Posted on 01/21/2006 4:15:11 PM PST by Popman
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Sanford mother says she will never be able to hold her newborn because an Orlando hospital performed a life-altering surgery and, she claims, the hospital refuses to explain why they left her as a multiple amputee.
The woman filed a complaint against Orlando Regional Healthcare Systems, she said, because they won't tell her exactly what happened. The hospital maintains the woman wants to know information that would violate other patients' rights.
Claudia Mejia gave birth eight and a half months ago at Orlando Regional South Seminole. She was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando where her arms and legs were amputated. She was told she had streptococcus, a flesh eating bacteria, and toxic shock syndrome, but no further explanation was given.
The hospital, in a letter, wrote that if she wanted to find out exactly what happened, she would have to sue them.
"I want to know what happened. I went to deliver my baby and I came out like this," Mejia said.
Mejia said after she gave birth to Mathew last spring, she was kept in the hospital with complications. Twelve days after giving birth at Orlando Regional South Seminole hospital, she was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center where she became a quadruple amputee. Now she can not care for or hold her baby.
"Yeah, I want to pick him up. He wants me to pick him up. I can't. I want to, but I can't," she said. "Woke up from surgery and I had no arms and no legs. No one told me anything. My arms and legs were just gone."
Her 7-year-old son, Jorge, asks his mother over and over what happened to her. Neither she nor her husband has the answer.
"I love her, so I'll always stick with her and take it a day at a time myself," said her husband, Tim Edwards.
The couple wants to know how she caught streptococcus, during labor or after. She doesn't know. She knows she didn't leave the hospital the same.
"And why, I want to know why this happened," she said.
Her attorney, Judy Hyman wrote ORHS a letter saying, according to the Florida statute, "The Patients Right To Know About Adverse Medical Incidents Act," the hospital must give her the records.
"When the statute is named 'Patients Right To Know,' I don't know how it could be clearer," Hyman said.
This story makes no sense. If they amputated without permission or anything?
I have been a court reporter since 1980; you can bet she has some, most likely top of the line, paid for by the hospital.
Once she got the infection, they went into overtime taking care of her.
Interesting...so they're saying she caught something at the hospital...sounds about right.
Agree.
re: post 50...somethings not right..
Some Injury Lawyers are, like Vultures (w/ apologies to vultures) :^/
Perhaps you should read the rest of the thread before you go popping off.
The fact that they won't give her information on HER OWN CONDITION shows they have something to hide. It's my understanding they cannot refuse to give someone their medical records. This is one case I'd like to be on the jury.
Why would you EVER think your life sucks? :-)
LOL!!!
I missed that completely the first time around.
wsj had a story this week on staph infection caused deaths
widespread overuse of antibiotics is breeding super bugs
what doesn't kill them makes them stronger in a sense
Do you REALLY think that's the most important part of this story? If the hospital believes they had to cut of her limbs to save her, they wouldn't wait to get Blue Cross approval.
Do you REALLY think that's the most important part of this story? If the hospital believes they had to cut of her limbs to save her, they wouldn't wait to get Blue Cross approval.
Well, I hope you're never on a jury, period; you don't have the WHOLE story -- and the part you "have" is wrong.
What's she gonna do? She doesn't have a leg to stand on...
Found here.
Translation: A nurse or doctor or pharmacist screwed up REALLY, REALLY badly and they are not going to admit it without a court order.
No, but saying her hospital stay cost her an arm and a leg would be...
See #16....they did give her info on her own condition, just not on others who may have had the same thing happen. The posted article is misleading.
THis is one of the worst stories I have ever heard. She picked up something at that hospital. Why can't companies just admit when they screwed up and do everything in their power to make things right before it gets to this point. It would make life easier on everyone. It's called Risk Management...now everyone's gonna be after the hospital. What a shame.
This hospital is also just a few blocks away from where that middle-school kid commited suicide-by-cop.
And ALSO where the cop shot a few folks for not letting him into a poker game the other day.
Maybe there is a permanent full moon out overhead.
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