Gothamist: After Hospital "Mistake," Quadruple Amputee is Hopeful

yao

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:57:33 -0500

Drug abusers and convicted felons don't necessary have to lose their limbs. But because of their life style, they have a higher chance of losing limbs. They can lose their limbs through gangrene by: 1. Passing out on the street in freezing weather -->limbs freezes --> limbs die without blood circulation due to the freeze --> gangrene. 2. IV drug usage--> Endocarditis with vegetation/thrombus --> breaking of the thrombus that eventually lodge into small arterioles (small blood vessels) of kidneys, hands, feet and eyes. Those thrombus cuts off blood circulation and causes gangrene. Once you get to gangrene, you pretty much have to amputate or else you will die of the infection. Those doctors saved her life. 3. Maybe, (I say, Maybe, I don't know anything about the case), She could have had a kidney stone, which then resolved. She then went home, did some drug that cause thrombus formation or maybe she passed out on the street, and had limbs gangrene. Again, I don't know her. Maybe she really is innocent, and the doctors didn't run all the million dollars tests on her that "MIGHT" have saved her limbs, which I doubt. A gangrene is a gangrene, you can't de-gangrene limbs, regardless when you catch it. A lot of alcoholic/drug abusers don't take care of their body. They abuse drugs and pass out on the street, in sub-zero temperature, without any covers. By the time they wake up, it will be a miracles if they don't have gangrenes, and they blame the doctors?!!! The doctors went through years and years of training, working 80 to 120+ hours a week. 4 years of medical school + 200K in debt by the time they graduate from Medical school. Then another 5 or 7 years of brutal residency training, getting pay less than minimum wages, doing their jobs day in and out without complaints, we have a maybe drug addicts that sues them because of her poor lifestyle and choices? I feel bad for her, and I really wish her the best. But this kind of stupid lawsuit just makes your insurance premium higher. Doctors can run all the million dollars tests to protect themselves, but in the end, taxpayers are the ones paying for it, either through higher tax funding to medicare/Medicaid or high insurance premium. If we continue to sue the doctors without any law reform protecting them, soon, the smarts ones won't go into medicine. We will be left with NO US doctors and have to import foreign doctors (like the Philippine Nurses, who I love & respect dearly). Or we can be left with not too smart USA doctors. Is that what you want? I have talked to many gifted doctors' kids, and they all said that they don't want to be doctors exactly because of frivolous lawsuits where one can lose all his life's work and saving. Maybe she really deserve all those money because the doctor really did make mistake. Doctors are humans, like you and me, and they will make mistakes. Should we take away all their livelihood, their life's work and saving because of 1 bad day? If we keep this up, and drive doctors out of the state, who will take care of you when you are sick. Remember, we have a shortage of medical doctors. Less doctors mean more waiting time in the ER/clinics, less time with your doctor and your care.

faprilano

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:42:36 -0500

i live near Brooklyn Hospital and was taken there two years ago by ambulance at the onset of a nasty case of meningitis (no my choice, i had already lapsed into a coma) and I was totally impressed with the staff and the facility. Not only did they save my life, but the staff was so nice and the facility was much better than I expected. While this case is a tragedy and my heart goes out to Tabitha, my experience was very different. Mistakes have been made at some of the world class institutions as well as those like Brooklyn Hospital. If Brooklyn Hospital is guilty of malpractice, they should pay. Again, my best goes out to Tabitha - you have a strong spirit and you will overcome this adversity I'm sure.

Spiritof76

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:11:55 -0500

[7] How about you doing some fact-checking for us? Can you be sure that these allegations are true? Daily News comments sections are full of lies and distortions (sadly, so are Gothamist comments). How can we be sure this is at all true? It could be a bunch of lies from an enemy or a disgruntled ex. It could be a case of mistaken identity. Besides, even if it's true, since when does being a bad mother make anyone worthy of losing four limbs and an eye? If that were the case, we'd have streets full of wheelchairs. And seeing as how you have made exactly one post here, how can we be sure you're not the same person who posted that unconfirmed information at the News? What exactly is your beef with this woman?

thefacts

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:46:03 -0500

#9 To answer your question, she could have applied for and received "Certificate of Relief from Diabilities".

JacqueMehoff

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:28:01 -0500

by the way, if she's a felon how can she take the Court officer's exam? or any civil service exam?

JacqueMehoff

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:45:14 -0500

I saw that and don't see why it's of any importance. mr. first time registered poster.

Oona

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:32:39 -0500

This was posted in the comments of the Daily News article. Seems Gothamist could learn a bit about fact checking here. "I still cannot believe the Daily News would skew an article and manipulate the public so blatantly. The writers just happen to leave out the fact that this woman is a felon, who abandoned her children for years while she abused drugs, and not once visited her children in the three years that she lost custody of her them...of course. THAT wouldn't have made a good story! Of course those at the News didn't follow up and verify any facts either. She was to be a civil servant at any moment? How is that possible with an arrest record? Of course what happened to this woman is tragic. Who has read the articles and not felt horror and symapathy? That is not the point. There are PLENTY of needy GOOD people out in this big city of ours that could use help. This woman is not one of the top 100 candidates for sure. Please do some research. Please stop being misleading. All this information is a matter of public record."

JacqueMehoff

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:30:37 -0500

the other is the Kessler Institute. Beekman is part of NYU hospital center.

Peter

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:16:18 -0500

Another Hospital of Death, like Beekman. You go in and you don't come out. Or you go in and some of you comes out.

Rolltide23

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:03:52 -0500

I had the same pain last week, and it was a kidney stone like her...but I drove to westchester to my parents house and went to ER up there. And I kept my hands and feet.

JacqueMehoff

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:20:25 -0500

going from Brooklyn hospital center to NYU rusk insitute, quite a dramatic upgrade. only one other rehab center is more well known in the tri state area.

The Edge

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:01:01 -0500

Another Hospital of Death, like Beekman. You go in and you don't come out.

angry_pickle

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:48:51 -0500

Brooklyn Hospital Center ... another fine example of "world class" NYC medical care.