Doctors are refusing to treat my sister.......HELP!

[Th1onein]

My sister, Andrea, is 54 years old and has heart problems. She was born a "blue baby" which means that she had a hole in a chamber of her heart. When she was 5 years old, Cooley and DeBakey operated on her and "patched" the hole. In the last five years, apparently, that patch has come loose and she has had major problems. For the past two years, she's been on supplemental oxygen. Now, for the past few months, she has had to be on a ventilator. The doctors told us that she had two damaged valves in her heart and that her "patch" was not working anymore and that she had no chance of living if she didn't undergo surgery to repair these things. They also said that she had almost zero percent chance of surviving the surgery, if she chose to undergo it.

She went through the surgery during which they replaced one valve and repaired the other, and replaced her "patch." She's been recovering in intensive care for the past three weeks, but her recovery is slower than they thought it would be and they are thinking that maybe the one valve that they repaired (instead of replacing) is leaking again. Mind you, they have done no test on this, but her blood pressure is low, so this is what they conclude.

Yesterday, they called my other sister and told her that Andrea told them that she wanted to be taken off of the respirator. My sister, Lanore, begged them to wait until she could drive the five hours to Houston, to be with Andrea. They waited. When Lanore got there, it seemed that Andrea had "changed her mind." BUT, when the doctor learned of this, he was angry and said that they "might have to get the ethicists in on this." He said that my sister has zero chance of living and that she needs to have the respirator removed.

Now, keep in mind, Andrea can't talk, but she CAN write. And she wrote: "I don't want to die today." If these doctors have their way, they will get the ethicists in and they will decide to put her under sedation and remove her life support ANYWAY.

What is going on here? Does this happen when one's insurance runs out? Can anyone offer any advice?

[philosophie_en_rose]

1. A suggestion: if you have the opportunity.

It's morbid, but - if you can - you might videotape your sister writing out the words. Plus, if your sister's not deemed healthy - would your family or someone be appointed to be a guardian? Why do the bureaucrats get to decide?

The can be as angry as they want, but you're right to do the best you can for your sister. She should determine what happens to her.

I hope she gets better. Doctors are sometimes wrong. :hug:

[Th1onein]

2. According to the law, she DOESN'T have the right, actually.

Something called "futile care" policies, especially in Texas, allow them to unplug her, as they please.

[philosophie_en_rose]

3. That's sick.

If your sister's mind is functioning, why should they be allowed to kill her? I'm sure that I don't know anything about Texas law, but I'd still document their actions. They need to prove it's futile care or it's medical malpractice. or should be.

[Maddy McCall]

7. Since they already tried to talk you out of the surgery, yet she survived

that, and now that they seem to be hell-bent on pulling the plug (yet she still can communicate, and communicates that she wants to live), you need a lawyer.

In most cases in which Texas hospitals make the decision to pull the plug, it's in the case of a person who's brain-dead and on life-support, yet the family won't allow their family member to die, so the doctor steps in.

I've never heard of a hospital mandating that a patient be unplugged while that patient is still communicative.

Get a lawyer. Probably won't cost you anything to do so, as many will take your case for a part of the settlement, if there's a settlement to be made.

[pokerfan]

8. First I've heard of ''futile care'' policy

I googled it and great, found an NRO column at the top.

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-smith010603.asp

It's too depressing to think about.

[deadparrot]

9. This is the one that W passed as governor, right?

Pretty sick stuff.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Th1onein]

11. This is how injustice lives on.....

Listen to me: I am going to fight for my sister. And, let me tell you something else: If I don't fight for my sister, then someone coming behind me, perhaps less able to fight for their family member, is going to pay because these bastards are going to continue doing what they do until someone stands up to them and fights them.

What they did is this: They took my sister's insurance money to pay for an operation that had almost no chance of succeeding. Now, once that money is gone and they can't get PAID anymore, they want to cut their losses, maximize their profits and unplug my sister.

