| Doctor heads to Indonesia, leaving patient in limbo |
| BY JEFF JEDRAS SPECIAL TO VANCOUVER SUN |
| COMOX-- A Comox man who was been waiting more than 15 months for a hip replacement found out less than 48 hours before the scheduled surgery it would be cancelled because his doctor was going overseas to join the tsunami relief effort in Indonedia. After a painful 15-month wait, 59-year-old Mel Clisby's surgery was finally scheduled late last year for Thursday. However, he returned home from work Tuesday to a message to call St. Joseph's Hospital in Comox. His bags were packed, equipment borrowed from the Red Cross for his recovery, and his replacement was on the job at the CFB Comox recreation centre, where he is responsible for building maintenance. "When I called back, they informed me my doctor was going over to Indonesia, and my operation was cancelled," said Clisby. The hospital's scheduling department wasn't able to give him any further information, leaving Clisby in a state of limbo, not knowing if he goes down to the bottom of the list, of when his surgery might be rescheduled. However, later Thursday, Clisby received a voice mail saying his surgery had been rescheduled and that he should call the hospital. By the time he got the message the scheduling department had closed for the day, but Clisby said he found it interesting the call came just hours after he had talked to a reporter about his situation. Orthapedic surgeon Dr. Kirk Sundby, aling with two emergency room doctors from St. Joseph's, left Canada on Wednesday. Clisby said it's irresponsible for a doctor to just up and leave, leaving his patients in the lurch, adding that he's in continual pain, relying on pain killers to sleep at night. But he said more troubling that the physical pain is the mental anguish of not knowing what's going to happen. Clisby's wife Sally has written a letter to provincial Health Minister Shirley Bond looking for help. They'd like to see other Comox Vally surgeons pick up Sundby's patients while he's away. "I'd just like someone to let me know what's happening," said Clisby. "I would like to get some answers." Sundby has an orthapedic surgery practice and books surgical time at St. Joseph's Hospital. A call to Sundby's office late Thursday was not returned. Hospital president and CEO Michael Pontus said the hospital was just advised this week that Sundby would be volunteering his services in Indonesia until Jan. 25, and his patients will be rescheduled by Sundby when he returns. Pontus said Sundby's absence will actually benefit othr people waiting for surgery, as five days of surgery reserved by Sundby will now be available to other surgeons. "Other people who would have waited longer for their surgery will get theirs sooner," said Pontus. |
| January 7, 2005 |