– I hate to think that 3.5 months were wasted. For me it can mean living or not living, says Aslak Mathis Turi (42). After Turi had struggled with double vision for a long period, the doctors in Alta decided to scan his head at the beginning of May. The pictures were sent to the hospital in Hammerfest. The result was brutal. Turi had a malignant tumor in his head that could not be treated. He is told that he did not have long to live: Professionals did not answer the phone Turi went home to his family in Kautokeino with sad news. He had taken with him a telephone number from the hospital, which relatives could call to speak to professionals. – We called the number for a week. The message from those who answered was that this number could not be forwarded or that this was not the right number for the purpose. It was very stressful for the family, which the hospital expresses that they take seriously. REVIEWS ROUTINES: Clinic manager at Hammerfest hospital, Jørgen Nilsen, will review routines at the hospital to avoid such incidents as Turi and his family were exposed to. Photo: Jan Harald Tomassen / news – We apologize for the inconvenience caused to the patient and relatives, says clinic manager at the hospital, Jørgen Nilsen. – We are reviewing our routines to prevent such incidents from happening. The matter is taken up in the hospital’s quality committee. The university hospital did not want to treat Later in May, Turi traveled to the university hospital in Tromsø. There, the hope he had of recovery was dashed. – When I traveled home from Tromsø on 31 May, it was with a feeling that now it was over. I was sent home to wait for death, says Turi. A senior doctor at the neurosurgery department believed that it was too great a risk to treat Turi. The hospital closed the case from its side: openness about the disease was crucial For Aslak Mathis Turi, it was tough to tell his family and loved ones about this. In addition to her 9-month-old son, Turi has two sons aged 8 and 11. – Telling the children about the prognosis was horrible, I can’t explain it in words, says Turi with tears in her eyes. Aslak Mathis Turi with his youngest son, Hans Mathias. Photo: Ronald Pulk / news Turi decided that this was not something the family should hide. He spoke openly about the illness to acquaintances and friends. And through his openness, he was to receive a tip that was absolutely decisive. – An acquaintance of mine who is a doctor told me that I was entitled to a renewed assessment – “second opinion”. I knew nothing about this. Turi contacted the GP and had his head scanned again. The images were sent to the University Hospital in Oslo, the radium hospital. He believes that everyone should be informed about the requirement for a renewed assessment. – All people who have an illness should know this with a renewed assessment – second opinion. If a doctor has given you up, demand that another professional examine you. It can be lifesaving, urges Turi. Radiumhospitalet recommended treatment In early September, Aslak Mathis married his sweetheart. Just three days after the wedding day, Turi received a pleasant phone call from Oslo. Radiumhospitalet thought it was possible to treat the tumour. – It was a wonderful conversation to have, I was so happy. Not only was I newly married, but now I had new hope again. Turi received a summons from the University Hospital in Tromsø. The summons did not excite him. – It was the same people who did not want to treat me 3 months earlier. I would prefer to go to Oslo. A LOT OF TRAVELING: In the last six months, Aslak Mathis has traveled a lot between the hospitals in Northern Norway. Photo: Ronald Pulk / news Turi finally traveled to Tromsø on 9 September, this time to the cancer ward. Here he learned something that shocked him. It turned out that the cancer department at the hospital in Tromsø knew nothing about Turi before the radium hospital contacted them to ask more about him. – I am told that it is a doctor from the neurosurgery department who alone has decided to close my case in May. news accompanied Turi to Tromsø that day, and he was very upset after the doctor’s appointment. – They could have spared me all the sad moments if they hadn’t given up in May. That one person alone should make such an important decision is very strange, I think. The hospital lies flat and apologizes – Usually it is a team that together makes such assessments and decisions, here it was not done, and it is wrong. That’s what the head of medical studies at UNN, Haakon Lindekleiv, says. WANTS TO MEET: The University Hospital in Tromsø wants to meet Aslak Mathis Turi to give him an apology, says medical department head, Haakon Lindekleiv. Photo: UNN – Why was Turi not informed about the renewed assessment – second opinion in May? – Most probably our doctor has forgotten to inform about this, answers Lindekleiv. The University Hospital in Tromsø has reported the case internally as an adverse patient event. They also want to invite Aslak Mathis Turi to a meeting where they will review the case together. The hospital wishes to issue an apology. Almost finished with treatment On Monday 19 September, Aslak Mathis Turi started chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the University Hospital in Tromsø. When news met him in Tromsø, he had two weeks of treatment left. Turi is very satisfied with the treatment and the hospital. POSITIVE: Aslak Mathis Turi is positive by nature. He looks forward to the future and wants to accompany Hans Mathias to his first day of school in six years. Photo: Ronald Pulk / news – The treatment has gone well and there are good people looking after me. – What about your forecast going forward? – I still don’t know what the treatment has done to the tumour, I still have double vision. They can’t scan my head for the first six months after finishing radiotherapy. Waiting for six months before a new scan pleases Turi. – That must mean that I will still be alive in six months, he says smiling. POSITIVE: Aslak Mathis Turi is positive by nature. He looks forward to the future and wants to accompany Hans Mathias to his first day of school in six years. Photo: Ronald Pulk / news See video about the case:
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Aslak Mathis Turi felt let down by the healthcare system – he now receives support and apologies from the doctors – news Sápmi
