Breast cancer patient loses leg, in need of blood

She was walking down Frederick Street on her way to City Gate to take a taxi to her home in Arima, when fate stepped in and changed her life. As she got to the corner of Queen and Frederick Streets, a bomb exploded in a dustbin, throwing her to the ground and ripping off her left leg. Doctors tried to save the leg but, in the end it had to be amputated.

McIvor is now in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Community Hospital of the Seventh Day Adventists, Cocorite, and is yet to regain consciousness. Her family members yesterday were at the hospital appealing for 30 pints of blood to replace the massive blood loss from both the explosion and surgery.

Sharon Samuel, McIvor’s niece, told Newsday that her aunt was given 18 pints of blood and six pints more on Monday night, after she received emergency surgery at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH). It was there the doctors amputated her left leg after they could not save it.

McIvor has since been transferred to the ICU at the Community Hospital because of the lack of room at the ICU at the PoSGH.

Earlier this year McIvor had a masectomy (breast surgery) and was recovering through radiotherapy.

"Yvonne was getting sick from the chemotherapy and started to do better with the radiotherapy, but was not yet cancer-free," Samuel said.

"She is being carefully monitored and doctors tried to wake her up this morning but she remains unconscious," she added.

Last week, Newsday’s "People in the street" featured a comment from McIvor on the question, "Do you think Government will meet the demand for housing since 70,000 people have applied for NHA housing." She said, at the time, "Even though I find they are doing a good job with the housing they may not meet that demand."

Samuel said yesterday was her aunt’s 66th birthday.

"We spent Sunday together to celebrate her birthday along with other family members, and we couldn’t believe this senseless and cowardly act would occur!" she said angrily.

Samuel added that there was a possibility the doctors would cut more of her aunt’s leg because the muscles were weak.

"The doctors are also checking for brain damage because she lost a lot of blood," she continued, "her husband, David, is in a state of shock. He stayed with her the whole night."

Samuel said on the day of the incident when she heard of the bombing she called to see if her family members were alright.

"My aunt is always in town. Her foot was hot!" she smiled.

She added that McIvor was an independent, strong woman who never asked anyone for anything.

However, Samuel complained that she did not believe the police were doing their job after the bombing.

"I thought they would have town hot after that happened because it can happen again! I think that they should move the vendors, search persons, and have more police on patrol," she ended.

But last night the situation took a new twist. There was wrangling between the two hospitals.

The Port-of-Spain Hospital wants to have the patient back, but the Community Hospital said it was not safe to move McIvor at this time.

The family has since stepped in, stating that McIvor ought to remain at Community Hospital.