Posted on 03/03/2005 9:58:32 PM PST by chuckles
I have a brother in law that has a destroyed pancreas. He has been in a hospital in Houston for over 9 months now. He lost his job and has no insurance. He was taken by life flight to Herman hospital and not expected to live. Well, he lived. He has lost from 170 lbs down to less than 100lbs. He has 4 drain tubes in his gut to drain the waste that is leaking into his abdomen. He has several leaks in his bowel line from the stomach and duedenum and various ducts from his liver and spleen area.
My problem is that the doctors won't operate to fix the leaks, and he can't eat because it just drains into the abdomen and leaks all over the bed and floor from the drain tubes that keep getting ripped out. He has a suction tube to suck out fluids from his stomach, but they give him his meds by mouth. It would be humerous, if it wern't so tragic to watch them give him his meds by mouth and watch them be sucked into a jar 10 seconds later. They do the same with his food. right before he dies, they feed him by IV, only to switch back to the feeding tube, suction, fiasco later.We have no say over whether the doctor operates or not, and they are just waiting for him to die, it looks to me. We can't move him, because nobody else will take him. They tried to send him to a nursing home, but they won't take him in this condition. He gets about $1800 a month(I think) from Social Security, but you have to be on it for 2 years to get Medicare. He makes too much for Medicaid. We have complained to the hospital, and they get angry like we don't understand their procedures. Well it lookes like Keystone Kops to me. Even the nurses agree with us, but they have to keep their mouths shut.
I think he could be fixed, if he went to Ben Taub or John Sealy in Galveston, but they won't take him because he is not from their county. I don't know what to do, or who to complain to. I thought of raising hell, but they may just throw him out. I don't see how they could treat him worse, so I'm not worried too much about that.
Sugestions??? Lawyers, congressman, hospital board?
I agree...I am also a physician and from what is described, the poor patient has severe pancreatitis with enterocutaneous fistulas (connections of the bowel to the skin of the abdomen) and the chance of getting these to heal if he were taken to surgery is small and even getting through the post operative course from surgery smaller still. The only good treatment is prolonged TPN for nutritional support and then trying to control the potential complications of infection, etc.
Have you set up a conference with your family, the patient (if he is able) and the physicians, nurses and social worker to review explicitly the diagnosis and prognosis for your brother in law? This is a way to go over everything and be sure that everyone is on the same page and understands what is happening. It can also be a good forum to bring up concerns you have about your family member's care.
I am sorry that the experience has been so bad. Sometimes physicians do not do a very good job of discussing these very difficult patients with the family as we have really no good answers...not an excuse, but it happens.
Good luck
Yes! The whole family is in dire need of supernatural intervention. During my BIL stay in the hospital, one sister in law had her apt burn down, she got 3rd degree burns, and the mother in law broke her hip and is in a wheelchair. My wife has been in Houston for all but a few weeks to try to help, but she is overwhelmed. My niece just had a baby(premature) and has very high blood pressure with trips to ER while nursing a week old baby. It just never seems to stop. Thanks to the people that took the time to respond. FR is filled to the brim with caring, SMART, people. That's why I wrote. I have run out of idea's myself, and sometimes you need an opinion from somebody not so close to the situation. I'm just a son in law, so I can only introduce ideas, but the family will have to choose the direction. I was just getting frustrated that nothing was getting better and nobody seem to have any push to get them better. Ignoring it won't make it go away, but you have to at least have a feasible plan.
There is some terrific advise on this thread...I'd follow it if I were in your situation and were the one asking. I'm a nurse and have done hyperal, it can really help and I don't know why they keep stopping it, that's one question I'd really want answered.
Meanwhile, I'll keep your family in prayers.
This is a request for Prayer from chuckles. See post 23 and Original Thread posting.
This fellows BIL is in dire straits.
This situation IMO makes untangling a can of worms easier.
Dear Lord, if ever a time for divine intervention was needed.......In your Holy name Jesus we pray.
Holy Mother of God we lift up our suffering for chuckles BIL in that some medical help be on the way. Amen
MoJo are you still handling Trussells Prayer Warrior ping list while she is out of town with the Code man?
This is a critical situation.
BTW Thanks for stepping in for Trussell while she is taking care of her family issues.
Mosby, not only is chuckles BIL in dire straits but read post 23. Are you still posting/updating requests to Logan's Miracle Room? This is a family who needs some intense Prayer.
My problem is that the doctors won't operate to fix the leaks, and he can't eat because it just drains into the abdomen and leaks all over the bed and floor from the drain tubes that keep getting ripped out. He has a suction tube to suck out fluids from his stomach, but they give him his meds by mouth. It would be humerous, if it wern't so tragic to watch them give him his meds by mouth and watch them be sucked into a jar 10 seconds later. They do the same with his food. right before he dies, they feed him by IV, only to switch back to the feeding tube, suction, fiasco later.We have no say over whether the doctor operates or not, and they are just waiting for him to die, it looks to me. We can't move him, because nobody else will take him. They tried to send him to a nursing home, but they won't take him in this condition. He gets about $1800 a month(I think) from Social Security, but you have to be on it for 2 years to get Medicare. He makes too much for Medicaid. We have complained to the hospital, and they get angry like we don't understand their procedures. Well it lookes like Keystone Kops to me. Even the nurses agree with us, but they have to keep their mouths shut.
I think he could be fixed, if he went to Ben Taub or John Sealy in Galveston, but they won't take him because he is not from their county. I don't know what to do, or who to complain to. I thought of raising hell, but they may just throw him out. I don't see how they could treat him worse, so I'm not worried too much about that.
Sugestions??? Lawyers, congressman, hospital board?
This is from FReeper, chuckles.
Please direct all your posts and comments to chuckles.
Prayers for your brother in law that he gets the help he needs.
Please keep us posted.
Pinging the Prayer Warriors!
Thank you for the ping, oceanperch!!
(trussell will return shortly. If you see any prayer requests, please ping me until she returns. Thank you!)
I sure am.
Thank you for the ping.
*HUGS*
Also, I will update everyone later about Cody.
What a tragedy, chuckles. I join with all the others here in praying for a healing solution for your brother in law, and for God's peace and guidance for the whole family.
BTTT good advice. The local media is a good bet in finding a lawyer too!
Someone should be able to get you an address to use in that county. Either here on FR or just a mailbox place.
Sounds to me like it's time to get him out of there, if possible.
Sending prayers for help!
You and yours will be in my prayers...I had a couple of acute pancreatitis attacks last year, problems with my biliary system (part of the 15 percent who continue to have problems after the gall bladder is out), and know how sick even a little problem in that part of the body can make you...
And folks, if you never had problems with this, you don't know how bad the pain and the stomach distress is...please be sure to pray!
Prayers for your brother-in-law and your family.
Also ask questions even if you already know the answers. Document who and what you ask and what the reply is.
No ethical surgeon will operate on this man if he conscientiously believes it would be an execution. Sometimes, there is nothing to do but wait.
Don't threaten to sue unless you are SURE that someone is negligent. And don't take the advice of a plaintiff lawyer, make them get a good expert, and ask to sit in on the conference with the expert.
No one ever gets better care by threatening to sue. It never happens. NEVER.
Being unable to cure does remove the burden of care.
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