IN agony with stomach pains, Garry Urien knew he had to seek medical attention.
The 46-year-old was taken to A&E in February 2021 after he was left in so much pain that 'he was screaming'.
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After being seen by a medic at A&E at Rotherham Hospital in South Yorkshire, it was confirmed that he had appendicitis.
But what was meant to have been a routine operation, went wrong and Garry now had a large hernia, which has left him looking as though he is 'nine months pregnant'.
When Garry first arrived at hospital he was screaming in pain and his wife Julia, 57, said it took more than a day before he was operated on.
In February 2021 the country was still in national lockdown and the NHS was under immense pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In January this year it was reported that NHS waiting lists have reached an all time high of six million.
Because of the pandemic, experts previously warned that it could take up to five years to clear.
Julia said that her husband had an MRI scan when he got to hospital, which revealed appendicitis and medics new they would have to operate.
She said that Garry then had three operations cancelled, but that when the third was cancelled Gary collapsed because his appendix had burst.
He had to be rushed to emergency surgery and was told that he had 'died during theatre, but had been revived'.
But, while his appendix were removed, his bowels had pushed through his abdominal wall, which has left him with a huge hernia.
Julia claims that the surgeon that did the operation hadn't sewn him up properly, leaving him in an 'absolute mess'.
He looks like he's nine months pregnant, he's absolutely huge
Julia Urien
She told YorkshireLive: "This all took place a year ago, 13 months ago, and he's still waiting for his operation. He's having to go to the gym once a week to strengthen his heart and lungs for when they do decide that he can have the operation."
He is currently waiting for abdominal reconstruction and is desperate for the op as he says people stare and point at him when he's in public.
Julia added: "He looks like he's nine months pregnant, he's absolutely huge. I'm having to go to the second hand shop and get him big trousers that are at least a 54 inch waist; he used to be a 34 inch waist.
"It's horrendous the scar he's got, and his belly button is now on the side of his belly."
What is a hernia?
A hernia occurs when an internal part of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall.
It usuallydevelopsbetween your chest and hips.
In many cases, it causes no or very few symptoms, although you may notice a swelling or lump in your tummy (abdomen) or groin.
The lump can often be pushed back in or disappears when you lie down.
Coughing or straining may make the lump appear.
There are several different types of hernias; inguinal; femoral; umbilical; hiatus; and other less common types.
See your GP if you think you have a hernia. They may refer you to hospital for surgical treatment, if necessary.
You should go theaccident and emergency (A&E)department of your nearest hospital immediately if you have a hernia and you develop any of the following symptoms:
- sudden, severe pain
- vomiting
- difficulty passing stools (constipation) or wind
- the hernia becomes firm or tender, or can't be pushed back in
These symptoms could mean the hernia has started to cut off blood supply to an organ or surrounding tissue, or a piece of the bowel has entered the hernia.
Source: NHS
Now, Julia says that Garry can't even put his socks on and that the whole situation has left him depressed.
She added that there is a chance his hernia could strangulate - which would be life threatening.
Julia said that her husband has been left to feel as though he is not as important as someone who has coronavirus.
She said that she feels as though Garry has been 'put on a shelf'.
In a statement to YorkshireLive, the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust said the Covid pandemic had been affected the allocation of surgeries.
"Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, our surgical team have prioritised those in urgent need of surgery and, as we see a reduction in the number of patients being treated for Covid-19, we are working hard to increase our capacity in order to reduce waiting times for patients awaiting procedures.
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"We are unable to comment on individual cases", they said.
Official NHS guidance states: "If a GP refers you to a consultant for specialist treatment, such as surgery, you have the right to start treatment within 18 weeks."
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