Wrongful Death, Passionless Doctor

[FOBX530]

5 years ago, my dad had an a brain aneurysm. Causing him to be disabled. He always goes to the doctor every month with my mom to get check ups. Though he does misses visits because of long wait line, does not mean he should not be missed diagnosed.

From what I understand and experience from this doctor is...he checks your vitals, if you fine (obviously since you are walking and talking), listens to your heart beat, breathing and coughing with every check up.
****He always states yes yes, he's fine.

------this was the first incident.

After my dad had his brain aneurysm, he cannot take himself to the doctor for check ups therefore no matter how long the line, he still gets his check ups.


4 months ago, my dad had a urinary track infection since he is on a catheter and bed ridden at home...this is common and was hospitalized. At the hospital he was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and trouble swallowing and doctor at the county hospital recommended me to see my family doctor to get a referral to see a doctor that is specialized in swallowing.

I took him the next day after he was realized and told the family doctor that I need him to check his throat and a refer to check his swallowing. He did his usual of check ups and said my dad is fine, even though I know he could not swallow as well as he could. I said fine, I'll let my mom deal with him.

My mom came to the doctor next month and got the refer to his brain doctor and finally got a date to check up on his swallowing as it has gotten worst. At the same visist, my family doctor suggested my mom NOT GET TREATMENT FOR THE HEPATITIS C, as he will become weak and become a veggie which will be difficult for my mom to take care of. Of course my mom thinks doctors are right and decided not to do it.

---------second incident

The past month my dad was sent to the hospital because his stomach had enlarged tremendously and in screaming pain. He was taken to a near by hospital where he was getting diagnosed by CT scan and xrays, but his contracted hospital said NO HE HAS TO COME HERE. IT IS IN THE CONTRACT (the same group that my family doctor is in works with this hospital). He was there for over a week and each day was "we will do a biopsy" but was never done. And all they did was give him morphine.

We force the doctor to sign him out of the hospital and HMO group so we can call 911 again to take him to the county hospital where treatment was better and high tech.

At the county hospital, they said he was at END STAGE CANCER! Though they can keep him alive or so for minimum 6 months and maximum 1 year.

At the county hospital they gave him a catheter that goes to his bladder which is suppose to be there for one week max, but was in there longer since the nurses are lazy (I can tell from the condition he's in along with his screaming pain and messiness of his bed when ever I am there to visit, along with when I asked when he got his meds...most of his RN DOES NOT KNOW but asks me instead if I knew when he got his meds.)

Because he had a urinary track infection from the bladder catheter, causing him to have a fever which means he cannot get a G-tube to his stomach to feed him to be stronger then chemo can be performed since he cannot eat by mouth because of his swallowing.

He waited for another week until his fever was over, so during the wait he was put on PTN (a milk/chemical nutritional tube that goes through his IV to feed him and give him nutrition). This was only suppose to be in for a couple of days not more than 5 days! He was on it for more than 5 days and had gotten a fungi yeast infection from the TPN. Again they waited for another week for his fungi infection to be neutralized with antibiotics.

The yeast infection caused his heart to be extremely weak and blood pressure to be extremely low. Week by week, it was one infection after another causing him to not get his G-Tube and no chemo. As it went on his cancer got worst and affected his kidneys to where his kidneys would not function and had to be on dialysis.

On Saturday August 22, 2009 at 10:35am. He passed. His cancer was caused by the Hep C. In one month he was in the hospital, we found out he had cancer END STAGE CANCER, and passed.

I understand that this post was meant to be short and concised but my family and I are in mourning.

I am looking for a lot of help and I can and will tell you all the information about the hospitals and family doctor. I am seeking justice. It wasn't enough that my father had to suffer from a brain aneurysm that altered his personality and made him bed-ridden but finally did not diagnose he had cancer and made him passed.


PLEASE HELP.

[lealea1005]

I am very sorry for your loss.

5 years ago, my dad had an a brain aneurysm. Causing him to be disabled. He always goes to the doctor every month with my mom to get check ups. Though he does misses visits because of long wait line, does not mean he should not be missed diagnosed.

How can a Physician be expected to properly diagnose a patient who misses their appointments? If your parents were not satisfied with their medical care, the could have chosen another Physician who suited their needs.

After my dad had his brain aneurysm, he cannot take himself to the doctor for check ups therefore no matter how long the line, he still gets his check ups.


4 months ago, my dad had a urinary track infection since he is on a catheter and bed ridden at home...this is common and was hospitalized. At the hospital he was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and trouble swallowing and doctor at the county hospital recommended me to see my family doctor to get a referral to see a doctor that is specialized in swallowing.

Obviously, your Father had some significant previous medical history.

I took him the next day after he was realized and told the family doctor that I need him to check his throat and a refer to check his swallowing. He did his usual of check ups and said my dad is fine, even though I know he could not swallow as well as he could. I said fine, I'll let my mom deal with him.

