Coroner says common bacteria killed Antioch girl

Contra Costa Times ^ | Mar. 11, 2004 | Sandy Kleffman

[B4Ranch]

REMEMBER THIS CHILD BECAUSE IT COULD EASILY HAPPEN TO YOURS!

"These days, you've got to be your own advocate," Mark Geyer said. "You don't take no for an answer and you don't let them push you around."

[11th_VA]

Years ago, my then 4 year old had similar sickness. When my wife took her to the doctor, he sent her straight to the hospital, ordered IV and antibiotics. Took about 48 hours to find a drug that would work. She's a healthy 16 year old now, but I often reflect on what might have happened if we waited or the doctor didn't send her to the hosptal.

[Endeavor]

"Because Arthur could not obtain a positive blood culture, it is unclear if Jessie went into toxic shock."

It's clear to me that's what killed her.

I'd have done a CBC on the kid - her white count should have either been sky high or super low - depending on which stage of septicemia she was in when the test was done. The pediatrician should have insisted on a CBC when the mom called him back the next day after having been to the ER that night. After all, he suspected a septic knee. Those are the kinds of cases that used to keep me awake at night - and I'm only a vet.

[DJtex]

This is such a tough, sad case. Overuse of antibiotics is not good, but this is an example of why a doctor will prescribe it if there is no definite diagnosis.

When I lived in Hawaii a few years back, a lot of my friends would get strep if they went swimming with any kind of scratch on their leg. There are just too many visitors and Maui's sewerage system basically consists of dumping everything into the Pacific.

I've been fighting MRSA Staph from a leg wound myself for the last two months with Vancomicyn--a tough drug for a tough bug.

[B4Ranch]

in my life, I have had much better results from vets than I have from MDs.

The vet could come out to the ranch and without a single word from the dogs, cows, calves, bulls, or even the cutting horses, he would determine what bug was running through the herd, prescribe the treatment and poof within a few days blood counts are back to normal.

How many MDs can successfully treat a patient in one visit, without any verbal conversation today? NONE! I have had much better care from vets than MDs with personal health problems also......unofficially of course. LOL Most of the time I even had the medicines on hand too.

[.38sw]

About MD's - my husband is an MD, and he is a good diagnostician. He diagnosed his cousin with pneumonia over the phone, when an emergency room physician and the man's own personal physician missed it, and told him his shortness of breath, increased heart rate and fever was probably caused by something like ephedra in the supplements he was taking! He checked the labels of everything he was taking - no ephedra. And fever? Please. After speaking with him for a few minutes, hubby just said to him, "Hey, you've got pneumonia!". He was shocked at the emergency room physician's lack of diagnosis. Anyway, after starting to take antiobiotics, he rapidly started improving. The next problem came because he had been inactive for a period of time, and his leg started to swell. His own physician said it was nothing, not to worry about it. Well, he ended up in the hospital with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and nearly died because a chunk of it went to his lungs. My husband said his standard procedure in such an instance would have been to order an MRI because he would have been immediately suspicious of a DVT given the circumstances of the illness, swelling and period of inactivity.

Given all of the horror stories I've heard from people who have been misdiagnosed, I'm glad that my husband is around to keep an eye on me!

[KC_for_Freedom]

These days, you've got to be your own advocate

A friend lost his wife several years back to a bacterial infection missed by the Mt Diablo Hospital next door to the hospital mentioned in this article. Similar to Jim Henson. It seems bacterial infection is not suspected soon enough, and in people with low blood pressure, antibiotics do not get into the infected areas fast enough.

[BigBobber]

I had a similar problem in my leg when a teen many years ago. I was active in sports and the first doctor suspected trauma to the thigh bone. X-rays were negative, so I was told to ice the leg and go home until it got better. The pain was so severe I couln't sleep for several days. I was finally hospitalized and diagnosed with DVT. Icing the leg actually makes such a condition worse.

When the little girl complained of leg pain, that doesn't match a diagnosis of "Flu".

[Endeavor]

Your husband is A-Number 1. You should be very proud of him. He is truly practicing medicine as it was meant to be practiced.

Most physicians are good physicians. From the info posted above, I can't tell if her pediatrician is a good guy who missed something he sure shouldn't have, or if he's a lousy doc. He sure didn't use good judgement with her.

