Painful wait - Penis surgery delayed for nearly a year

Uston Willis, 56, says he has been suffering from penile problems for nine years, as the urge to urinate and even getting an erection leave him in indescribable pain.

But things took a turn for the worse last year when doctors told the Mavis Bank, St Andrew, resident that he had a blockage at the head of his penis which had developed into an infection.

Willis, who has been wearing a catheter since, has been scheduled for surgery at the Kingston Public Hospital in September but he fears that he can't hold out that long. That appointment came in March, but he said he has been given previous appointments that did not pan out.

"Them a tell me say because a COVID them cyah do no operation now and them never really discuss nothing further with me. Them always just a give me appointment to come back and when me go is another date again," he told THE STAR. "A from last year dem a put me off and me cyah wait no longer because me in a pain. Me a feel a pain in the centre a me bottom to me penis root. Is like the whole a them places affected. It just a burn every night and day, hurt me bad."

Don't feel like a man

Willis says his condition has affected both his work as a janitor, and his sex life.

"Me just can't live with this no longer because me don't feel like a man. The sickness a slow my sexual motion because even if me get an erection it hurt me so much," he explained. "Doctor tell me say when me do the surgery it will clear the penis blockage so me can pass urine again and me other problem them will fix too."

Willis' daughter Latty is also devastated with the current situation of her dad and is calling for him to get urgent attention.

"Daddy need some help because he is in pain. Is the first me see my farther cry so much and say him nuh feel like him can live through this," said Latty. "Is not COVID alone people sick with and people a show up at hospital with serious issues that can kill them and them a talk about COVID this and that."

Meanwhile, Shuwana Johnson, public relations officer of the South East Regional Health Authority, said several surgeries have been postponed due to the halt brought on by COVID-19. However, she said that she would make provisions to see how best Willis' surgery could be accommodated.

"Management at the hospital will contact him to see how best we can make arrangements to get the surgery done at an earlier date," said Johnson.