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Grant and Glenda Straiton want others to learn from their experience at Waikato Hospital. They believe routine surgery left Mr Straiton violently ill and unable to work.
A Morrinsville man who claims an operation at Waikato Hospital left him violently ill and unable to work is calling for answers.
Grant Straiton went in for a routine hernia repair operation on November 20 but has said what occurred after that was "a complete cock-up".
"It broke me emotionally, financially and physically and I am still paying the price," he said.
Straiton, 54, who works at the Wallace Corporation rendering plant, is still sporting a large dressing on his stomach after it split when staples were taken out following emergency surgery to repair a perforated bowel on December 4.
But hospital bosses say while they understand the couple felt like they had been "pushed from pillar to post", and communication could have been better, they took "reasonable action" to sort out the problem.
Straiton and his wife Glenda believe his surgery was the reason he required a further operation to remove 10cm of damaged bowel.
Within two days of his surgery to repair a hernia in November Straiton began vomiting uncontrollably at home.
Straiton was taken back to Waikato Hospital by ambulance with intense pain and Mrs Straiton said, "I had documented everything on paper and gave it to them - but they sent him home telling him it was a stomach bug. They did no tests, no scans."
Straiton continued to vomit over the next two days and was taken back to hospital on November 29.
This time he was admitted and hospital staff inserted a gastric tube. He was sent for a scan three days later where staff picked up a blockage in his bowel, thought to be caused by scar tissue.
The following morning Straiton stood up and was hit with a wave of intense pain as 750ml of "pus" leached into his abdomen.
He was discharged from hospital on December 14 and has been seeing a district nurse since.
However, Waikato Hospital general surgery consultant Grant Christey backed his staff in a letter responding to the complaints.
"Looking at the decision making around each of the hospital admissions, the team took reasonable action to investigate and mitigate potential problems," he said.
"Looking at the different diagnoses of Mr Straiton it was not surprising he appeared he had been pushed from pillar to post."
But the Straitons say the feedback from the hospital had not explained what went wrong.
"We could not fault the care of staff on Ward 2. It's the frustration of not being listened to, we had it all written down for them in black and white," Mr Straiton said.
Waikato Hospital group manager Mark Spittal confirmed two complaints had been received from the Straitons, both of which were investigated.
"We acknowledge this is a distressing situation for Mr and Mrs Straiton," he said.
He said if the Straitons were still unhappy with the hospital's response they could make a further complaint to the Health and Disability Commissioner.
"If they do this, senior members of the Commissioner's staff will review the complaint.
Waikato DHB would co-operate fully with the Commissioner's Office."
The Straiton's were considering their next course of action.
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