Sadly, docs have to see more and more patients in less and less time because medicare is killing them on decreased reimbursements. Things can, just due to the numbers involved, fall through the cracks. You hope it's the little things like the splinter in the finger and not the big stuff.

I admire people like your husband who stay in medicine as tough as it has gotten to make a living. The years he put in to be a doctor, the hours he puts in at the office, the hours on call, the responsibility for lives, the sacrifices you and your family make, are in no way compensated monitarily anymore. Thanks to you both for doing what you do.

I work with a lot of docs (MD's) and I see their frustrations with where medicine is going. It's only going to get worse with socialized medicine. We are so fortunate to have the quality of medical care we have today.

Sorry for the rant. -- E

[Endeavor]

Thanks for your compliments towards those in my profession. I honestly think working with animals is a gift. When I was younger (and quicker) I did a lot of herd work and horse work. There's so much to consider when you arrive at a farm - it's really detective work that sometimes involves considering more than just the one animal. It's fun. I miss it. I'm too old and slow now to practice large animal, and small animal never much appealed to me.

[B4Ranch]

About MD's

Feel lucky that he gives you more than the brief 10 minute scan most doctors give out today. It sounds like you have a good one, keep him close!

[Delta 21]

I am one of those kooks that believe in Colloidal Silver. A teaspoon a day taken orally would most likely have prevented this. Or at least gave her immune system a little help.

You are a fool if you wait untill you are on your death bed before asking for a second opinion. ...and most doctors rate right up there with insurance salesmen, telemarketers and lawyers.

Wanna know more about Colloidal Silver? Freep mail me.

[B4Ranch]

The half dozen vets I've worked with in my life, all on reccomendations from other ranchers of course, were great people and all became close family friends. Being a good vet is a gift that few have, so true.

I'm sure you are proud of your accomplishments. You've undoubtably saved more herds with your experience than the average person could imagine.

[.38sw]

I've actually seen my regular doc for less than 10 minutes - hardly gave me the time of day. Most of them do this now because of the capitated HMO system. They hate to see the patients in the capitated system come in - they can't make any money on them. They want the patients that are the fee for service.

[Houmatt]

It is happening right now to my wife. Fortunately she is in the hospital and is being treated but it is like there is one thing right after another popping up and I am worried about her.

[djreece]

I too have had much better experiences with vets than with MDs: Detailed explanations of test results, discussion of possible diagnoses and treatments, and so on.

I think it boils down to the fact that in the relationship with the vet I am the one paying the bill and thus I am in total control. If we were able to restore our human medical system to one in which the patients are paying the bills and in control (along the lines of medical savings accounts), many of the current problems would correct themselves rapidly.

[cherry]

Its the wise doctor who does not automatically prescribe antibiotics for a pt with fever and other symptoms....

drug resistance is a huge problem....one brought on because too many docs have ordered blindly, ususally to appease the sick pt or his family....

In this case, it might have been wise to order blood cultures or to lance the knee and do a culture from the fluid....

hindsight is a wonderful thing, though.....

[p. henry]

Nineteen years ago, it was my child. My 2 year old son's pneumonia did not respond to IV antibiotics. Once septicemia, toxic shock, and disseminated intravascular coagulation set in, he died within 24 hours. He was diagnosed post mortem as having an inherited immune deficiency, which could have been diagnosed with a $25 test, was referenced in his pediatrician's notes in a dismissive way, and was never discussed with his mother and me.

Take nothing for granted. Inform yourself as best you can. Question everything. The potential consequences of failing to do so are immense.

[B4Ranch]

"there is one thing right after another popping up"

Is your family doctor dropping in on her for evaluations? You might ask him to, and or to give you reccomendations you might suggest to the hospital drs.

Have you asked the doctor what he is expecting from each treatment? Sometimes one treatment will cause something else to come forward. Ask if he is prepared for these situations or is he just waiting to see what happens.

Many times the 'something else' will show up in eight hours, so if he is only making daily visits to examine her, request that they be changed to twice daily.

When any of my family goes to our family doctor, I usually have a suggestion or two to make. Generally it is nothing more than a CBC, complete blood cell count, before taking any medicines.

That gives you a line of where to start from. If the white cells are too high or too low and you don't see a correction with the medicine then it's the wrong treatment.

[B4Ranch]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Your words, "Take nothing for granted. Inform yourself as best you can. Question everything." are truly a wisdom that all should listen to.