IN THE BEGINNING

I received an email from a lady in California that wanted to hear this case from the beginning. I will be uploading the video as soon as the investigation is completed.

ON MAY 25, 2007, MY MOTHER RECEIVED AN INJECTION OF THE DRUG PROCRIT AT A DOCTORS OFFICE IN ABILENE, TEXAS. SHE LIVED IN SWEETWATER AT THE TIME AND I DROVE HER TO ABILENE TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
AFTER RECEIVING THE INJECTION, WE WERE ON OUR WAY BACK TO SWEETWATER TO HER RESIDENCE.
A FEW MILES OUTSIDE OF ABILENE, SHE BECAME VERY ILL WHICH REQUIRED ME TO STOP SEVERAL TIMES.
ONCE WE MADE IT TO HER RESIDENCE, SHE BECAME WORSE AND AN AMBULANCE WAS CALLED. SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE ROLLING PLAINS HOSPITAL IN SWEETWATER THEN LATER AIRLIFTED TO ABILENE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IN ABILENE, TEXAS. SHE WAS PLACED ON THE VENTILATOR AND NOT EXPECTED TO LIVE OVERNIGHT. THE CCU PHYSICIAN WALKED INTO HER ROOM AND TOLD MY SISTER AND I SHE WAS ABOUT TO DIE. THE DOCTOR PICKED OUR MOTHER'S HEAD UP, SHINED A SMALL LIGHT INTO HER EYES AND SAID, "SEE, SHE IS ALREADY GONE." HE THEN LET HER HEAD VIOLENTLY FALL BACK ONTO THE PILLOW. MY FAMILY LEFT THE ROOM AT THIS TIME TO TALK.
AS WE THOUGHT SHE WAS ABOUT TO PASS AWAY AT ANY TIME, WE WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED THE NEXT MORNING THAT HER CONDITION HAD IMPROVED. THIS WAS ON MAY 26TH. THE VENTILATOR WAS ALSO REMOVED LATER THAT DAY OR THE NEXT MORNING. OUR MOTHER EVEN SAID SHE HEARD THE DOCTOR SAY SHE WAS ALREADY DEAD.
OUR MOTHER'S CARDIOLOGIST ARRIVED THE NEXT DAY AND STATED HE WASN'T SURE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. WE DISCUSSED THE PROCRIT INJECTION AND HE SAID, "IT MUST HAVE DONE A NUMBER ON HER. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T GET ANYMORE OF THAT." HE THEN CLAIMED A PACEMAKER MIGHT KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, AND SCHEDULED HER TO HAVE ONE PUT IN. BEFORE UNDERGOING THE PROCEDURE, THE PHYSICIANS CLEARED HER OF ANY INFECTIONS.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER SHE RECEIVED THE PACEMAKER AND HER CONDITION CONTINUED TO IMPROVE. SHE WAS EVENTUALLY MOVED TO THE FIFTH FLOOR. DURING ALL OF THIS TIME, OUR MOTHER, MY SISTER, AND I MADE SURE THE NURSES AND PHYSICIANS WERE AWARE SHE DID NOT WANT THE PROCRIT DRUG AGAIN. HER CHART WAS CLEARLY MARKED, "NO PROCRIT."
WHILE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR, SHE RECEIVED PHYSICAL THERAPY AND WALKED DAILY. HER APPETITE WAS VERY WELL AND SHE MADE SURE SHE TOLD US EACH DAY THAT SHE HAD EATEN EVERYTHING ON HER PLATE.

THEN, ON JUNE 28TH MY SISTER AND I WERE VISITING AND WERE TOLD BY THE NURSE (NAME WITHHELD AT THIS TIME) THAT OUR MOTHER WAS SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE A PROCRIT INJECTION LATER THAT DAY. ???????

OUR MOTHER REMINDED THE NURSE THAT SHE WAS NOT TO RECEIVE PROCRIT AGAIN AS THAT WAS THE REASON SHE WAS THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE NURSE SAID, "THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT. LET ME GO CALL HIM AND SEE IF HE FORGOT." SHE LEFT AND CAME BACK AND SAID, "THE DOCTOR SAID THAT WAS ALRIGHT. SHE WILL NOT GET THE PROCRIT."

THE NEXT DAY WHILE MY SISTER AND I WERE VISITING OUR MOTHER, WE NOTICED SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT. HER APPETITE WAS ABSENT, HER STOMACH WAS UPSET, AND HER SPEECH WAS SLURRED. OVER THE WEEKEND, IT ONLY GOT WORSE.

