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MODERN MEDICINE KILLED MY BROTHER TOO ON 7-28-17 - justice4bumpcity

Posted: Aug 21st, 2017 - 7:19 pm

I came across the heart rending article Dr. Russell Blaylock wrote surrounding the death of his brother by happenstance.  I was googling how to make a complaint against my brother's (BumpCity) oncologist.  The similarities were so striking.  I'm just one of six siblings who were appalled and alarmed at the total disregard of human life at the hand of greed.

Unfortunately, I am not a doctor, nor trained in any medical field.  I am just a 59 yr old house wife, no children, who deeply loves all of her siblings. Several commenters mentioned this couldn't be true, that there are legal/medical avenues to report such negligence.  That is where our nightmare began.   My family recognizes HIPPA isn't to blame for the medical records hoop jumping.  In ordedr to file a complaint, it is really most helpful to have your loved one's records to send in for review.   

We live in a small southern town in VA where there is no elite cancer center. The one here is for profit, and has four or five other centers in surrounding areas.  The one here, that treated Bump, is literally connected to the for profit hospital where Bump was hospitalized twice.  First for 10 days in July 2016, and for four days in July 2017.

Bump's oncologist, whom I will call Dr. X,  was just like the Chief Medical Officer Dr. Blaylock wrote about.  Arrogant, refusal to self educate, dismissive, uncommunicative, and untruthful.  Yet my family loved this man. My mother was treated there in 2010 for NSCLC and was in a clinical trial, which is probably why she lived 2-1/2 years beyond her six month expectation.  Since she was in a trial, mom got CT scans every month, had a nurse who coordinated the information, and mom always got a detailed printout of all of her test results, labs, Cts, etc.  My mother coincidently hit a big decline when the study ended.  Dr. X referred her to Medi-Home Health, which became "hospice".  She died peacefully on Jan. 15, 2013.  

Bump was a pharmacist before cancer cut his life short.  Dr. X was his oncologist back in 2007 when my brother was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  Chemo/radiation, and surgery at UVA presumably "cured" him.   Bump eventually had to go on disability, and original Medicare in March 2010, at age 50.  It is my opinion that his oncologist and the hospital doctors withheld vital care as they couldn't make money off of my brother.  Bump refused to get a Medicare supplement.  When we crunched the numbers after his 10 day hospitalization, he actually came out ahead by NOT getting a supplement.  

We knew from my brother's recent diagnosis of NSCLC in April 2016, that the cancer center wasn't the same as it was when mom was there in 2010-2013, and when Bump went there in 2007.  Most alarming was the lack of communication and printouts.  I would ask my brother often during the years between 2010ish & 2015, why he never had yearly followups to monitor his cancer like every cancer patient I know has.  All he would say is that he guessed Dr. X had discharged him.  Bump was never given a "Plan of Care", or any printouts of what was being given him.  Dr. X told Bump he would use the same chemo as was given for mom, "The Gold Standard" for lung cancer. Because Bump had been a patient of Dr. X back in 2007-2008, Dr. X smoothly talked my brother out of the usual consults with a dietician and nutritionist, as well as a social worker.  This would later prove to be fatal.

Dr. X said the prognosis was good back in April, 2016, the tumor was small and slow growing, receptive to chemo/radiation, and possibly surgery.  My   brother's chemo (had one left) and radiation treatment came to a screeching halt, when, after his latest radiation treatment (had four or five left), the nurse gave us a sticky note and said take him to the ER.  I took a picture of the sticky note with my cell phone.  Two weeks prior, Bump asked the radiology tech if it were possible to turn down the zaps he was getting as he was getting a small open burn wound.  They just laughed.  I took a picture of that too with my cell phone.  

We spent six hours in the ER July 8, 2016, whereupon Bump had no pain meds.  He was on Norco every four to six hours, and had Ativan.  Dr. X always made sure Bump had plenty of pain meds; Norco, Fentanyl patches, Ativan, & Marinol. The ER staff started fluids and antibiotics.  It was determined by X-rays that Bump had radiation induced pnuemonitis, and also pnuemonia. By this time, Bump was at 74 lbs.  He was assigned a room on the Oncology Floor of the hospital and given Megace, oxygen, and Dexamethasone in addition to his regular meds. He was sent to ICU on the second day of his 10 day stay, with oxygen turned to highest level.  His pulmonologist said if he didn't turn a corner, he would have to go on a ventilater.  Little Bump did turn a corner, and he was sent back to the sixth floor the next day.  The hospital doctors were more concerned and actually one, seemed truly compassionate about his rapid weight loss.  

