Plumber with shattered arm left horrifically bent out of shape {disturbing pics}

[masuki bance]

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
08th October 2009

A plumber whose arm was left twisted grotesquely out of shape in an accident ten months ago has had an operation to correct it 'cancelled four times'.
Torron Eeles, 50, has been left unable to work since falling down the stairs and now fears he may lose his home after being denied incapacity benefit.
The father-of-three today hit out at the NHS for the 'unacceptable delays'.
His left arm has hung limply by his side since he fractured the humerus bone in December 2008.
Mr Eeles, from Welham Green, Hertfordshire, applied for employment and support allowance but a doctor ruled he is ineligible for both because he can turn on a tap.



He said: 'This whole situation is absolutely disgusting. I have never heard of anyone else having a broken arm for ten months.
'It's been so long the bones have knitted back together. Sleeping is really uncomfortable because whenever I roll over my arm gets in the way.
...



'As his surgery was not an emergency, our surgeons took the right action in referring Mr Eeles to his GP so his blood pressure could be brought under control.
'His second operation in May 2009 was also cancelled, this time because he had failed to act on our surgeon's advice that Mr Eeles that he should give up smoking.
'In cancelling Mr Eeles' two operation dates, our surgeons were acting on clinical grounds only.
'If they are guilty of anything, then it is of having the best clinical interests of their patients at heart.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1218927/Plumber-shattered-arm-left-horrifically-bent-shape-operation-cancelled-times.html#ixzz0TL35kwRI

Holy shit.

[HamdenRice]

1. SEE!! Socialized medicine!!!

Actually very dumb doctors.

[armyowalgreens]

2. How much stupidity can one person endure?

The freepers are going to have a fucking field day with this story.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

13. And if the UK doctors had granted him his surgery and he died because of complications, then the

Freepers would also have a field day with that.

It would be something along the lines of "SOCIALIZED MEDICINE KILLS MAN DURING SIMPLE OPERATION TO CORRECT BROKEN ARM!!!!"

Who cares what Freepers think? They think George W. Bush is going to be the next president.

[angstlessk]

3. Isn't the 'Daily Mail' same as the US "Enquirer'? They post phony photos

with stories to match? Why was his bone not set in December 2008, that does not require surgery...Can't get benefits cause he can turn on a tap? I DO NOT BELIEVE ONE WORD OF THIS ARTICLE!

[masuki bance]

4. Four more sources

Torron Eeles has NHS operation to fix grotesque break in his arm cancelled four times
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/10/08/give-me-a-break-115875-21731337/


'I'm a kitchen fitter and plumber by trade but I can't even slice a loaf of bread, let alone work.'

Mr Eeles, from Welham Green, Hertfordshire, fractured his arm falling down stairs at home in December last year and had his arm put in plaster by casualty doctors.
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Plumber_left_bent_out_of_shape_by_cancelled_ops&in_article_id=749454&in_page_id=34


A plumber who broke his arm 10 months ago has criticised the NHS for "unacceptable" delays, claiming they have cancelled four separate operations.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6270976/Plumber-left-needing-operation-10-months-after-breaking-arm.html



His arm hangs limply by his side meaning Torron cannot work for a living and now faces the prospect of losing his home.

Torron, from Welham Green, Herts, said he had applied for employment and support allowance but was denied both.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2672411/Crippled-man-up-in-arms-over-NHS.html

[JTFrog]

5. They put his arm in plaster immediately.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6270976/Plumber-left-needing-operation-10-months-after-breaking-arm.html

Mr Eeles fractured his arm on December 3 and rushed straight to casualty where doctors put his arm in plaster.

But within a few weeks a specialist said the bones were too far apart and there was too much movement in the arm – meaning surgeons would have to insert a metal plate. He claims his first two operations at the Queen Elizabeth II hospital in Welwyn Garden City, Herts., were cancelled due to a lack of beds and operating time respectively. His third operation in February was postponed after he was found to have high blood pressure, while the fourth, scheduled for May, was abandoned because of concerns about his smoking.

