My mother died of Gallbladder cancer back in October. The cancer also spread to her liver. The grim diagnosis was made by Hospital #2 one week before she died.
Back in March, my mother went to Hospital #1 with symptoms of Gallbladder disease. She had lost 40 pounds in 4 months and was complaining of upper abdominal pain. -It clearly shows this on her medical report. However, Hospital #1 which is a big hospital did not follow up with some labs and/or give her some IV pain medications.
Hospital #1 told her to take some Tylenol and rest. She was discharged the next day.
Then in early October, she had difficultly standing and walking. Her mobility was poor and she almost fell. With the help of a visiting nurse, we placed my mother on the floor in a sit-up position and called 911. It would be the last time she would ever see her home again. The Emt's took her to Hospital #1 again. In fact one of the Emt's was smurking at the whole situation unfolding. But I digress. Although her vital signs were near normal, her heart rate jumped to 150-160 and there was the possibility that she may have had an uninary tract infection. Once again, nothing was done. Although she did stay at hospital #1 for 5 days before entering a physical rehab facility for 10 days before she went to hospital #2 complaining of being confused.
It was hospital #2 that recgonized her symptoms and ran a battery of tests which indeed produce the fact that my mother had gallbladder cancer and stage 4 metastatic liver cancer. Yet at Hostpial #1, they ran liver tests on her just 2 weeks prior and found no masses in her liver. Regardless, during her 5 day stay at hospital #1 the doctors still did not follow up with some labs and give her some IV pain medications.
On October 23rd just 2 weeks shy of her 83rd birthday, my mother died.
I have obtained most of her medical records. I am still waiting for a 206 page medical report from hospital #1 from her stay in March as well as early October.
Even hospital #2 was surprised that nothing was found and that no followups were done with some labs and give her some IV pain medications.
Do I have some kind of lawsuit against her PCP and Hospital #1?
We have hired a lawyer and they are waiting for this 206 page document before a decision is made to present it to the state's medical board for a possible lawsuit.
