Bev comes back this weekend...not sure which day. This has to be short as I am going to an appointment....will write more this afternoon.
Karla N.
>----- Original Message -----
From: Karen Kaplan <kkaplan@eclipse.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS <adhesions@forum.obgyn.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 7:00 PM
Subject: Re: malpractice
> Karla:
> I am going to write to the NY Times - I can't stand this anymore
> Will send you a copy of what I write if I can stop crying long enough to
> focus on it.
> I cry when trauma is too much.
> I wish I could give you a hug for surviving so much and still maintaining
> grace under fire.
> Thanks, Karla, & don't withdraw from the lawsuit - at least you might feel
> that there is some justice - so much never gets that far.
> It does seem bizarre that there is nothing between malpractice and filing
a
> complaint that is ignored.
> Karen
> p.s when does Bev get back?
>
> From: Bernie and Beverly Doucette <bnb@cybrzn.com>
> To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS <adhesions@forum.obgyn.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 1:36 PM
> Subject: Re: malpractice
>
> > Karen,
> >
> > You are so right when you say that you'd trade places with her in a
heart
> > beat. I feel the same. I am part of the big phenfen lawsuit...a
surgeon
> > had suggested it before he would do surgery. After taking the drugs for
6
> > months I developed leakage of 3 of my heart valves (it is improving
thank
> > God!). Outsiders think that the $4 billion settlement is so great...but
> > ultimately we are all getting screwed. In order to protect myself in
the
> > event that it should get worse, I will need to stay in this settlement
and
> > accept $6,000 as payment for my problems. I had an echocardiogram 1
year
> > before I took the drugs when I developed an infection in my central
line.
> > Everything tested normal. When the cardiologist saw the results of my
> echo
> > after having taken the drugs he said that phenfen had to have caused the
> > problem because there was no way that hypertension could make it that
much
> > worse in that short of time....I didn't develop hypertension until after
I
> > took the drugs anyway. Now, despite still having hypertension (its
worse
> > now than before) my valves are improving, but the cardiologist is now
> saying
> > its from the hypertension....that there never was a problem with the
> > drugs...that the fda overreacted and that there may be 20 people across
> the
> > world that have a problem. I know more people than that! And while my
> > valve leakage is improving...there is no saying that it will not get
> worse.
> > What makes me the angriest is that this company has been proven to know
> > about the problems and hid it from the fda and the American people. It
> > isn't that I am out for money....I am sure not going to get rich from
> > this.....I just want to stand up and say to the pharmaceutical
> > companies...hey! you can't do this! Do I opt out of the settlement and
> > risk losing money should I lose? The $6000 being offered doesn't even
> cover
> > the past medical bills! Anyway....enough of my soap box.....I just
wanted
> > to say that it is very hard to prove medical malpractice....and very
hard
> to
> > get an attorney to accept the case unless they see a case that they know
> > will be found in their client's behalf. It is a shame that the justice
> > system is not on our side when it comes to things like that.
> >
> > Whatever, we do need to achieve recognition of this disorder and the
> doctors
> > that really abuse the victims of it!
> > I feel that we need to be more proactive in fighting for our cause.
> >
> > Karla N.
>> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: alanbaleyko <alanjess@yourlink.net>
> > To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS <adhesions@forum.obgyn.net>
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 4:09 PM
> > Subject: Re: malpractice
> >
> > > Hi Karen, Go for it! Go for the New York times, a new lawyer,
anything
> > you can
> > > think of. We have got to get the word out on ARD if only to help
> prevent
> > others
> > > from getting as bad as we all are! If I had known something about
> > adhesions, I
> > > would have investigated more before I agreed to a 2nd c section,
hernia
> > surgery,
> > > tubal ligation, and hysterectomy!! We have got to let other women
know
> > that
> > > adhesions can be a side effect of abdominal surgery because the
doctors
> > are sure
> > > not going to tell us!! Take care of yourself, Jessica Baleyko
> > >
> > > Karen Kaplan wrote:
> > >
> > > > Malpractice is much harder to sue for than we think - only 1 in 65
> cases
> > of
> > > > proven malpractice actually file suit - mostly because the lawyers
can
> > be so
> > > > choosy. They seem to want the easy ones to prove with big $.
