, Christine Livingstone is a businesswoman and ministry leader based in South Africa, known for her talents in teaching, content creation, graphic design, and business acumen. No part of the content on this blog may be reproduced without written permission from Christine and full accreditation. For permissions and accreditation, please contact Christine via the contact link on this blog or any of her websites. Copyright (C) 2024 christinelivingstone.com. All Rights Reserved.