Twists and turns

22 February 2012

I called the private neurosurgeon’s practice this morning and confirmed the appointment on 7 March. The receptionist told me to have an MRI scan before I saw the doctor so that the doctor would have the necessary information when he saw me. I would also write an authorisation letter for him to access my information in the public health system.

The Launceston General Hospital Orthotics Department eventually booked me in to see them the next day. They also called my occupational therapist and said they had answers to all my questions and would advise me of how I could gradually remove the rigid brace and introduce a soft collar.

Things seemed to be moving at last.

My carers came today for my weekly shower.  Probably because I had been running around a lot in the last week to have the brace issue sorted out, they said I had a lot of dead skin underneath the brace and this was the worst they had seen in me.  They were concerned I might develop skin problems and they spent a long while exfoliating the dead skin, washing me and putting lotion on me.  I was lying flat on the plinth with three, four pairs of hands rubbing and working on me. I felt like I was a chunk of meat.  

I told them my bizarre experience with Dr Dubey in Hobart. One of the carers said her sister in law almost died after her neurosurgery operation in Hobart. I asked her what the doctor’s name is. She has no idea but the doctor is an Indian. Her sister in law afterwards will not see any Indian doctors.  

I am not racially discriminative. In fact I have some very good Indian friends. However, Dr Dubey is an Indian and the only Indian neurosurgeon in Tasmania.  

When Grace and I were hospitalised in Hobart, Dr Dubey was the consulting neurosurgeon for both of us. He never came and talked to me. Every time he came to the ward, he went straight to Grace. He operated on Grace a week after the car accident but the operation was abandoned half way. After the failed operation, Grace lost her voice and ability to swallow. On two separate occasions, I heard this Dr Dubey told Grace: “I don’t know what happens to your throat. It has nothing to do with me. I have operated on other patients and they are all fine”. This was basically what he said and then off he went.

I shared this story with my occupational therapist. She said that is a lie. She has had a patient who had the same problem after an operation by Dr Dubey. When operated from the front, the throat muscle can be pressed too hard to cause damages.