Sascha Wilson
Katherine Akum Lum is feeling like the walls are closing in as she waits with unabated breath on the payments to be made for her to undergo major reconstructive surgery in the United States.
Arrangements are in place for her air ambulance transport to the Norfolk Sentra General Hospital in Virginia on Saturday, for them to begin prepping her for the surgery on February 17.
While the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) is paying for the surgery and associated costs they have until noon on Friday to pay for the air ambulance service.
In a letter to Akum Lum’s attorney. which was obtained by Guardian Media, First Flight Air Ambulance Co Ltd stated, “We have already ear-marked Saturday 12th as the date of this air ambulance transfer and therefore we will be reserving our flight crew (pilots and medical personnel) from Friday evening. We will not, however, come into Trinidad unless payment is made by Noon on Friday 11th February into First Flight’s account as per our invoice and banking information in your possession, once again attached for your ease of reference.”
Akum Lum, 54, suffered extensive damage to her body after lye was accidentally used to perform a pelvic wash out after a hysterectomy at the St James Medical Complex on June 12, 2019.
Akum Lum, however, in an exclusive interview with Guardian Media on Saturday, was worried that her surgery might have to be put off because the NWRHA might not be able to access the required US currency in time for the surgery.
In a statement on Monday in response to the article, NWRHA stated that it has already paid fees to the surgeon and the anaesthesiologist. The authority stated that the costs of the air ambulance service “is expected to be paid within the next few days and the NWRHA has requested the remaining funds its bankers to pay the Hospital fees, which it is currently awaiting.”
When contacted on Saturday via WhatsApp messenger, NWRHA’s CEO Salisha Baksh denied that the authority could not access foreign exchange.
However, in an email on January 31 sent by NWRHA’s attorney to the Norfolk hospital, NWRHA’s attorneys inquired whether the surgery could be rescheduled to March due to challenges in accessing foreign exchange in T&T.
Guardian Media obtained a copy of the email which stated, “Trinidad and Tobago is experiencing issues with shortages of foreign exchange currency as such due to the impending date of the surgery, in the event the foreign exchange is not sourced in time, would it be possible to reschedule the surgery to a date in March?” Also, on January 27 in a letter to Akum Lum’s attorneys, the NWRHA’s attorneys stated, “Whilst we note your optimistic observations about our client’s ability to obtain US from its bankers, our client cannot guarantee it will receive the substantial sum of US$115,920.00 by the 13-02-22 and certainly not before the 31-01-22, especially as we still await the invoice from the Hospital.”
Akum Lum told Guardian Media yesterday that an official from the Norfolk hospital contacted her via email yesterday to “make sure everything is ok” for her arrival next week and surgery.
“On Monday, please call me so I know you arrived ok. ALSO that day you are going to need to do pre-op testing,” the official added.
Akum Lum, who has two nephrostomy tubes protruding from her back and attached to two urine bags, said the tubes are now clogging.
She lamented, “That means I will be in more pain and it means I will have to remove and change it because it going in eight months and every six months it is supposed to be change. It was not changed because the doctors said we cannot go so often into my kidneys to damage it. They said they will push it to January, February, but if they going to push back the surgery I don’t know what to do. It really taking a toll on me. I can’t deal with this pain. I begging and pleading again. I really hope I will get the surgery. I waited almost three years.”
Noting that a multi disciplinary team led by Professor Kurt McCammon is doing the surgery, she said it cannot simply be rescheduled. “The hospital is fully booked they made an exception to see me and if I lose this the Authority cannot tell them when to put the surgery,” she complained.
While the NWRHA is providing a US$50 per night for a one bedroom suite, she has no money to pay for accommodations for her companion and the foreign nursing care assistant.
”The doctors said that the nursing care assistant will have to stay with me because I will need constant care. In my condition I will not be able to share my bed. We are asking that they give me decent accommodation with provisions for my nursing care assistant and my companion. This is major surgery we don’t know what they will find when they go in there. I have to make sure I have money which I don’t have. In America nothing is free suppose I need pampers and other things,” she said
Noting that all her savings have been depleted, she said she doesn’t even have money to purchase winter clothing.
She said, “I am grateful to my psychologist Isolde Ali-Ghent for sending me a winter sweater. I went to about four different commercial banks for a credit card and I was rejected. My attorney Anand Ramlogan from the very beginning has been helping me with money and he has not just given me $500 he has spent thousands of dollars to help me with bills and food.”
Lamenting that she felt as though the authority has stripped her of her dignity, she said, “I feel like they treat me like a dog. I am not asking for luxury. This is their fault. I have a son to live for and my companion,” she added.