| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Fluffy
Administrator
USA
10739 Posts |
 Posted - 08/13/2003 : 01:29:38 AM
|
Aug. 11 -- After 67-year-old Hurshell Ralls went into surgery for bladder cancer, he came out of surgery missing more than he ever expected. His penis and testicles were gone.
"My wife had to hold my hand in the bed there. And she said 'Honey it's over. They got all the cancer.' And she waited a few minutes and then said 'But they had to remove your penis.' And I was one mad dude, you know," Ralls said on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America.
Ralls, a mechanic, says doctors never warned him or his wife that amputation of the penis and testicles might have been part of surgery before he went in for the procedure in November 1999. Ralls filed a negligence lawsuit against the Clinics of North Texas in Wichita Falls, and the doctors who operated on him. The civil case is set for trial Aug. 25.
"It was never even discussed. And I felt like he ought to have at least told us that this might be a possibility so that we could have talked it over even before he was admitted to the hospital," said Thelma Ralls, his wife. In a February deposition, Ralls' doctor said that he determined the cancer had spread to the penis while he was removing Ralls' bladder. Doctors did not send a tissue sample to the lab until after the surgery. A Dallas doctor who examined cell slides later found that Ralls did not have penile cancer.
The Ralls' case may sound outrageous, but for cancer patients across the country, medical errors are something they — and many other hospital patients — face with alarming frequency.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reported in 2001 that 95 percent of doctors have witnessed a major medical mistake, and that many of them involved cancer. When Johns Hopkins reviewed tissue samples from thousands of cancer patients around the country, they found one out of every 71 cases was misdiagnosed.
Both Breasts Removed, No Cancer
Frank Barerra is another cancer patient who was the victim of an error. He was actually in surgery, about to have his prostate removed, when a call came from the pathology department — there had been a mistake. His slides showed no cancer.
"You can imagine — it was like waking up from a bad dream," Barerra said. "It never occurred to me that a pathology lab could just bungle a decision like that."
Last January, Good Morning America interviewed Linda McDougal, who was misdiagnosed with breast cancer. McDougal was given a double mastectomy at the United Hospital of St. Paul, Minn., in May 2002. After the surgery, McDougal was told
that she actually had no signs of cancer.
"My surgeon walked in and said that she had bad news, and she had no other way of telling us other than to put it on the table. And that I didn't have cancer," McDougal said. "And my immediate reaction was, great, you got it all. And then she said, you don't understand. You never had cancer. And it was instant shock. I couldn't even react to it."
When McDougal appeared on Good Morning America, the hospital that did the operation offered an apology. Dr. Laurel Krause, a senior pathologist at the hospital said that two patient slides at the hospital were inadvertently switched.
"We deeply regret what happened, and wish we had made that clear at the time," Krause said. "At the time, Linda was very angry, and justifiably so."
But to victims of medical errors, sometimes an apology can't make up for what they've lost.
"I really felt like they played God and took it in their hands and decided to do it," Thelma Ralls said. "This is Hurshell's life, and my life. And to me they destroyed our sexual life."
Understand Your Doctor
Dr. Rache Simmons, a breast cancer surgeon with Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, said that there are steps that patients can take to protect themselves. First of all, patients should listen carefully to their doctors, and all of their options and recommendations. If you don't understand your doctor, get a new one, she advises.
"Part of being a good doctor is being able to communicate with your patients," Simmons said. "If you don't understand your doctor, and you've asked him or her to explain it again and your still don't get it, find another physician."
Patients who are told they need surgery should also seek out a second opinion. It makes good sense, and almost all health plans will pay for it. If the opinions disagree, call your health plan and ask if they will pay for a third. If they won't go with your gut on whether to proceed with the surgery, Simmons said.
Once the decision is made, all patients should bring a family member or friend to a pre-surgical appointment to write down information and ask questions.
"I give out hand-outs and videos at my practice because, as a breast cancer surgeon, it's hard for anyone to be calm enough to take in all the information at the appointment," Simmons said.
Ready for the Worst
It is also important for patients to designate someone as their health care proxy before surgery, Simmons said. The patient-appointed proxy can carry out the patient's wishes while the patient is under anesthesia.
Before going into surgery, patients sign a consent form, which they should read very carefully before signing. The form will describe exactly what the doctor is allowed to do, and whether a doctor will be allowed to proceed if more serious conditions are found.
"It really boils down to a consent issue. So we as doctors can only do what's in the consent form," Simmons said.
Another important document that patients should consider is a living will, which can protect a patient's rights and wishes while they are under anesthesia, in case the unexpected happens. Doctors need to know what they should do in terms of extraordinary life-saving measures.
Copyright 2003 ABC News. All rights reserved. |
Peace & Keep the Faith
Fluffy         
"THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS A CRUEL AND SHALLOW MONEY TRENCH-- A LONG PLASTIC HALLWAY WHERE THIEVES AND PIMPS RUN FREE AND GOOD MEN DIE LIKE DOGS. THERE'S ALSO A NEGATIVE SIDE..." -Hunter S. Thompson |
|
|
Arthen
Alien Abductee
USA
4845 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2003 : 02:34:13 AM
|
...
