Joel’s Hospital update: Out with the old, in with the new 🔩
20 July 2025
Just over a week ago, Joel underwent major corrective surgery at Waikato Hospital to address the complications from his initial operation in Indonesia. Surgeons removed the original hardware that had failed to hold his femur properly in place and new plates, bolts, and screws were inserted through a 45cm incision. Because his leg had set incorrectly, they also had to make a 2nd incision further down the femur and perform another controlled break to realign his leg for proper healing. The operation took 6hrs and due to the extent of the cuts and trauma, Joel lost a large amount of blood. He received 6 units of blood products during surgery, followed by an additional 2 units a few days later when his haemoglobin levels dropped further. It takes his body 3-4mths to replenish what was lost, a reminder of how serious this has been. We’re incredibly thankful for blood donors whose generosity helped save Joel’s life. The past week has been incredibly tough. There have been many hard days, both physically and emotionally for Joel. He continues to battle intense pain and exhaustion - and morphine is essential for getting through each day. But there’s also progress, with the help of his Occupational Therapist, Joel has taken the first brave steps - and is now able to get himself out of bed and use a walker for short periods. He’ll soon be discharged and whilst his journey ahead remains long, he will continue the slow but steady process of healing at home with his positive determination
