Hospital tells woman her mother is dead but calls later to tell her she is alive

The Telegraph ^ | 10/4/15

[markomalley]

A hospital told the family of a patient that she had died and allowed them to say their goodbyes only to telephone seven hours later to apologise and reassure them that their relation was still alive.

Phyllis Lilley's daughter, Liz Page, 61, and her husband Gerry, 72, were too grief-stricken to notice that nurses had led them to the body of another woman to say goodbye.

Ms Page told the Sun newspaper: "I know it sounds ridiculous that we didn't realise it was her body."

Seven hours later however a hospital official telephoned to confess to the mix-up.

[Perdogg]

not dead yet....I am feeling better

[napscoordinator]

I’d be ok with it. I would be so grateful to have another chance. Who gets that. yes I’d be pissed at the hospital but then so glad that I still had my loved one.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

I HATE it when that happens!

[kjam22]

Liz Page, 61, and her husband Gerry, 72, were too grief-stricken to notice that nurses had led them to the body of another woman to say goodbye.

Sounds like there's enough blame to go around for the mix up.

[Bob]

Mom was just pining for the fjords.

[exDemMom]

Phyllis Lilley's daughter, Liz Page, 61, and her husband Gerry, 72, were too grief-stricken to notice that nurses had led them to the body of another woman to say goodbye.

Death can change a person's appearance quite drastically.

A few years ago, I had to go into the room of a deceased patient in a hospital. It was not until his sister showed a picture of him when he was alive that I realized that I used to see him around the hospital all the time (he was an employee). He did not look at all the same when he was dead. So I can totally understand how the family didn't notice that the dead woman was not their mother.

[martin_fierro]

Man, I hate when that happens.

[Bigg Red]

How wonderful for the daughter to have another chance. But I hope the staff did not lead someone else to a live patient when, in fact, his/her mother was dead.

[Daffynition]

Was there a cat involved?

[ladyjane]

LOL

[Vendome]

[elcid1970]

“Bring out yer dead!” “No, I’m not dead, in fact I feel fine!”

(In before someone else)

All in all, a happy outcome. They thought she was dead, but they were mistaken. Worth a prayer.

[Osage Orange]

I had a total dumbass charge nurse call a daughter of a patient we had...to tell her..that her mom died.

The daughter said...I just was there..she looked great!!

The dumbass charge nurse...then realized she called the wrong person. And said...Oh. so sorry...wrong family.

That dumbass was fired a bit later.........

Oh, she was a MS "Prepared" RN....but a total dumbass.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Must not have seen mom in a while.

[Gil4]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought Monty Python when reading this story.
I was imagining the “she’s not dead, she’s resting” phone call they had to make. Maybe she was tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk. (Hopefully she wasn’t sitting up in bed because she had been nailed there.)

[Bookwoman]

Pining for the fjords.