Michael Gwyther’s arm was completely wonderful earlier than he went in for emergency surgical procedure, however when he regained consciousness he might now not use his arm
A Swansea man who went to his GP after feeling sick and was despatched house with simply an antibiotic has now misplaced using his proper arm. Michael Gwyther discovered himself at Morriston Hospital A&E after he went to his GP on December 4, 2024 as he was feeling unwell.
Because of the nature of his an infection Michael, from Swansea, requested to see a male GP however there was none accessible at his surgical procedure, so he was referred to a different GP surgical procedure within the community that had male medical doctors accessible. Right here he claims he was giving no diabetic exams and was merely despatched house with antibiotics.
Michael defined that since he is a diabetic, his common visits to the GP contain diabetic exams. By no means miss a Swansea story by signing as much as our publication right here.
“That day, it felt much more rushed,” Michael mentioned. “They did not do any checks that I might usually get for diabetes. He mentioned it was an an infection however it wasn’t critical and requested me to return again in every week.”
Nonetheless, because the night time fell, Michael began feeling worse and dialled 111.
“They put me straight via to the nurse practitioner, they normally name you again, however this time they put me via,” Michael mentioned.
“We weren’t on the telephone lengthy and she or he mentioned this stuff are fairly critical, we will ship you to hospital.”
Nonetheless, Michael was informed there have been no ambulances accessible for no less than 10 hours that day, and a taxi was due to this fact organized to take him to Morriston Hospital. In March this yr, quick enhancements had been ordered at Morriston Hospital’s A&E after inspectors discovered “vital affected person security issues.” Plans to increase the hospital had been additionally introduced for in August this yr.
“In order that [taxi] arrived, however I do not keep in mind something from the hospital till about 10, 11 days later,” he mentioned. “At about three o’clock within the morning (December 5), I went into respiratory arrest and so they moved me to ICU.”
As soon as he was within the ICU, Michael says he had about “10 totally different surgical procedures” to take away the infections and he was put in an induced coma.
“They introduced me out of the coma on December 10 however I used to be nonetheless beneath heavy sedation for like every week after that,” he defined. “So, I began to return ‘spherical, round December 14 and after that they realised there was one thing unsuitable with the arm.”
Nonetheless, he claims that even after he regained consciousness nobody “acknowledged” his arm damage.
“It wasn’t till I acquired to the Tempest ward did I get any physio or any actual care,” Michael claims.
Michael stresses that when he went to the hospital there was nothing unsuitable together with his arm and that he had sought recommendation a few utterly totally different situation.
“I walked in with my arm completely wonderful and for the physician’s appointment within the morning I did not go about my arm,” he mentioned. “I had no damage to my arm, no sickness to my arm, so it was fairly a shock once I awakened.
“I used to be a bit dazed for a few days however once I lastly got here spherical, I used to be damaged, as a result of the worst worry anybody can have is shedding a limb, is not it?
“I really feel vastly let down. I have been chasing for solutions and simply not getting wherever. That has been actually isolating.
“After I was within the ICU, I had lots of ICU delirium. I used to be seeing issues, I used to be listening to issues and it was actually scary. I get nightmares now at night time time and I simply do not sleep as a result of it may be fairly emotionally troublesome typically.”
Michael believes one thing went unsuitable whereas he was sedated within the hospital that has led to his proper arm being paralysed.
“Throughout my eight days in sedation, I used to be both left on my aspect for too lengthy in ICU or I used to be left doing surgical procedure too lengthy, they cannot make their thoughts up which aspect it was,” he claims.
“However I suffered a brachial plexus damage from compression of the nerves in my proper arm and it has completely paralysed my skill to make use of my proper arm utterly.”
He additionally claims that the hospital did not inform his household when he was admitted, inflicting “misery.”
Michael’s brother was conscious that he had been feeling unwell as he was the one who took Michael to his GP appointment on December 4.
Simply earlier than he left for the hospital, Michael despatched a textual content to his brother informing him that he was going to hospital.
“He needed to telephone a number of departments to try to get a solution to the place I used to be and on the time I used to be really in surgical procedure after they lastly acquired me and what ward I used to be on,” Michael defined. “However for a lot of the first day they weren’t partaking with him.”
When Michael’s brother enquired why he wasn’t known as, the hospital informed him it was resulting from out-of-date data. Nonetheless, Michael claims that he has a web page in his notes that mentions that he offered his brother’s up-to-date contact particulars on December 5.
“They’d no motive to not name him however they did not, and by not calling them they induced lots of misery within the household as a result of they did not know what was occurring or the place I used to be,” he mentioned.
Whereas he was within the hospital, Michael acquired multi drug resistance (MDR) and Covid together with different infections, which meant he needed to keep within the hospital for almost two months.
When he was discharged on the finish of January, he was given a letter of candour, which he states is “acknowledging one thing critical has occurred, however not admitting legal responsibility. “
He added: “Since I left the hospital, initially they had been useful however neurology did not e book an appointment, psychology did not e book an appointment.
“There was no aftercare. I used to be left by myself. Solely now, within the final month after kicking up a stink, am I getting wherever with psychology, neurology, physio.”
Michael needed to wait from January till April for one physiotherapy session. The second was then booked two weeks later however he then needed to wait till August for physiotherapy classes.
Swansea Bay College Well being Board has launched an investigation into the matter and a critical case evaluation was undertaken in January 2025.
Whereas Michael has been attempting to get solutions on the progress of the investigation, he says the final he heard from them was in Could 2025 and claims the well being board has now stopped responding to his requests.
“It could imply a bit little bit of closure, perhaps a bit little bit of accepting that one thing went unsuitable and they are going to try to make issues higher in order that it would not occur to another person,” he mentioned.
“It is extra in regards to the dodging of accountability is a part of it for me.”
A Swansea College Well being Board spokesperson mentioned: “We’re very sorry to listen to of Mr Gwyther’s issues concerning his care.
“As this matter is at present being investigated, we’re not capable of remark any additional presently.
“Nonetheless, we’ll shortly be responding to Mr Gwyther instantly with a full replace following the completion of our investigation.”
