Liberty Jefferson, 29, who was teaching in Phuket at the time, says that the whole experience was made considerably worse by a 13-hour wait for treatment at Vachira Hospital after the accident.
She says she was simply put in a room with many other people and left there, without enough pain killers or water.
Now back in her home state of Oregon, Liberty faces more operations and a long recovery from the severe injuries she sustained when her bike was hit in March by a pickup truck that ran a red light.
Liberty, then a teacher at Kajonkietsuksa School, had her right fibula broken in two places, just above the ankle and just below the knee. Both lower leg bones (the tibia and fibula) were also broken where they meet the ankle, and her inner right ankle was shattered.
Following the crash she had her first surgery at Vachira Hospital, where doctors inserted a metal contraption onto her leg.
“The surgery outcome was not a good one. My foot is clearly in the wrong place. I am not sure that this was the outcome of the surgery, but this is what has happened. I think it was sub-par surgery and an unfortunate outcome,” she told The Phuket News.
The second surgery, in May, was at the Mission Hospital, where Liberty had a metal plate inserted in her leg. Mission Hospital surgeon Dr Samaroj Tiankingkaew performed the second operation on Liberty’s leg, which he says was done correctly.
“When Liberty arrived at the Mission for the second surgery, her leg bones were not set in the right place. It was a difficult operation because the bones had already started to heal. I had to reset her leg bones and put in a metal splint.”
She then made the decision to return home to Oregon in America to recover with the support of her family and friends. It was here doctors discovered her leg and ankle were still not aligned properly.
“Once I returned home, I had more xrays done. Those xrays have determined that my leg is still in pretty bad shape, and I still need three more procedures.
“I have two breaks in my fibula that should have healed naturally – but that has not happened.
“Also my foot was not set in the right place, so they have to go in and removed the metal and screws that are in there now, reset the foot, and put the metal back in.
“I have a metal plate and I think about seven screws just in the ankle alone. The two breaks on the fibula are still broken, so I am walking on those breaks.
“As far as what the doctors have said here, they just said the foot was not put on the right place … and the other two breaks have not been able to heal because of that misplacement. It could also just be my bones and they way the healed.
“So I would not say a blatant case of botching but surely an unfortunate outcome. I don’t want to place any blame on anyway – I am just happy it was not any worse. Thankfully I never hit my head or spine. I am really lucky to be alive.”
The whole experience was made considerably worse by the 13-hour wait for treatment at Vachira after the accident. Liberty says she was simply put in a cramped room with many other people and left there, without pain killers or water despite very hot temperatures.
Contacted by The Phuket News, a Vachira Hospital representative said Liberty spent only 11 hours waiting according to their records. She was given first aid and her leg put in a splint, and she was put on a saline IV drip.
The same source said, “She came in for first aid treatment on March 16 at 3am. She had open wounds. The surgeon and his team prepared everything for the operation to repair her leg. The surgery happened at 2pm the following day.”
Liberty and her friends and family are now holding fundraisers in America to raise money for the required surgery, as Liberty is not covered by insurance.
“I had insurance in Phuket, and the surgeries were paid for through the insurance. That is the main reason I did not go back to America after the first emergency surgery. Since I had insurance in Phuket, and I have known many people have positive outcomes with the health care in Phuket, I figured that made the most financial sense.
“If you don’t have insurance in America, you are looking at taking on a very big debt. I have applied for and been denied hep from two government programmes, but we are hoping the media coverage will help get the word out to doctors and maybe work something out.
“I can walk, but it is on two breaks in my fibula and with a limp. It is always painful, and the cold makes it worse. This has impacted my life entirely. I have been unable to work, drive or do much for the past six months.
“My life has just been on pause. Not having full function of a leg is an insane burden.”
You can donate money to Liberty via Paypal using her email, Libuofo06@msn.com and her full name “Liberty Jefferson.”.