Diabetic patient Toh Siong Been developed multiple wounds from a very small cut that landed him in the hospital. He often wondered if he would have another chance of going home. His concern was slowly allayed as he witnessed his wounds getting smaller every day. He was discharged after three months in our hospital.
Siong Been’s uncontrolled diabetes had led to peripheral vascular disease, which hindered the healing process of his wound. The initial cut did not heal well. It took two arduous years before the wound completely healed. Even after recovery, the wounded skin still felt sensitive and tender. He was afraid it might tear and cause another wound. Hence, he decided to stop working.
Last year, he faced another health crisis and underwent an emergency heart bypass surgery. The surgery involved harvesting the vein from his left leg, which left a wound at the harvest site. Siong Been was gravely concerned as to how long the surgical wound would take to heal. In being careful watching over it, he relied more on his other leg while walking and that resulted in another wound on that leg. Unfortunately, his surgical wound also became infected.
Upon Siong Been’s initial admission to St Luke’s Hospital, he was demoralised and wondered “when would he be able to return home”. As days went by, his wounds were treated consistently with care by the nurses. Siong Been was surprised to see his wounds healing fast and the wound size getting smaller. His healing wounds gave him a renewed sense of confidence. Filled with gratitude, he praises the nurses for being attentive and caring to his needs.
St Luke’s Hospital has a dedicated wound ward (the first among community hospitals) to care for patients with complex wounds and fight the war against limb loss. Reducing infection and amputation increases quality of life for patients. The hospital also trains other healthcare institutions in wound care, with its intermediate wound management course accredited by the European Wound Management Association. In 2017, the Agency for Integrated Care awarded St Luke’s Hospital Wound Centre a tender to conduct wound courses.
Nurses from St Luke’s Hospital preparing wound cleansing procedure for Toh Siong Been.
