Dislocated jaw agony drags on nine months

Andrew Mathieson
A MOTHER of two has spent nine months eating through a straw while waiting for treatment at Geelong Hospital.
The hospital has twice postponed surgery for 39-year-old Raelene Williams’ dislocated jaw, leaving her dependent on daily doses of painkillers.
Ms Williams said she was taking eight 50mg tablets of morphine daily along with nightly sleeping pills to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
The Newcomb woman said she now weighed barely 50kg after becoming “anorexic” on the hospital waiting list.
“I just can’t eat big meals or solid meals because my jaw is throbbing and it swells up,” she said.
“All that Geelong Hospital has told me is to puree my food and use a straw.
“I’m sorry but you shouldn’t be doing that for nine or soon 10 months because it’s very bland.”
Ms Williams was told she faced a risk of her face dropping, reduced muscle control and slurred speech after surgery.
Ms Williams said she reported her jaw injury in May but Barwon Health took three months to tell her she was on a three-month waiting list.
Her surgery was first cancelled in October and again last Friday, she said.
Ms Williams was set to undergo the operation next month but admitted she no longer had “any faith” in Barwon Health.
She had unsuccessfully sought admission to other hospitals to end her pain.
“Barwon Health also told me to try St Vincent’s but they said they only do plastic surgery.
“When I first dislocated it I was told there were only two surgeons in Victoria who would perform this operation.”
State opposition health spokesperson David Davis said the state’s ailing system had forced Ms Williams to wait “an extraordinary length of time”.
“Everyone’s heart goes out to her and the community should be very angry to hear about the delays,” he said.
Mr Davis called on State Government to investigate Barwon Health’s figures released in a Your Hospital report to “ensure the accuracy of its data”.
“The (Geelong) hospital claims to have undertaken an audit but that audit has never been made public,” he said.
A Barwon Health spokesperson said the hospital understood concern about shortfalls in the public health system.
“We recognise the distress and discomfort being experienced by this patient and are working to ensure she gets treatment as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said.
“Unfortunately, this type of surgery is not common, is quite complex and difficult and is only performed by one surgeon in Geelong.”