Bump was sent home with oxygen orders and Amedysis Home Health.  He couldn't have PT or OT because he was under 100 lbs.  He eventually got up to 94 lbs., and was eventually released from home health in August 2016.   Bump started to lose weight again.  He had a CT scan prior to his Jan. 2017 appt. with Dr. X.  Dr. X said Bump was cancer free and couldn't explain "the not eating".  The "cancer free" news was not good news for our family.  We all knew something was up.  I mentioned Bump needed a brain scan three times, and even brought him a book that had a section on brain mapping. We thought Bump's "not eating" was anorexia.  I mentioned twice about Bump's continuing weight loss, telling him in private that we thought Bump might have an eating disorder and we needed other options.  He blew me off, saying, "well, he's always been small".  Bump was always 130-140 pre cancer.  After his surgery at UVA for esophageal cancer in 2008, he hovered between 110-125.  I told Dr. X he was never a bone rack like he was now.  

At all of Bump's appts. from Jan 2017 to June 2017, his new symptoms of new pain areas, continued weight loss, and horrible fatigue, were never addressed.  The only thing Bump got from Dr. X during this time were two infusions of iron spaced a couple of mos. apart due to anemia.  My brother told Dr. X he felt like he was drowning, he was so short of breath, yet nothing was done.  He did schedule Bump for a CT that we took him to on a Saturday at the for profit hospital.  I called Dr. X's office twice on 7-24-17 with no response.  

July 25, 2017, I called the rescue squad to take my brother to the ER at the for profit hospital.  I again left VM Bump was in the hospital and that new options were needed because even though he was cancer free, he was rapidly declining. The ER experience was about the same five hours, with Bump having no pain meds.  They took an x-ray, told us he had pnuemonia, and started fluids and antibiotics.  My brother had said to me numerous times he wanted to live and get better.  Dr. X was unavailable to see Bump for whatever reason.  Instead, he sends a newly hired DO, "Dr. Jr.", who had just joined the cancer center two mos. prior.  All through the ER process, we were telling anybody who would listen that Bump had a CT on 7-22-17 that no one had given us results for.  When Dr. Jr. came to see Bump the next day, we asked about the CT.  He said there was no cancer, it might be something, but it wasn't pnuemonia, so he was taking away the antibiotics.  

This hospital has "Case Mgrs." that are hired to push patients out of the hospital into a nursing home, rehab, or hospice.  An agressive looking fellow crunched the numbers what Medicare pays, doesn't pay, trying to get Bump out.  The hospital obviously recommends Medi-Home Health, and this woman just wouldn't go away.  It was the Wed. after his admission, and she wanted to move him home to have hospice.  I explained the brothers lived together and had large furniture that needed two people to move and the house wasn't ready, which seemed to get rid of her that time. I again called Dr. X's office and left VM crying we needed help, direction, and we were frightened. A hospital doctor came Wed. to say he was going to order more tests.  I heard the words "CT, MRI, brain scan" but not sure exactly.  He did have another x-ray that day.  No one gave us an oral report, showed us any images, nor written reports of what these tests said, despite our questions.  

