My name is George Cartwright I am confined to a wheelchair due to Spina Bifida. In February 2016 I received a new wheelchair through the specialty seating clinic at the Nova Scotia Rehab Center in Halifax. Three days after being home I started to develop pressure ulcers on both heels. I immediately called the seating specialist I saw in Halifax and she instructed my spouse who was 9 months pregnant to get down on the floor and start shaving foam from my foot rests. Over the next couple of weeks the wounds progressively got worse and I ended up with an infection and was put on IV antibiotics. The infection went away but came back with a vengeance about a month later and both ulcers ended up being so deep that they were down to bone and once again I ended up on IV antibiotics again, this time for 3 months and my doctors were contemplating amputating both legs. I called the seating clinic several times again and all they could come up with for a solution was to stay out of my wheelchair which was brand new. However I came up with a solution of my own by simply placing a pillow an my foot rests and luckily the ulcers healed.
Recently I have been experiencing some skin break down on my right thigh due to friction from the cushion that is on my wheelchair. In Sept 2018 I went to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital to see the seating specialists that they now have there and they identified the problem right away. I was told that my cushion is too short for my chair. However they didn't have the equipment here yet to fit me for a new cushion so I waited until December and they still didn't have the equipment, so I then contacted the seating clinic in Halifax and told them my situation. They arranged for me to go to Halifax on Jan 11th to be fitted for a new cushion. When I was there I was told it would take 6 to 9 months for the funding for the cushion through Easter Seals but they would put priority on the paper work to try and shorten then wait time. Last week I went to my Dr and asked him to write a letter to Easter Seals explaining I can not wait 6 to 9 months because my health is in jeopardy. Today (jan 30th) I got a call from Easter Seals saying they got the letter from my Dr but no paper work from the seating clinic. I then called the seating clinic and the person i saw at the clinic is off until Feb 5th so i then spoke to someone else and was told the person you saw has to do the paper work. Meanwhile i now have an infection in my thigh and my health is now even farther in jeopardy. This seems to be a case of neglect to me.
Feeling Neglected by the seating clinic at the NSHA
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George Cartwright
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