Oh my God was damn right.  |
Steve Hackett: "I'm my own opening act, you see."
Tim (before "Faceoff"): "Peace, love....and SEX!"
cbenc41@hotmail.com |
 |
|
|
{=HTG=}
Alien Abductee
USA
2342 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2003 : 06:13:02 AM
|
| I heard about this. . .sick stuff. |
'HTG, are you a cute girl?'
 |
|
|
|
victorwootenfan
Alien Abductee
USA
2128 Posts |
|
|
LoveToday
Chatterbox
USA
191 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2003 : 11:35:04 AM
|
that is so.. not good
We put so much faith in our medical professionals and they take it forgranted. Its like they instantly exist on a higher plain that the rest of us as soon as they enter the medical field. There was a surgeon out here in Massachusetts that left in the middle of a surgery to run and cash his paycheck before the bank closed. What a dill hole. He got totally bagged for that though and it was all over the news. Also... why when I go to a doctors appointment, are the receptionists such douchbags? Its almost like you are bothering them or something. The chics at the dentist too. What EXACTLY is your job, if it's not to provide RECEPTION to me? If you don't like your job... get another one.
|
I childproof my home... and they still get in! |
|
|
|
Miss Sorrel
Yak Addict
593 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2003 : 11:53:27 PM
|
| Something like this happened to a dear friend of mine. She was diagnosed with cancer and the doc told her six months to two years. She dropped everything, (school, work...) and 'lived life to its fullest'. She got engaged to a guy who was more of a close friend than a boyfriend so that she could have her dream wedding... Needless to say, there wasn't a trace of cancer in her... Of course now she has a different perspective on life... but in a way she feels like it held her back seeing as how she had to start school over a few years later and missed out on scholarships... and the "break up" with the guy blew... there were many hurt feelings... But, that said. There's more positive from the medical world than negative, on this note at least... or else we wouldn't be going to them... Several opinions are important though, I think. These doctors that keep fucking up get a bad rep their practice fails. There's a certain strength within humanity that just doesn't accept things like this... between that mentality and lawsuits.. I'd say most health care providers are alright... |
|
|
|
ceebee1111
Is Anybody Here?
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2008 : 11:59:53 AM
|
| He is my step-dad. The doctor is still practicing. He reportedly did this to another man about 18 months later AND still has his license! The docotor's name is STEVE DRYDEN of Wichita Falls, Texas and should lose everything he has! My dad had thoughts of suicide, serious bouts of depression, and my mom did, too. They are still married, going on 40+ years. Ever in the Wf area for surgery, stay away from North Texas Clinics!!!! |
|
|
|
rubylith
Fluffy-Esque
1916 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2008 : 4:22:05 PM
|
| Wait...who's your step dad? |
|
|
|
Arthen
Alien Abductee
USA
4845 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2008 : 4:23:59 PM
|
| I think his step-dad is the guy in the first part of the article. Hurshell Ralls? I had totally forgot about this thread, seeing as it's five years old. |
Steve Hackett: "I'm my own opening act, you see."
Tim (before "Faceoff"): "Peace, love....and SEX!"
cbenc41@hotmail.com |
|
|
|
dan p.
Alien Abductee
Uganda
3776 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2008 : 11:57:25 PM
|
| i'm glad he had the balls to sue the guy. |
death to false metal. |
|
|
|
Arthen
Alien Abductee
USA
4845 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2008 : 03:33:15 AM
|
| Shut up Dan, you cock. |
Steve Hackett: "I'm my own opening act, you see."
Tim (before "Faceoff"): "Peace, love....and SEX!"
cbenc41@hotmail.com |
|
|
|
EnlightenThis
Chatterbox
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2008 : 09:39:12 AM
|
| lol well played dan. i like how you wrinkled that a little bit. |
|
|
|
dan p.
Alien Abductee
Uganda
3776 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2008 : 5:22:44 PM
|
i think this thread is in the bag.
we should probably stop before it gets nuts. |
death to false metal. |
|
|
|
EnlightenThis
Chatterbox
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2008 : 11:13:26 PM
|
| haha. no poon intended. |
|
|
|
Ranting Thespian
Fluffy-Esque
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2008 : 06:04:34 AM
|
As much as I trust my doctors (I got the best in the state), you always need to be careful when doing any surgery. With my doctors, before I would go under for many of my surgeries, we made sure everything was clear and safe. We made sure we trusted the surgeon, and my other doctors trusted the surgeon as well. Also we made sure that surgery was the final decision.
Just to let you guys know, my surgeries all dealt with sinuses, ears, nose, and throat stuff. |
Not communicating can hurt more than any word that can be said -
Nick
-the Ranting Thespian |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
OH MY GOD!!!!! (PJK, please DO NOT read)