Thursday, July 27, 2017, at around 8:30, Dr. Jr. came in to say it appeared Bump's cancer had returned and since he couldn't have chemo/radiation, he would start him on Opdivo.  We declined the Opdivo, as my step-mother-in-law, a patient at this same cancer center, had it administered twice and it did nothing but seemed to hasten her death on June 19, 2017.  My memory is fuzzy afterwards, as the shock of hearing his cancer had returned, so I'm not sure if it was Dr. Jr. or someone else who talked him into agreeing to a DNR. Soup was Bump's POA and I think signed a paper, not sure.  Bump was getting his pain meds and fluids and the three of us discussed having Matt go into the hospital's mental health center for ED re-feeding, as Medicare would pay 80%.  The Medi-Home lady came bright and early to rush Matt out.  We were going over the hospice book when a delegation came in around 11:30.  I later learned it was the "quorum".  To give them credit, they did soften the blow by having a PharmD who claimed he was two yrs ahead of Matt at MCV, and had with him the radiology tech who gave Matt his treatments.  We chit chatted and they peered at Bump, but never spoke in his ear, spoke to him, or held his hand.  My brother would never open his eyes and speak unless it was to us or a doctor.  While those two were there, a hospital doctor came along with a guy that had "hospitalist" embroidered on his white coat, another lady that had no name tag, A scribe, his RN, and of course, the hospice lady was still there.  The main doctor said Matt's cancer had spread to both lungs, his liver, his stomach, and bones, and nothing more could be done, so he was removing the fluids. The hospice lady chirpped they could send the bed and equipment today, and I again reminded her the house wasn't safe.  We had told no one of our plans to have Bump go in for re-feeding.  When the doctor wanted to take his fluids away, I said "you don't take the fluids away until you're home in hospice". The hospitalist quickly spoke up and said "oh, we'll continue to treat him." His nurse for the day chimed in, "we'll give him morphine every two hrs."  I mentioned Soup was my brother's POA and he needed to be there for this decision, but he couldn't because he was working.  I can't explain all the ways my body and mind were reacting to this horrendous news, as well as Bump.  We were scared and frightened.  My memory is fuzzy, but the main doctor started babbling about "prolonging death", and I just can't remember what transpired next.  He didn't really ask us if we wanted the fluids removed.  Bump said something to the effect of "it's a lot to absorb", and I told Bump it wasn't our first rodeo and we would get through it. Maybe the scribe recorded what he said, or maybe I myself said something that contributed to his death.  I will only know when I get his medical records. Soup had a social worker friend in the room at the time, as well as I, so I am meeting up with her to see if she can provide a clue as to what was said.  I left her with Bump to go home to shower.  When I got back, Bump was by himself.  I had flagged a CNA to give him a bath.  I was so enraged that I took pictures of my brother's body with my cell phone as the nurse bathed him, front and back.  I want these doctors to see what Matt looked like under his bulky clothes.  I was careful not to get the CNA in the pictures. After he left, I started taking pictures of everything in the room.  His ID band, pic line, IV poles and pump.  The promised morphine every two hrs. was a lie.  No one explained the use, only that they were taking away his Norco, and giving Morphine instead.  We had all the siblings minus one, neice & boyfriend, a girl Bump was dear friends with in the room.  They had all arrived late Thurs. afternoon.  I would go to nurses station every two hrs to remind them to give Matt his Morphine.  We don't even know what the actual dose was, we were just too upset to ask and the nurse didn't offer. He got doses at 8:00 and 10:00 PM.  At some point, someone noticed it had been three or more hrs. since his last morphine dose.  When we mentioned it to his RN, she said they don't automatically give it every two hrs., there have to be symptoms.  I was furious.  I said "does it count that his sister doesn't want him to suffer in agony to be a sympton?"  She said yes, apparently the family has to request it.  A male nurse noticed Bumps BP was 170/100 and said he was calling the physician on call.  A big hospital at night, and no doctor in the building at all? The RN was reluctant, as it was after 3:00 am, but the good soul at least did. He came back to say the doctor on call said the BP was in the upper normal range and therefore nothing was required. By this time, little Bump's 70ish lb. body just couldn't keep up.  Aware until the end, he would slightly turn his head to the direction of voices and something dropped.  His eyebrows would slightly go up, I have pictures of that too.  Bump had his three sisters and his friend from Richmond in the room before he died.  I kissed him at around 5:30 and told him I'd be right back after I took a shower and changed clothes.  My older sister went with me to the car as she had things to get out and hand over to me.  I noticed on my way home, the car clock said 6:00 something.  My other sister called to say Bump had just died, & two nurses had confirmed lack of heartbeat on July 28, 2017 and they wanted his eyes, but they wouldn't let them have them as they were big, blue, and beautiful. They signed papers saying they couldn't have them.  I wasn't thinking clearly and told my sister I guess I'll just go on home, since he died. 

As I said before, these doctors were just as Dr. Blaylock described.  They refuse to listen and don't act upon symptoms and ignore hard questions. You are not in control, even if you are proactive, no doctor in that hospital, cancer center, or its affliated clinics, will listen or answer questions, and certainly WON'T go over test results.  Thankfully, we tossed the Advanced Directive papers someone had given us.  My brother wanted to live.  

The shock and suddeness of being cancer free the whole year, then being basically told you're eaten up with cancer, threw all the siblings in a tailspin.   We are victims of chronic child abuse which never ended until our mother divorced our father in 1968.  Our trauma from this only gets worse each year, and when my brother died, it was like all the siblings were 10 yrs. old and clawing each other's eyes out in a cage match.  Our oldest brother wrote the heart rending obituary.  Yet, the sisters took eight hours to expand on it and argue over commas and two words.  The backlash rippled to our aunts and cousins.  Words were said that can never be taken back.  The funeral director, even the preacher, weren't spared by my family's shock and rage. Because we received no "heads up" about anything, we were ill prepared to tackle the enormous task of hastily informing family members and friends. The saddest of all was Soup, who had spent his whole life living with Bump except when Bump was at MCV and then lived in Clifton Forge for about two yrs.  He worshipped the ground my brother lived on.  If it weren't for his job, he would be in a constant state of depression like my neice and I are in.  

My sister and I of course took pictures of Bump in his awesome stylish black casket as the mortician had done just a superb job of making Bump look like Bump.  The outpouring from the community was astounding.  My husband, Soup, our cousin, my oldest brother and his son, and brother-in-law were Bump's Pall Bearers.  It wasn't until everyone went home that I started to study the pictures on my cell phone.  Cell phone photos have the detail where you can see the date and time of the photo.  As I was looking, I came across the picture of the IV pump.  I made it bigger and plain as day, you could see the words at the top "pumping stopped".  I looked at the date, July 27, 2017 at 11:46 am.  



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