REGINA – Since Tony Kot, 34, fell from a ladder in June 2014, he’s been in agony, suffering from a severely herniated disc. After resting and taking medication, his pain worsened before the new year began.
A neurosurgeon determined on Feb. 26 that Kot required urgent surgery, scheduled for four days later – but it was cancelled, his family said, because there weren’t enough beds at Regina General Hospital.
“It’s devastating and stressful on all of us,” said Kot’s mother, Sheila Somers. She shared the story at the Saskatchewan legislature Thursday. Somers said Kot, a father of two young children, is often in too much pain to stand or sit upright and has trouble eating.
“He’s in pain 24/7.”
Surgery was put off again on March 3 – also due to a bed shortage.
“All I want is for him to smile again.”
“They called me … and said Tony would have a bed that afternoon. We were ecstatic,” Somers told reporters. “35 minutes later, they called us and said, ‘We’re not going to have a bed for him. Maybe tomorrow, but not likely.’ ”
Somers said the doctor was worried Kot’s organs were in danger, as he was experiencing ‘red flag’ symptoms related to herniated discs, such as loss of sensation in the groin area. The family was told another patient’s surgery would have to be postponed or Kot’s organs would have to fail in order to have his procedure considered an emergency.
According to Somers, Kot has no feeling in the left side of his body due to pressure on the nerves in his back. For him, it is an emergency.
“When a physician says an emergency sugery needs to happen, that needs to happen,” said Opposition NDP leader Cam Broten, who raised the issue in question period. “This government is not ensuring the right beds are there, the right time is there, in order to guarantee emergency surgeries take place on an emergency basis.”
Health Minister Dustin Duncan said he shares the family’s concerns and cited examples of surgery wait times reductions in Saskatchewan, including an increase in available recovery beds for Regina and Saskatoon.
“In some cases you’re dealing with multiple surgeons in the prioritization list,” Duncan said. “When surgeries get bumped for a couple of days, it’s frustrating for the familes, I have no doubt about that.”
A government spokesperson said Duncan was told Kot’s surgery was not considered an emergency.
Somers said the neurosurgeon cancelled another patient’s surgery on March 11 in order to finally fit Kot in.
“All I want is for him to smile again. I haven’t seen that in a long time.”
Comments