ON JULY 2ND, I WAS NOTIFIED AT WORK THAT SHE WAS SENT BACK TO THE CRITICAL CARE UNIT. IT WAS AT THIS TIME MY SISTER AND I LEARNED SHE HAD RECEIVED ANOTHER PROCRIT INJECTION A FEW DAYS EARLIER. I ASKED TEH CCU PHYSICIAN WHY SHE HAD RECEIVED THE DRUG AGAIN AND HE RESPONDED BY YELLING IN MY FACE, "GO AHEAD AND HIRE ALL THE GOD DAMN ATTORNEYS AND LAWYERS YOU WANT. IT WON'T DO ANY GOOD." THE SOCIAL WORKER AT THE HOSPITAL WITNESSED THE DOCTORS BEHAVIOR AND ESCORTED US TO ADMINISTRATION. IT DID NO GOOD. WE REQUESTED OUR MOTHER BE TRANSFERRED TO HENDRICK MEDICAL CENTER BUT WERE TOLD THERE ARE POLITICS INVOLVED BETWEEN THE TWO HOSPITALS AND WE WERE DENIED. THE PHYSICIANS WOULD NOT TALK TO US. THE CEO AND STAFF AT ARMC WOULD NOT TALK TO US. TWO OF THE PHYSICIANS COULD ONLY TALK TO US ABOUT LAWSUITS AND WHY IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME TO EVEN CONSIDER IT. WE HAD NEVER MENTIONED LAWSUITS. WE ONLY WANTED QUALITY CARE FOR OUR MOTHER.

SHE EVENTUALLY PASSED AWAY. TO THIS DAY I CANNOT BELIEVE THE BEHAVIOR AND ACTIONS OF ABILENE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AND ITS PHYSICIANS.

I HAVE HAD AT LEAST TWO TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ATTORNEY FOR ARMC. HE HAS ADMITTED THE HOSPITAL HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND ALSO STATED HE WOULD SEE TO IT THAT THEY SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH ME TO DISCUSS OUR EXPERIENCE. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED. I HAVE AUDIO TAPES OF BOTH CONVERSATIONS WHICH WILL ALSO BE UPLOADED TO THIS WEBSITE SOON.

Letter to the Editor in the Abilene Reporter News

This letter was printed in the August 16, 2008 edition of the Abilene Reporter News:

Health-care costs are outrageous.
I lost my mom in April due to a negligent nursing staff at one of the area hospitals. While in this hospital, she did not get her prescribed medicine, her room was filthy and smelled of urine, they never logged her eating and drinking habits, and at some point, she suffered a lack of oxygen that left her severely mentally retarded.
We really do deserve to get what we pay for!
Vicki Morris
Abilene

There are no doubts about which hospital the writer is referring to.

I appreciate all the letters and emails I have received in reference to Abilene Regional Medical Center. Although some of you have requested to remain anonymous, I need more of you to be willing to share your story on camera. I will be video taping my story and sending it to a number of agencies. I would like for all of us to participate in this. I will also be uploading the videos to this website.
In addition, I will be making a number of DVD's which will be distributed around Abilene and the Big Country.

Letter to the Editor of Abilene Reporter News

In the August 7th editon of the Abilene Reporter News, a letter is printed from a supposedly happy camper at Abilene Regional Medical Center. It took them awhile, but ARMC finally found someone to write a letter on their behalf. This comes after the news about Hendrick Health System's plan for expansion. I assume ARMC had to pay someone to write the letter just to get some attention.
One or more of the physicians the writer mentions was involved in the fatal error which resulted in our mother's death at ARMC.

Here is the letter:

I recently spent seven days in the Abilene Regional Medical Center and had a number of tests and procedures done, a heart catheterization and gall bladder surgery. My doctors, Frazee, Harper, Headstream, Leverton and Mather, did an excellent job of coordinating the procedures and care. Not only was I impressed with the doctors, but every staff member at the hospital who worked with me was knowledgeable, patient-centered and kind. I have never had such excellent treatment.
My wife and I thank all of the folks who worked with me and especially thank the second-floor nurses and staff of the primary care unit. We are fortunate to have such an excellent facility and so many professional health care providers as we encountered at the Abilene Regional Medical Center.

AS EXPECTED

Several months ago I contacted the owners of Abilene Regional Medical Center and was told of a complaint hotline. 800-495-9510. I called the number, gave the information and was told to call back after August 4th to receive information regarding the results of the investigation. I called today, August 5th, and was told the case was closed and will not be reopened. I really didn’t expect anything more. At the expense of losing our mother, I have learned to stay away from this hospital. Their website talks about “QUALITY CARE”. This is false advertising at its worst. All I asked for was to meet with the physicians and staff involved. ARMC refused. Now I will devote the rest of my days to spreading the word about the dangers of Abilene Regional Medical Center and the harm they have done to numerous families. And the list is growing. Starting in September, I will begin listing the names of everyone involved, including physicians, nurses, and other staff. Some will ignore, but hopefully most of you will think twice before entering this dangerous hospital.I am not interested in lawsuits or money. I just believe every citizen should be treated fairly and honestly when they or a family member is hospitalized. I believe hospitals and physicians should be held accountable when mistakes are made. Not verbally yelling at family members when they ask a question. Then ignoring the fact they even exist. I have dealt with numerous other hospitals over the years. I can honestly say when I, or my family, had questions, they compassionately answered them the best they could. Not Abilene Regional Medical Center. We have also obtained medical records from a number of different hospitals. Only one hospital charged for the records. ABILENE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER. OVER ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. I understand Abilene Regional Medical Center and their owners from Tennessee are a very large business. However, I feel confident I have convinced a number of people NOT to receive care at the facility. It is dangerous. I will continue to do so.