A woman was left "in agony" and mostly housebound for almost a year after being told there was "nothing wrong" with her.
Sue Allen went from doctor to doctor facing diagnosis and treatment delays.
In October 2021, the 67-year-old began developing an agonising pain in her right foot which left her struggling to walk.
Struggling to walk, Ms Allen was eventually provided a protective boot. But it was the wrong type and she was left to hobble to the shops with a plastic bag over her foot.
She said: "I've been left in agony and just left to struggle."
She also explained her mental health was "through the roof" and had developed anxiety and panic attacks.
Ms Allen had no family living nearby and relied on public transport to get around, including to her hospital appointments.
Despite the excrutiating pain, it wasn't until the following February that she managed to get a hospital appointment near her Cwmbran home, Wales, reported the South Wales Argus.
After going from professional to professional - and having problems with the incorrect boot - she was told her foot problem may be related to her previous surgery.
After finally being given a date at the end of July for a procedure to sort out her foot, she booked a well-deserved holiday in September to relax and recover. But the day before the surgery was meant to happen she called the hospital and was told 'no beds, no op'.
Ms Allen was told more urgent cases were being prioritised. She now faces having to cancel her holiday.
"I'm at the end of my tether," she said. "I dread opening my eyes in the morning."
In response, a spokesperson for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “We are sorry that Ms Allen is unhappy with her experience – this is not the standard of service we aim to provide.
“Our hospitals and wider healthcare system remain under significant pressure and Ms Allen’s operation was postponed due to a lack of available beds, caused by the increase in demand, staff sickness and shortages across health and social care.
“It’s important to note that the postponement of some routine operations is not unique to any one directorate; we are currently experiencing these issues right across our organisation, as is the case across NHS Wales and in other parts of the UK.
“We understand Ms Allen’s frustrations regarding the disruption of her holiday plans and we have been in contact with her to apologise and to discuss and resolve her concerns.”