If you were with your Father in the exam room, you could have informed his FP that the Doctor at the hospital recommended a referral, and been a little more insistant.

My mom came to the doctor next month and got the refer to his brain doctor and finally got a date to check up on his swallowing as it has gotten worst. At the same visist, my family doctor suggested my mom NOT GET TREATMENT FOR THE HEPATITIS C, as he will become weak and become a veggie which will be difficult for my mom to take care of. Of course my mom thinks doctors are right and decided not to do it.

The treatment for Hepatitic C has many unpleasant side effects. The benefits of putting an already compromised patient through treatment must far outweigh the adverse reactions or further harm.

The past month my dad was sent to the hospital because his stomach had enlarged tremendously and in screaming pain. He was taken to a near by hospital where he was getting diagnosed by CT scan and xrays, but his contracted hospital said NO HE HAS TO COME HERE. IT IS IN THE CONTRACT (the same group that my family doctor is in works with this hospital). He was there for over a week and each day was "we will do a biopsy" but was never done. And all they did was give him morphine.

Unfortunately, acites (fluid build up in the abdomen) occurs in patients with severe liver disease. Again, the risk of the biopsy may far outweigh any good it may do in further diagnosing. They already knew your Father had end statge cirrhosis.

If his insurance plan contracts with and will only pay for treatment at a certain hospital, that's where he must go. The only exception would be a life threatening event such as a heart attack or MVA.

At the county hospital they gave him a catheter that goes to his bladder which is suppose to be there for one week max, but was in there longer since the nurses are lazy (I can tell from the condition he's in along with his screaming pain and messiness of his bed when ever I am there to visit, along with when I asked when he got his meds...most of his RN DOES NOT KNOW but asks me instead if I knew when he got his meds.)

You could have asked to speak with the nursing supervisor if you were not getting answers. You were not there 24 hours a day, so you really do not know whether the catheter was changed. Some of the fluid you saw may have been from the acites.

Because he had a urinary track infection from the bladder catheter, causing him to have a fever which means he cannot get a G-tube to his stomach to feed him to be stronger then chemo can be performed since he cannot eat by mouth because of his swallowing.

UTIs happen when there is an indwelling catheter...even with the best cath care. Chemo cannot be administered to a patient with a fever.

Unfortunately, liver cancer is very aggressive. I understand that you probably had very little time to get used to the idea of you Father being as sick as he was before he passed.

Your Mother can always seek the advice of an attorney who will have an expert review your Father's medical record. Your Father's previous medical history will play a significant factor in any decision.

Again, I am very sorry for your loss. There are stages of grief you will go through, one being anger. I truly hope you and your family are a source of strength for each other and can work through the grief process.

[FOBX530]

Thank you lealea1005 for responding so quickly and taking time to read through my post.

I appreciate your help. I know you stated that my father's medical history can play a significant factor in any decision but I'd like to know...does this seem like I have a case?

[lealea1005]

Thank you lealea1005 for responding so quickly and taking time to read through my post.

I appreciate your help. I know you stated that my father's medical history can play a significant factor in any decision but I'd like to know...does this seem like I have a case?

YOU do not have a "case"...your Mother would have to seek the advice of an attorney. However, given your Father's compromised health even before the diagnosis, and your description of the events, I do not see any obvious breach in the standard of care.

[KeyWestDan]

lealea1005, I must commend you on your medical understanding and the quality of your post.

I can only comment from a legal standpoint. I doubt there is any provable malpractice. You must prove that the standard of care received was grossly substandard.

You can speak with any medical malpractice attorney and I doubt they would touch the case. However, if you find an attorney, he is legally obligated to do an investigation into the validity of your claims and will review the case with a doctor that works with him/her on malpractice cases. Only when he is satisfied there is a valid case can a civil action be filed. Also, the attorney knows that the medical professionals and institutions involved will be represented by attorneys that are experts in these areas and that the insurance companies and their clients will fight you tooth and nail.

Also keep in mind that any damages are largely based on the number of years he had left to live (assuming the alleged malpractice), the quality of life and his earning potential. You likely can't prove much in the way of economic damages and any pain and suffering would be equally difficult to prove.

My condolences. My father died of liver cancer a few years ago.

[Justice50]

Check the statute of limitations. It sounds to me like there was no proper communication with you from the doctors and the onus is not on you to be tracking down nurses to find your answer when the doctors are not cooperating-as the nurses can only relay to the doctor and if the doctor is a jerk he will tell the nurses where to get off. Remember, there is a very well known adage amongst doctors and it is-"Nurses should be seen but not heard". Again, check the statute of limitations and just don't take my advice or anyone elses in a case like this. Present it to an expert attorney's firm with Complete Records and let them judge if the case has merit. Good Luck. PS In some jurisdications it is when You first discover facts that were witheld originally that starts the clock ticking towards the statute of limitations. So you may not be out of luck on this one.