Had to call 911 to save my own life.

Nurses hid the buzzer & the controls on both sides of the bed did not work.

I was in a lot of pain & could not call for help.

I was bleeding internally.

Could not scream. Could not bang on anything. Could not get out of bed.

I laid there for only God knows how long before I saw the telephone w/the long cord.

I could not reach the phone. Somehow I managed to squeeze thru the bars on the bed

and grab the phone cord with my two fingers. (Thank God for Tall Man & Pointer)

Then I had to rest.

I fished the cord up then could not think of phone numbers because of cells phones.

All we do is press Linda, Mom, etc.

I did not even know how to get an outside line so I dialed "0".

I gave them my name & said I need help now and I don't know what room or floor I am on

but I am in their hospital and need help now.

They said OK, we will send someone.

Nobody came.

I kept suffering.

I called "0" again. This time there was no answer.

I could not tolerate the pain anymore. I was fighting for my life.

Then I called 911 and told them who I was and where I was.

911 Called the hospital and sent security to my room.

Once I saw the policeman, I fainted.

IT'S TRUE. PEOPLE DO HOLD ON UNTIL THEY SEE THE ONE THEY WANT THEN THEY GIVE UP.

I filed a suit against the Dr and the Hospital and the Medical Review Panel said they did nothing wrong. In Louisiana, a Dr. can cut off your wrong leg & the max that you can sue for is $100k.

They lied. The Lawyer & Doctors on the Panel "Threw me under the bus & watched each other roll over on me."

PS: I was rushed to Intensive Care.

I was unconscious for 3 days.

Blood Transfusions: Given 2 1/2 pints of blood

put on some kind of oxygen ventilator

I was in ICU for 5 days

Did they say what happened?

who was the dr and the hospital i think people need to know

This is terrible!! Scares me away from wanting to try when I hear things like that! I need to make sure to always have my cell phone on me anytime I am in a hospital!!

It might be good to inform us of the Dr. and facility in case anyone on here is researching this particular doc, they would need to know this kind of thing. (?)

Yes, please share more details. And no offense, but I'd say that rather than nearly dying from VSG surgery, it sounds more like you nearly died from horrible medical treatment. If they couldn't manage to send people to your room you could have died from any complication from any surgery. You should most definitely be warning people away from that hospital and surgeon!

I hope that you're healing now and in better shape.

~Cheri

So glad you are here to tell your story - and your story does need to be told. I agree with the above post, you didn't almost die from vsg surgery, but from an incompetent medical care. Get copies of all your records, notes and everything. They are your records! Make sure your document everything, your thoughts, everything. Find a medical expert that will back you and testify on your behalf. AND, let everyone know where this malpractice took place and who the doc in charge of your care was.

Again, I'm so glad you are alive and able to tell your story. Hopefully you are also on you way to great health and your sleeve will be your cherished tool.

sorry to hear about what happened to you glad you had the strength to save yourself

DR. ANDREW HARGRODER was the Surgeon in Louisiana.

ST. ELIZABETH HOSPITAL was the Hospital, located in Gonzales, Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

KIM DAVID

VS

DR. ANDREW HARGRODER

ST. ELIZABETH HOSPITAL

MEDICAL REVIEW PANEL

Panel Composed of:

ALAN LEVIN, M.D.

MICHAEL J. THOMAS, M.D.

EDWARD STAUDINGER, M.D.

WALTER F. MARCUS III

ATTORNEY PANEL CHAIRMAN

__________________

EXPERT OPINION

__________________

This Medical Review Panel convened on February 27, 2012. The members of the Medical Review Panel, having reviewed the evidence submitted to them by the parties and having conferred among themselves, did thereafter unanimously render the following opinion:

The evidence does not support the conclusion that the defendants failed to meet the applicable standard of care as charged in the complaint.

Specifically, the members of the medical review panel conclude as to St. Elizabeth Hospital the following:

1) There is nothing in the record presented to the panel to indicate that the hospital or its employees deviated from the standard of care.

Specifically, the members of the medical review panel conclude as to

Dr. Hargroder the following:

1) Dr. Hargroder performed the surgical procedure appropriately.

2) The patient suffered a kmown complication which was treated appropriately and in a timely fashion.

The panel of 3 Doctors lied & omitted evidence.

I asked them what did the Dr. do to treat the problem.

What was the problem?

What caused me to faint, become unconcious & need oxygen & blood transfusions?

THE DOCTORS WERE ALL SILENT.

They could & did not answer the question.

I said, I had to call 911 to save my life when I paid $15,000 cash to a hospital for 1 day surgery.

These 3 Doctors said,

We do not have any evidence that you called 911 & it is not in your medical records either.

I'm steaming....

They added insult to the injured.

That's a horrible story, and a horrible thing to go through. As others have said, it sounds like you survived the surgery just fine, and some type of post-op complication, We're just pointing that out because a lot of people here are scared, and wholly believe what they read on the internet. We don't want "almost died from this surgery" to incite undue panic.

Why did your nurses "hide" the buzzer? (That makes me think you have reason to believe they did it maliciously, versus maybe they set it somewhere you could not see) Has the hospital addressed that at all?

Are you planning to appeal their review?

If I can ask, what was your bleeding caused by? E.g. what was the "known complication" referenced in what you posted above?

Yes, please share more details. And no offense, but I'd say that rather than nearly dying from VSG surgery, it sounds more like you nearly died from horrible medical treatment. If they couldn't manage to send people to your room you could have died from any complication from any surgery. You should most definitely be warning people away from that hospital and surgeon!

I hope that you're healing now and in better shape.

~Cheri

I agree. With any kind of surgery there are risks of complications such as this. The lack of attention you received is horrifying! Please let us know where this was so that we can avoid this hospital.

I do hope justice is served for you. I can't imagine how incredibly frustrating and anger inducing this must be for you. I pray it does not eat you alive and that you can have peace over it very soon whether they are brought to accountability or not. (which I hope they are!)

For anyone reading this in Texas or nearby looking for surgery and scared about making a decision because these things DO happen, I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIIIIIGHLY recommend Forest Park Medical Center in Dallas. I couldn't SNEEZE without at least 3 nurses or techs knowing about it. I was at the far end of the hallway too! I had so many people in and out of my room at ALL hours, I could hardly get a nap. Just a little encouragement for those looking and feeling nervous.

Just get an attorney. They go from there. the review board has no say so other than to the hospital.

You will need to get the record of your 911 call, and who responded - the policeman's opinion is important.

Your lawyer will get additional doctors to review the extend of your bleeding, etc. and create their own opinions.

Are you sure the nurse "hid" the button? It is horrible that you went through that, but if you are remembering things out of proportion to the event, that is also egregious.

Hope you are healing well. But a word of caution - be prepared to possibly answer for your post. I have heard of doctors "fighting" back against negative posts...not on here. It was an article in a local community magazine.