October 7th, 2005 Story:My name is Catherine ******, and I had a beautiful vibrant mother. My mother was the most loving giving caring person. Unfotunately she suffered at the hands of the medical profession in Washington D.C. On Dec. 11th my mother was transfered from Frederick Memorial Hospital in Frederick, Maryland to a facility in Washington D.C. known for cardic surgery. My mother had one bypass and a valve replacement she was sick, and everyone reassured us this was the best hospital. My mother survived the surgery, but had diffcultly breathing and the resident explained she would need a Tracheotomy. On Dec. 31 st 2002 I signed the contest forms and office she went for a routine procedure that only takes a few minutes. In a matter of minutes everything went to hell. My mother was set on fire in the operating room. The skin prep used was flammable and it pooled around her shoulder, nobody knew she was on fire until it was too late. My mother sustained second and third degree burns, and her kidneys began to shut down. I could not believe this was happening. The burns became worse and worse every day. I watched her whole face change. My mother was connected to a ventilator for 16 months. The will to live was incredible, and in all her pain and agony there she was holding my hand telling me " Everything will be okay". I was shocked at how the hospital treated us. Eventually my mother made it off the ventilator and still needed to have the Trach with oxygen. On Dec. 17, 2004 my mother died because of yet another medical error. The nurse forgot to reconnect my mother to the wall oxygen after her dialysis treatment and she died. My mother was coming hom Dec. 21, 2004 for the first time in two years. I was pregenant at the time with my mother's first grandchild, and she never got to see him. I have tried to make people aware of what happened to my mother, but nobody seems to care. All I hear is well she was sick, the photos are too grahpic to make public, or this story would upset the public. Well the public should be furious not only at HMO's but the privelaged information (Peer Review) that these hospitals hide behind. Catherine Back to Top