anti-hmong said:
okay...this past weekend...one of my distant uncles had a mild heart attack at work...one of his co-workers saw him and called an ambulance...when they came and picked him up...he was back to normal...no pain...no nothing...when they got to the hospital the doctors did an x-ray and all that stuff...they said his arteries were clogged and was on the verge of rupturing and he needed immediate surgery...but my uncle was fine...he was talking to them...giving them information such as phone numbers to get in contact with his family...the doctors couldn't get in contact with any of the family members...so they went ahead with the surgery...no one signed any permission form for them to go ahead with the surgery...not even my uncle who was well enough to give them information...anyway, my uncle died on the way to the operating room (at least that's what the doctors are saying)...they said his arteries ruptured along to way and they couldn't do anything about it...BUT...they still went ahead with the surgery...they said they had to do the surgery becuz they couldn't get in contact with anyone in the family and he needed the surgery immediately...and my uncle wasn't well enough to sign the permission form for surgery (but yet he was well enough to give them information ...is it just me or does that sound fishy?)...not only that...if he died on the way to the operating room...what's the point of going through with the surgery????...and not only that...if it was just his heart...why the heck did they cut him open from top to bottom???...from his chest all the way down to his stomach???...and why the heck did they need to cut up his left thigh????... ...the doctors finally got ahold of the family 2 hrs after my uncle "supposedly" died on the way to the operating table...when the family got there...the doctors wouldn't let the family go see his dead body...they said there was a law stating that families aren't allowed to go see a dead family member's dead body ...the family asked if my dead uncle signed a permission form for the doctors to operate on him and the doctors said yes...so the family came back home...and called another one of my uncle (my mom's younger brother)...he went to the family's home and asked them what happened and if they've seen my dead uncle's body...the family said "no"...so my uncle got pissed off at the family for leaving the hospital without seeing my dead uncle's body...so he went to the hospital and almost got into a fight with the doctors becuz they wouldn't let him see my dead uncle's body becuz of their "supposed" law (whatever)...my uncle asked the doctors if they had any proof that my dead uncle's arteries were about to rupture and they said they did x-rays but they wouldn't show it to the family...then my uncle asked them if they had permission from my dead uncle to operate on him and if they did...he wanted to see the proof...the doctors said...there wasn't enough time to get the papers signed and that my uncle wasn't well enough to sign the papers anyway...(bullcrap...noticed the answer that the doctors gave my uncle was different from the answer that they gave to my dead uncle's family)...finally after hours and hours of fighting back and forth with the doctors about their stupid law...and the threat of a lawsuit...they finally let my uncle and the rest of the family go see my dead uncle's family...and my dead uncle was all cut up and stitched up
sorry for the long post...errrrrrrrrrrr...lol...
[post="37425"][/post]
wow!...this is absolutely absurd, the kind of medical practice they've got going on there. :angry:
you were denied soooo many rights as family members of the patients.
1. xrays and autopsies should be shown and provided at the request of the family of close ties, so that you may :
a. determine that all operation procedures were done properly to the health benefit of the patient.
b. determine none of his organs are missing against the patient's will.
c. verify the actual cause of death, in the case that it may also affect family medical history.
2. what was their proof of the attempt to contact the family...
3. your rights to see the patient after their death should be a given. for them to declare it "law" forbidding such visitation, they should have it in WRITTEN form, and you have a right to request a written copy of such "laws" and regulations.
a. with what reasons do the laws forbid loved ones from seeing each other, especially in the case of a patient's death. (eg. infectious diseases, blah blah blah); even then as sunflower has mentioned, it is based on individual choice to undergo such risks of exposure or not; but it is NOT the doctors or any medical personnel's position to make the call.
(i'm sure u probably know or have been suggested the contents below repetitively and may find these redundant) in any case, here are a few suggested things to prepare for the lawsuit:
1. get all medical records and documents of your uncle organized. look through it and get second opinions and critically analyze the medical situation. (ask some other experts as well, qoute them and their opinions, get written copies)
a. in regards to thigh cuts, heart condition, and any other excessive incisions or missing organs.
b. if they are at all found to have given away his organs or harvest any portions of it, his immediate family has a right to know that and receive documentation on it.
2. request for an autopsy (this usually requires immediate family such as ur aunt or her kids to do so)
3. document your uncle's death:
a. time and date of the death
b. the cause of the death
c. the nature of his death
d. his conditions prior to and leading to his death
e. the conditions of his body after the death
f. names of doctors who operated on him
g. names of administrative ppl or medical personnels who attempted to contact the family prior to the operation.
h. take pictuers if you can of your uncle's body (with zoom ups on questionable cuts and scars)
4. document his immediate famiy's experience with the hospital:
a. the things or "myths" that they were misinformed (or the "miscommunication)
. how were his immediate family treated in the hospital?
. if they needed translators, was the service provided for?
. what were their feelings after being misinformed? (eg. frustration, anger, etc...)
. how long did it take for them to get any answer or communication?
. was their lack of closure addressed?
. were all their rights as the immediate family to the dead patient (your uncle) told to them?
b. who told them they couldn't see the body and why?
c. the time and date they got to the hospital
d. names of all medical personnels they communicated with and showed authority on the issue
5. counsel with a law office or a legal advisor, providing all these documentations (written, recorded, visual pictures, etc...).
yeah these are just a few things i hope may help. this issue is clearly needs to be dissected and looked over a second time. too many inconsistencies with the impression of exploitation and lack of professionalism in their medical practice; much of it also contributing to the death of the patient as well as the lack of closure for the family.
wish u the best of luck and keep us updated. look forward to hearing good news. and condolences out to your uncle and his family as well as urs.
