Estcourt resident, Shamima Hassen, is desperately seeking a positive outcome and an end to a hellish nightmare after her 71-year-old mother, Tharamoney Hassen, has been left to wait for an operation for over a month to mend her broken hip, which is now taking its toll on her health as she is forced to survive without the essential surgery.
“I’m desperate and need my mother to come home. I don’t know how much longer my mother must wait for her surgery. I really don’t know what to do anymore,” said Shamima through tears as she told The Ladysmith Herald that she and her family are living a nightmare while waiting for the procedure to take place.
Hip fractures can reduce one’s independence and sometimes even shorten life expectancy, with almost half of patients unable to ever regain their ability to live independently. Furthermore, a hip fracture can lead to other complications due to restricted movement, such as blood clots in the lungs or legs, and may take six months to a year to fully recover from.
Tharamoney Hassen fell and broke her hip in January and was taken to a hospital in Estcourt, where she was X-rayed. “I was told that my mother just sustained a few bruises. She was given an injection and sent home,” said Shamima, adding that
the pain eventually got so bad that her mother could no longer move on her own.
It was then that the family decided to take her to the Provincial Hospital in Ladysmith. After a second X-ray, the doctor on duty told the family that Tharamoney had broken her hip and will need to have surgery done.
Shamima said: “The second X-ray revealed that her left hip was, in fact, broken. I am deeply troubled and confused as to why the initial diagnosis was missed, leading
to an extended period of untreated suffering for my mother.
“To further compound this distressing situation, we were informed that there is a waiting list at Ladysmith Provincial Hospital and we have been given no exact date for when she will receive the necessary operation. As you may understand, this news has been extremely distressing and it’s concerning to hear that some patients are facing waiting times of up to three weeks for their operations.
“My mother, who is a patient dealing with anxiety, hypertension, diabetes and thyroid conditions, has been enduring unbearable pain and discomfort, and I strongly feel that she has endured enough.”
Shamima told The Ladysmith Herald that it has been a rollercoaster of emotions and that from 31 January to date, the hip operation was cancelled twice.
Dr Mokhethi Pule, acting CEO of Ladysmith Provincial Hospital, told Shamima that
the operation will take place on 15 February 2024, but failed to follow up on this. After multiple phone calls, WhatsApp texts
and emails with Dr Pule, Shamima and
her family eventually found out that the
air-conditioning system in the surgical
ward was not functional, resulting in the delays.
The email from Dr Pule explained that the service provider who did the assessment and quotation experienced challenges
with sourcing one of the parts needing replacement. “He did explain what the problem is, but even so, it should not
take this long and my mother is not the
only one who is waiting for her operation among 24 other patients,” said Shamima.
Dr Pule told The Ladysmith Herald that they are aware of the ongoing problem
and are trying their utmost to get the
air-conditioning system up and running. “We are trying our best and keeping our patients comfortable to the best of our abilities,” he said.
Shamima said that she just wants her mother home as she can see how the delay of the surgery is taking its toll on her. “I don’t know what to do anymore; I just want my mother to come home.”
At the time of print, Dr Pule could not provide a deadline for Tharamoney Hassen’s operation. He added: “I have responded and I am in contact with the family and will continue doing so.”