...

Nick Carver, the chief executive of the East and North Herts NHS Trust, said computer records showed the trust had only cancelled two operations. "Mr Eeles' operation was cancelled only twice – and then both on clinical safety grounds", he said.

"The first time was back in February when his blood pressure was found to be high. As his surgery was not an emergency, our surgeons took the right action in referring Mr Eeles to his GP so his blood pressure could be brought under control."

"His second operation in May 2009 was also cancelled, this time because he had failed to act on our surgeon's advice that Mr Eeles that he should give up smoking."

"In cancelling Mr Eeles' two operation dates, our surgeons were acting on clinical grounds only."

"If they are guilty of anything, then it is of having the best clinical interests of their patients at heart."

No details in any of the articles (4 of those linked in this thread are from tabloids) about being denied support.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

6. Those were legitimate reasons

. . . for postponing elective (as opposed to emergent) surgery. Hypertension could lead to death under anesthesia or postop, and smoking hugely reduces the chance that bone will knit together (not at all uncommon--either amazingly slow to heal or never heal at all). Seems to me this story has been reported in a way to ignore the other side of the story, and he's likely more to blame than anyone for the delays because he isn't taking care of himself.

[JTFrog]

7. Exactly. n/t

[HipChick]

8. I grew up in the UK, and the NHS saved my life twice..the reporting on this story is very unbalanced

with 2 life saving operations I needed..here is more info from the local papers there...

he's whining about this, when he has high blood pressure and smoking,and not doing anything to address either - where is HIS personal responsibility on this?
...I bet it doesn't stop him from going down to the pub...:nopity:

Then two more were delayed because of Torron's high blood pressure and concerns over his smoking.

Nick Carver, the chief executive of the East and North Herts NHS Trust, insisted computer records showed the trust had only cancelled two operations - one in February and a second in May.

He said proceeding with the operations could have put Torron's life at risk.

Mr Carver said: "Mr Eeles' operation was cancelled only twice - and then both on clinical safety grounds."

"The first time was back in February when his blood pressure was found to be high. As his surgery was not an emergency, our surgeons took the right action in referring Mr Eeles to his GP so his blood pressure could be brought under control.
"His second operation in May 2009 was also cancelled, this time because he had failed to act on our surgeon's advice that Mr Eeles that he should give up smoking.
"In cancelling Mr Eeles' two operation dates, our surgeons were acting on clinical grounds only.
"If they are guilty of anything, then it is of having the best clinical interests of their patients at heart."

[and-justice-for-all]

10. danke...nt

[cigsandcoffee]

14. I don't know - it sounds pretty over-the-top to me.

One can smoke and still get a broken arm fixed, can't they? I'm sure the Docs would like to nanny him in to dropping the cigs, but they should put his damn arm back together regardless.

[LiberalFighter]

15. Most cases broken arms don't require surgery.

Big difference between setting the arm and going in with a knife and drill.

[masuki bance]

16. No surgery for smokers? nt

[masuki bance]

18. What does going to the pub have to do with having a pretzel arm? nt

[and-justice-for-all]

9. As if this type of thing does not happen in the states...

there are hold ups and denials by insurance companies every day, which cost people their lives.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. No operation because he smoked?

His condition is not an emergency?
But he can't work....yest is not disabled.
Sheesh.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

12. No operation because his high blood pressure makes the operation risky.

In this case the possibility that he might die trumps the fact that he cannot work. Also recall that the UK is not like the U.S. in regard to unemployment. They provide housing and government assistance to a far greater degree than we do.

[lumberjack_jeff]

17. He shouldn't have to put up with that.

Even smokers deserve to have their injuries addressed.

The difference between the US and the UK is that in the UK, citizens have the right to hold accountable the people ultimately responsible for this mistake.