Queensland woman ‘spends life in constant pain’ after botched hysterectomy at Mackay Base Hospital
A Queensland mother-of-two says she spends her life in constant pain after a botched vasectomy at Mackay Base Hospital last year.
Monique Miles, 35, should be in the prime of her life but says that due to the excruciating pain she feels every day she “can’t remember the last time she was happy”.
“I don’t know the last time I was happy or felt happy because when you’re in so much pain it clouds everything,” Miles told 9News.
She is just one of many who have suffered from the inadequate and substandard care given at the hospital.
Weeks ago, Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath nearly broke down in tears as she revealed the findings of an investigation into the hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology services.
The damning report found that a number of serious failures led to the deaths of three infants and left women with lifelong physical and emotional injuries.
D’Ath promised to meet with any affected women that wished to do so, and tomorrow, will finally make good on that promise with a private forum at a Mackay university.
But it will likely do little to comfort women like Miles, who said she should never have been subjected to this “mess” in the first place.
Having nearly died from septicemia after her operation — in which doctors took her uterus and cervix — Miles now needs complete reconstructive surgery.
“My ovary is not where it should be,” she said.
“I’ve got things fusing together internally.
“I have to lose more organs that I shouldn’t have to lose.
“I shouldn’t have to be reconstructed trying to clean up a mess that never should have been made in the first place.”
Miles, like dozens of other women, are being made to pay for their reconstructive surgeries themselves.
Despite providing her account to the investigation into obstetrics and gynaecology services, Miles says she was told “the clinical review committee found the medical complications experienced to be known risks of clinical care.”
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She won’t be offered any compensation.
“To say ‘we are not taking any responsibility, we didn’t do anything we’re not taking any responsibility for mutilating you’ … I’m sickened,” she said.
“I’m utterly sickened.”
Tomorrow Miles will be one of many wanting answers.
“It’s sort of like they lit us on fire,” she said.
“Threw the box of matches at us and said it’s your fault we didn’t do anything.”
