A man who was left with a permanent erection after a workplace accident says he is now too ashamed to see his young daughter.
James Scott, 57, suffered severe pelvic injuries after 1.5 tonnes (1,500 kg) of glass fell on him in a work accident four years ago, leaving him with a fractured bone in his spine and a blocked urethra. He also suffered four injuries in his groin area.
He underwent an operation to repair the damage done to his penis two years later, but complications during the procedure left him unable to get an erection.
A further operation to fix that, where surgeons inserted metal rods into his penis, then left him with a permanent erection – something which has made him a prisoner in his own home, the father-of-one said.
Scott can no longer put trousers on because he is in so much pain, and he can’t even have his nine-year-old daughter round to visit because he is too ashamed of his permanent erection.
Scott, from Balornock, Glasgow, explained:
After the operation, I wasn’t able to get an erection, so I had another op. They inserted metal rods into my penis. I was told it would be sore for about six to eight weeks after but I never expected anything like this.
I’ve now got a permanent erection and I’m in agony. I can’t bear anything to touch it. I can’t even wear clothes. It’s a nightmare.
Despite his constant pain, the 57-year-old claims doctors have refused to visit his home to sort out the problem, as his usual GP is currently on holiday and there isn’t another male doctor available to send out. ‘Surely male and female doctors assess patients of the opposite sex daily,’ he said.
A spokesperson for Tollcross Medical Centre said:
Maintaining patient confidentiality is extremely important and it makes commenting on individual cases extremely difficult.
In general terms, severe post-operative complications are most appropriately managed by the specialists in hospital and the safest option is for hospital assessment.
An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokesperson said they would ‘advise anyone who experiences adverse symptoms after an operation to call NHS24, who can recommend the most appropriate course of action’.
Hopefully James will be able to get in touch with the appropriate person and his problem will be resolved sooner rather than later.
We hope he makes a speedy recovery.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article and want to speak to someone in confidence, you can contact men’s health charity Movember here.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via story@unilad.com
A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).