MEDICAL NIGHTMARE: Manitoba’s pandemic surgical backlog claims life of retired firefighter

Manitoba’s pandemic-related surgical backlog grew to become a harsh actuality not too long ago when a retired Winnipeg firefighter died after languishing in hospital for weeks previous to and after receiving surgical procedure for spinal stenosis, which was cancelled virtually a dozen instances.

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal inflicting extreme ache and doubtlessly mobility loss. David Reid, 87, died on Wednesday, round one month after receiving surgical procedure at Winnipeg’s Well being Sciences Centre (HSC). His good good friend Frank Leswick instructed the Winnipeg Solar  Reid’s medical nightmare started after being delivered by ambulance to Seven Oaks Hospital for extreme ache and mobility loss. The next day he was despatched to HSC.

“At first, they have been going to fuse L3 and L4 lumbar vertebrae,” mentioned Leswick in a telephone interview. “It took one month to the day that they operated. They cancelled his operation 10 or 12 instances. So, he had huge highs and lows in that complete month. Meaning you don’t get fed within the morning and stuff like that.”

Reid’s surgical procedure ended up being far more sophisticated than anticipated, mentioned Leswick. Reid’s stays are presently the topic of an post-mortem, defined Leswick, including Reid caught COVID after the surgical procedure, compounding his continual obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD). He mentioned there was a COVID outbreak on the ward affecting round 14 sufferers.

“So, I couldn’t see him for 10 days, and that first day they despatched him and one other affected person to ICU due to his age and stuff like that, they usually despatched him again the subsequent day as a result of his oxygen ranges have been good, however the different individual died and didn’t come again,” mentioned Leswick. “COVID hit him fairly onerous.”

Dr. Kristjan Thompson, an ER physician and president of Medical doctors Manitoba, instructed the  Solar  Reid’s story is tragic, including there are literally thousands of Manitobans going through surgical procedure delays due to the pandemic, and for some it means a severe deterioration in well being.

“This is the reason Medical doctors Manitoba has been pushing for a plan to handle the huge surgical procedure and diagnostic backlog, and why we’re urging Manitobans to do every little thing they will to gradual the unfold of COVID-19,” he mentioned.

Leswick mentioned he fed Reid earlier than his demise as a result of Reid misplaced using his palms. Reid continued to wither away and have become skeletal.

“He was strolling the day earlier than he went into the hospital with a walker,” mentioned Leswick. “He had ache within the again. After which (after surgical procedure) he was not less than one other month on the HSC mendacity in a mattress. They may have gotten him up a pair instances, however he principally simply laid in a mattress. After a pair months they shipped him to Concordia. Properly, when Concordia received him they usually checked out David, they couldn’t imagine it. He had scabs on his legs. His little toe on his left foot developed gangrene as a result of his circulation was so dangerous.”

Reid died in Concordia Hospital.

The province introduced Wednesday it’s sending as much as 300 sufferers needing spinal surgical procedure to Fargo, N.D., for his or her operations. Eligible sufferers can be referred by their docs, who will prioritize circumstances like spinal stenosis and continual degenerative disc illness.

[email protected]

Twitter @JamesWestgateSn