ONE YEAR AGO

One year ago this week, as our mother was looking forward to being discharged from the hospital after almost losing her life to a reaction to a procrit injection, one of the Abilene Regional Medical Center's physicians decided to inject her with the same drug once again. As she was lying in the CCU room on a ventilator, she was attempting to talk and moving her arms as to ask "why did they give me another shot?" My brother in law told her "Don't worry. They will not give you that drug again." She shook her head back and forth indicating "NO".
As I have mentioned before, from this point on, it was hell for her and the family. I do not believe anyone would disagree our mother deserved an answer. To this day, the question has not been answered. This is what we did receive:
1. Verbally assaulted by the CCU physician when asked why she received the drug again. He even told me to hire all the attorneys and lawyers I wanted. Then laughed.
2. While visiting with our mother as she was about to pass away, another physician talking about lawsuits and why we should not even consider it.
3. Being denied by Abilene Regional Medical Center to transfer our mother to another hospital in Abilene.
4. Being told by ARMC staff that our complaint would be reviewed at the next meeting and something would be done. After waiting several weeks, we contacted them and were told our complaint was thrown out because it didn't fit the requirements for a complaint. A phone call or letter would have been nice.
5. Having the physicians to dodge us and only check on our mother during non visitation hours so they wouldn't have to answer questions.
6. We fired the physician that ordered the deadly drug injection. Once our mother FINALLY left ARMC, this same physician walked up to her room and attempted to get information. I am sure he did after I left.
7. We received $1,200.00 worth of medical records containing blank pages and completely out of order. Not to mention having to deal with the behavior of the young lady in medical records. However, when she was not taking it out on us and others attempting to get medical records, she was complaining about the politics of ARMC and how she hated the Administration Staff. I DO see her point there. She told us some other information I am holding on to for legal reasons.
8. The physician harassing us about lawsuits claimed his mother died of the same problems our mother had. We later learned his mother is alive and well.
In the end, our mother passed away in August 2007. I believe it is unacceptable for physicians and a hospital to believe they do not have to answer patients and families questions. Especially in this case. I personally believe they feel this will go away over time. Once again, I can assure them that it will not.
I have letters I have written and will be sending to local, state, and national newspapers. I have also been in contact with a reporter for a national news station. She is working on a story about the problems and dangers of healthcare nationwide. Hopefully we can add Abilene Regional Medical Center to this story.