"Elective surgery- below knee amputation"

Hi,

I am a type 1 diabetic with an existing right leg below knee amputation.

I am a country patent and live over 100 kilometres from the hospital.

Recently,  I attended the MDFU due to concerns with a return of infection to my left foot where I had my 1st and 2nd toes and joints below amputated a few weeks earlier. It was agreed with the team that I would have a left leg below knee amputation to eliminate the persistent osteomyelitis as I am limited to the types of antibiotics that are available to treat the infection that I have. I was admitted to hospital that day for 2 days to receive a PIK line and arrange Meropenem in Baxter pumps to take home and a booking was made for elective surgery in a fortnight.

A fortnight later, I attended FSH and was being admitted when the surgeon advised that my surgery had to be cancelled due to two incoming emergencies that required vascular surgery. We discussed that I would be placed on the emergency list for surgery the next day and I was to stay overnight in short stay. Knowing that the emergency list can easily be cancelled we also discussed that another elective booking would be made for his list for the following week as a backup plan.

On the following day, I had been prepared for surgery in the afternoon and at about midday I was advised that once again my surgery had been cancelled. I was then advised that I would be sent home with further antibiotics and be booked in for two weeks time.

This did not align with the discussions that we had with our surgeon the previous day.

I have a history of getting C Diff, Colitis from the Meropenem over time and I am terrified that this could happen again.

Further to this the Dr’s have since advised me that the surgery will now be in 3 weeks time. I cant seem to get a straight answer from anyone and I feel the story is continuously changing.

Mentally I am struggling with my situation of being delayed as it is a life changing surgery to be a bilateral below knee amputee and obviously very stressful at this stage before the surgery.

I am asking that priority please be given to my surgery so that I can begin my rehabilitation and healing to be able to resume my life. At the moment i am self employed and unable to work. I am limited to the activities I can do and must rely on Home Link each day to change my Baxter pump and dressings each day.

I look forward to your earliest response.