> > > > I established that my surgeon failed to provide the proper standard
of
> > care
> > > > when she ignored my high pre-admission prothrombin time and
proceeded
> to
> > > > surgery. That is the 1st and most critical step: failure to provide
> > > > standard of care. That finally got a lawyer to agree to even review
> my
> > > > case!
> > > > The 2nd step is to prove that this failure caused harm. The 3rd
step
> is
> > > > that the harm caused $ damages. I had an agressive New York lawyer
> > review
> > > > my case - he declined because it was too difficult. When I
suggested
> it
> > was
> > > > time to set a precedent on ARD, he said the medical establishment
> > wouldn't
> > > > let that happen. Adhesions are difficult because they are a
common
> > > > outcome of many types of surgeries.
> > > >
> > > > You cannot imagine how I reacted to this women in NY whose ob/gyn
> carved
> > his
> > > > initials on her after he delivered her baby by C-section. Said he
did
> > such
> > > > a beautiful job that he had to sign it! Now claims to have a form
of
> > > > Alzheimer's.
> > > > She just settled for $1.75 million (expletive deleted)! And the
> > Manhattan
> > > > DA has filed assault charges!. I'd trade places with her in a
> heartbeat
> > if
> > > > it meant I'd only have scars on the outside, and I'm sure all of you
> > feel
> > > > the same. When I asked this lawyer why this was malpractice, he
> said -
> > it
> > > > was easy to prove and she was going to be traumatized every day she
> saw
> > > > those scars.
> > > > I told him that I am traumatized every minute I am awake because of
> the
> > > > constant pain from my last surgery and what is happening inside.
> > > > I am thinking of going to the NY Times on this one - it's so absurd,
> and
> > > > criminal, to deny that ARD causes pain and suffering and then treat
> such
> > > > vandalism as malpractice.
> > > > What do you all think?
> > > > Karen
>> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: Helen Dynda <olddad66@runestone.net>
> > > > To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
<adhesions@forum.obgyn.net>
> > > > Sent: Monday, February 14, 2000 6:27 PM
> > > > Subject: Patient Advocacy and Insurance -- websites
> > > >
> > > > > **[ Patient Advocacy and Insurance ]**
> > > > >
> > > > > 1.) * Patient Told Illness in Her Head Forced to Leave HMO to Get
> > Proper
> > > > > Care
> > > > >
http://consumerwatchdog.org/public_hts/medical/casofday/me100013.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > 2.) * HMO Stonewalling Woman Costs Woman Fertility
> > > > >
> > > > > http://consumerwatchdog.org/public_hts/medical/casualty/connie.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > 3.) * The HMO Page (sponsored by The National Organization of
> > Physicians
> > > > Who
> > > > > Care)
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.hmopage.org/
> > > > >
> > > > > 4.) * Managed Care Reform - How Texas Pulled Off What Washington
> Can't
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.managedcaremag.com/archiveMC/9902/9902.states.shtml
> > > > >
> > > > > 5.) * Summary of Medical Malpractice Law in Texas
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.mcandl.com/texas.html
> > > > >
> > > > > 6.) * Decoding Medical Acronyms
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.patientadvocacy.org/main/insurance/acronyms.html
> > > > >
> > > > > 7.) * The Patient Advocacy Page - Promoting fairness and equality
in
> > our
> > > > > health care system
> > > > >
> > > > > http://people.delphi.com/graphking/health.htm
> > > > >
> > > > > 8.) * Managed Care Showdown in Texas
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.physiciansnews.com/cover/299.html
> > > > >
> > > > > 9.) * National Organization of Physicians Who Care
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.pwc.org/
> > > > >
> > > > > 10.) * Your Money & Your Life - America's Managed Care Revolution
> (PBS
> > > > > Special)
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.wnet.org/archive/mhc/index.html
> > > > >
> > http://www.adhesions.org/forums/listcmds.htm
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > to the unsubscribe form at
> http://www.adhesions.org/forums/listcmds.htm
> > >
> > > to the unsubscribe form at
http://www.adhesions.org/forums/listcmds.htm
> >
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