NOT. GOING. TO. HAPPEN.

[NorthernSpy]

14. trying not to sound harsh here...

Everything you wrote is about you. That's all very well for a diary entry, but I can't really see how any of this would be of use to the original poster, who has a crisis on her hands, and clearly needs solidarity and resources -- not musings on the inevitability of death, and how your neck hurts, and how you feel as though you may have wasted your life...

I mean, come on, man!

[Misunderestimator]

15. This is not about you. What are you advising here? That they just sit...

back and let strangers decide whether or not she should live? Do what you want with your life, but if someone I love tells me they don't want to die today, and they are being kept alive and do HAVE that choice, I'll do my damndest to do the right thing.

I agree with Maddy. To the OP.. get yourself a lawyer immediately. This is insane.

[RandomKoolzip]

16. That wasn't very tactful, sir.

There are times when this kind of post is necessary. This wasn't one of those times.

To the OP: I am very sorry for what your sister is going through. Please understand that I am sending good thoughts and wishes your way.

[progmom]

17. c'mon HT

This kind of post is totally out of place in this thread.

[laheina]

5. They told her that she had zero chance of surviving surgery,

yet she did. They can spout percentages all they want, but the fact is that she is surviving. She is conscious and has her wits about her.

I would also question the ethicists. What are their professional specialties? I had an ethics prof once that turned down a spot on a hospital panel. He said that several of the members were lawyers and so it was not actually an "ethics" panel. It was a cover their asses panel.

I concur with the poster above that said that you should take a video, and if they try to pressure you--take it to the press! They are not going to welcome the bad publicity that it will generate. It sounds like your sister, probably already depressed and weak, was being pressured without her family there to speak up for her. If they persist, you may wanter to consider getting a lawyer.

My prayers are with you and your family. :hug:

[Maddy McCall]

6. Get a lawyer to protect your sister.

This is just unbelievable. Your sister needs to be protect by someone who knows the law and who will fight for her.

Trust me, your family will get instant respect when a lawyer enters the room.

[elehhhhna]

12. Good advice, Maddy.

[Suich]

10. Please check your pm....n/t

[NorthernSpy]

13. here's the contact info for the people at Not Dead Yet:

Contacting Not Dead Yet is easy:


Mailing Address and Phone Numbers
Not Dead Yet
7521 Madison St
Forest Park, IL 60130
Voice: 708-209-1500
Fax: [phone]
TTY: 708-209-1826
Cell: 708-420-0539
Email Diane Coleman at [email protected]
Email Stephen Drake at [email protected]

http://www.notdeadyet.org/docs/contact.html


In addition to getting a lawyer (a highly advisable first step, as others here have pointed out), talking to the folks at Not Dead Yet might possibly be helpful for ideas and support. The more people on your side, the better. Gotta cast a wide net, when someone's life is on the line!

"Bioethics" is such a racket. The role of "ethics people" is to invent "ethical" justifications for all the terrible things that institutions like hospitals and insurance companies want to do anyway out of their own narrow self-interest. What those doctors -- and their "ethics people" -- are seeking to do here is to deny goddamn air to a woman who is alive and who evidently wants to stay that way.

Please keep us posted on your sister's situation, and hang in there! This must be awful for you.

[seemunkee]

18. Call the local non-Fox affiliate news desks. Make a big stink

The idea of video taping her is a good idea. Also try to get the doctor on tape too.
I knew she was in a Texas hospital when I read the title. God Damn Bush to the most tortuous level of Hell.

[prolesunited]

19. I agree that the media can be a real ally in this

Call the newspapers in your town and the TV stations and papers in the nearest big city.

Have them come in and witness firsthand that she can communicate. The community will and should be outraged about this and the resulting bad publicity will have the hospital's PR people scrambling in a different direction.

Even if a lawyer gets involved, still contact the media. People need to be aware that this could happen to them or their loved ones.

I hope for the best possible outcome and keep us posted.