Woman loses leg Following incorrect COVID-19 diagnosis

FIRST, 56-YEAR-OLD PADMINI M c CRAY WAS WRONGLY DIAGNOSED WITH
THE DEADLY COVID-19 DISEASE. A series of bizarre incidents followed this medical
error, causing her first to lose two toes and finally, her leg.
Health authorities never bothered contacting her family before making these irreversible, life-
altering decisions. The mother-of-three vaguely remembers being pressured to sign a document
as she was being transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where the
amputation of her leg was done.
She recalled despite her pleas that she was unwell a medical doctor insisted that she signed the
document, hiding the fact that by doing so, she was agreeing to cut off her lower limb.
In her fuzzy recollection, “I knew nothing as I could barely see and didn’t read the form or had it
read to me. I was like in and out of (consciousness) not feeling well so I was unsure of what I
was signing and he (the doctor) even had to guide me signing on the line.”
At least there was a hint of consciousness for that. The loss of her two toes was a different
matter.
Lester M c Cray, her husband recalled receiving a telephone call from the COVID facility, at
Liliendaal on the East Coast, informing him that a gas bottle fell on his wife’s foot forced them
to remove two of her toes. He queried why this was done without first informing him.
“I asked them why only now they calling me and couldn’t call me before to let me know how my
wife was doing as the last time, I spoke to my wife was when they were taking her from GPHC
to the COVID hospital and now they found a number to call me.”

Padmini husband with certified negative reports from the COVID tests
conducted

Padmini recalled she was going to the washroom and after her glasses fell, she was reaching to
retrieve it from behind her bed when the bottle fell on her toes. She blacked out.
“They all knew that my wife had a stroke and is diabetic and yet no one sought to provide any
assistance to her as she was seeking to go to the washroom,” her husband explained.
“When she fell, she was calling the nurse but no one came and she quickly passed out. After a
long time… assistance came. They all knew that my wife had a stroke and is diabetic and yet no
one sought to provide any assistance to her as she was seeking to go to the washroom,” a teary-
eyed Mr. Mc Cray said.
According to his wife, she was placed on the bed and sometime around 7 am the following
morning they removed her toes.
Her situation apparently worsened because Lester told www.aroundtheregions.com doctors later
informed him via telephone call they would remove his wife’s leg because of gas gangrene. The
procedure, he was told, would be done within an eight- hour period to help save her life. While
he couldn’t make proper sense of the sudden turn of events, his priority was saving his wife’s
life.
He green-lighted the procedure.
All of these life-altering events flowed from the COVID-19 misdiagnosis at the Woodlands
Hospital.
He remembers his wife was feeling sick and taking her to the Herstelling Health Centre and was
advised that within three days’ the results would be available.
He remembers the fever worsening, her tonsils affecting her severely and taking her Tuesday to
the Woodlands hospital. He said that he was told by the doctor at Woodlands hospital that they
suspect COVID 19.
“After telling us that they suspect COVID, we were referred to Georgetown Hospital the very
same day by Woodlands Hospital. At GPHC we told them about all the complaints that she had.

We told them about the stroke, her diabetes and even showed them the paper that we took to
Woodlands Hospital. We give them everything. They took her and placed her into a room and I
was not allowed to be with her and couldn’t get back in touch with her. After waiting for about
three hours, I begged them to see her,” without any success,” the bewildered husband said.
“The hurtful thing is that my wife never had COVID… and lost a leg in this entire situation. This
isn’t fair and because we are simple people in society, they are taking advantage of you,” the
devastated husband said.
He said GPHC invited them to two meetings which left them dissatisfied with the outcome.
GPHC’s Emergency Medical Specialist, Dr Tracey Bovell reminded them it was an accident and
there is nothing that they at the hospital could have done.
“What kind of institution are they running there, can somebody tell me? I trusted them to leave
my wife there but it has been a never-ending nightmare. My wife told me that you are not even
seeing the nurses as nobody is seeking to help you while you are there. We even asked about the
bruises on her wrists which looks as though she was tied to her bed and all Dr. Bovell can say is
that we should talk to the nurse but which nurse do we speak to?” he rhetorically queried.
“We have been married for 34 years. I have always taken care of her and…looking back they
(GPHC) destroyed our lives. She went in with both legs and return with one,” an inconsolable
Mr. Mc Cray said.
Trying to get help from Dr Frank Anthony, Minister of Health, left the devasted duo diminished.
Not only is information not forthcoming, but a female, who identified herself as the Minister’s
secretary, was uncultured in her interactions.
“If you all looking for money it ain’t gon come so easy,’ was her philistine response to the M c
Crays.

Mrs. M c Cray was more measured in her reflections.
“This isn’t something that I created on myself. This is a situation where I was injured losing my
leg while at a medical facility and in the space of five days lost two toes and an entire foot. So,

who is going to compensate us? It is very difficult and challenging because my husband can’t do
it alone as he is self-employed and it’s really hard,” Padmini said in between tears.
The lack of sympathy for the couples’ plight was very pervasive among health sector workers.
“Sometime after when I caught myself a nurse told me angrily, ‘Look what you cause you could
have made this entire place blow up’” Padmini recalled.
A medical source within the Ministry of Health said no excuse given by Dr Bovell and or her
staff can compensate the woman for what she endured, adding that the Minister should intervene
as many are looking to see how he addresses the situation.
“This is a clear case of the hospital failing to take responsibility for the incident as the bottle
should have been properly secured and from the look of things, it seems as they are trying to
blame the woman for the situation. It could have been worse and could have caused the woman’s
death. As a medical practitioner who is aware of this matter, I am disappointed in how it has
been handled thus far,” the source told www.aroundtheregions.com
When reached for a comment, Dr Bovell referred this reporter to the GPHC’s Public
Relations Officer (PRO) Ms Chelauna Providence. Providence was unavailable.