Krystal Schwan's hand was swollen (left) when she went to the emergency room of the Pasqua Hospital in pain on May 4. She was sent home, and the next day her fingers were turning black. She returned to hospital (right) and began treatment for an infection. (Sheila Bolen/Submitted to CBC) Krystal Schwan, a Regina woman who suffered a severe infection in her hand but was initially sent home without treatment from a hospital ER, is now facing an amputation.

Schwan has been receiving treatment at the Regina General for three weeks since her initial injury.

She originally sought treatment at the Pasqua ER when she was in extreme pain the morning after she accidently slammed a door on her hand. But, according to her family, Schwan's behaviour at the ER was interpreted by staff as some sort of intoxication and the hand injury was not thoroughly examined.

After she returned home, the condition of her hand worsened. It turned black and large blisters formed. That led to a return to the ER, a prolonged hospital stay and now, her parents say, an amputation is expected.

"She started off crying," Daryl Bolen, the woman's father, said about how Schwan reacted to the prognosis. "She's more accepting of it right now, because we can't change it."

Schwan was in such pain that she was crying loudly and thrashing her limbs, which staff interpreted as some form of intoxication. (Submitted by Sheila Bolen) According to her parents, the amputation is expected within days.

Schwan is also pregnant and due in August. Her parents said that no complications have arisen, so far, with the pregnancy.

The family believes an amputation could have been avoided if staff had focused on Schwan's pain instead of treating her as if she had overdosed on drugs.

"It's devastating," Bolen said. "I just think this is a travesty that could easily have been prevented if someone would have taken the time to find out why the pain was there."

Health authority reviewing case

Officials from the health region said they are investigating what happened.

"We are absolutely reviewing this and ... we will share that information," Glen Perchie, a manager from the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, said Thursday. "I have offered my sincere condolences and apologies. This is a devastating outcome."

While the family is considering legal action, the parents said their priority is their daughter's recovery and helping to adapt to life with one hand.