B.J. Harris

Review of Shands at UF

On 8/9/2013 my brother was transported from Shan...

On 8/9/2013 my brother was transported from Shands Live Oak,Fl. emergency room to Shands Gainesville to be admitted . He had bladder cancer and his kidneys was shutting down . A couple of days went by and a Doctor Borde said he needed a procedure that would extend his life and so he agreed to have the procedure done. He was doing great .He ask to go home ,well he was put off . Then the next day he was moved from the 6th floor to the I.C.U. floor, I think the 2nd floor .When I asked why he was being moved they told me that he had got sick during the night . I was there in the room[I SPENT THE NIGHT] with him ,he didn't get sick . In short ,they wanted to keep him in the hospital because of money from Medicaid and Medicare.Then came Debra Davis the pain management person ,against our wishes they increased his morphine ,pain medication. They kept him so doped up he couldn't stay awake to even eat. I seen my brother getting too thin ,his chest bones showing. When I asked about this they informed me he got everything he needed from his IV. .They also informed us there was nothing more they could do for him . IF YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING LET HIM GO HOME.EVERYDAY WE ASKED THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO GO HOME,A DATE OF RELEASE. NOTHING !! HE AND I BEGGED THAT HE BE RELEASED ,THEY REFUSED .. AFTER SPEAKING TO A FRIEND THAT WORKS AS A ADMINSTRATOR AT A NURSING HOME ADVISED ME TO REQUEST AN AMA FORM.. On the 8/27/2013 I INFORMED THEM I WANTED A {AMA} form AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE . Which they refused to get for me . But did have me sign a DO NOT RESUSCITATE ORDER.STATING IT WOULD BREAK HIS CHEST BONES IF HE WAS RESUSCITATED. AFTER I SIGNED THE ORDER ,I WALKED BACK IN THE ROOM WHERE I AND ARNOLD [ MY BROTHER] HAD BEING TALKING ,WATCHING TV. MINTUES EARLIER . HE NOW LAID THERE NO MOVEMENT.WHEN I ASKED WHY ? THE NURSE STATED" I GAVE HIM SOMETHING TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF FOR THE TRANSPORT TO HOSPICE." . THEY HAD INFORMED ME THAT HOSPICE WOULD TEND ALL HIS NEEDS AND WITHIN 24 HOURS I COULD TAKE HIM HOME FROM HOSPICE .WHICH THEY LIED THEY DID NOT PUT AN IV ON HIM, JUST OXYGEN AT HOSPICE. . NOW SENDING HIM TO HOSPICE WHICH WASN'T A BIT BETTER . BUT AT LEAST THE HOSPICE ADMINSTATOR ON 8/28/2013 DID TELL ME MY BROTHER HAD LESS THAN 2 DAYS TO LIVE AND LAKE CITY HOSPICE TRANSPORTED MY BROTHER HOME AT 4: 00 PM THAT SAME DAY. WHEN I EXPLAINED I THOUGHT HE HAD TO GO TO HOSPICE BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY OF GETTING HIM AN IV. MY BROTHER DIDN'T DIE FROM HIS CANCER BUT FROM PNEUMONIA .AT THE HOSPITAL I HAD SEEN A BREATHING MACHINE [THE KIND YOU BLOW INTO BUT HE COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANY BREATHING TREATMENTS THAT REQUIRED ANY ACTIVITY ON HIS PART BECAUSE THEY HAD HIM KNOCKED OUT WITH MORPHINE .I WOULD SUE THEM TO THE HILT BUT I CAN'T GET A LAWYER TO TAKE THE CASE BECAUSE I AM NOT A CHILD OR THE SPOUSE . JUST A SISTER. THAT LOVES AND MISSES HIM . HE DIED ON 8/29/2013 . WHATEVER TIME HE HAD ,HE COULD HAVE BEEN HOME WITH HIS FAMILY SHANDS YOU CHEATED US OUT OF DAYS WITH HIM FOR WHAT , MONEY. WHERE DO YOU GET OFF TELLING PEOPLE THAT IF YOU RESUSCITATE , IT WILL BREAK THEIR CHEST ..PEOPLE ARE RESUSCITATED ALL THE TIME AND AFTER , LIVE NORMAL LIVES. I KNOW YOU TELL PEOPLE THIS .YOU TOLD MY FRIEND'S HUSBAND THE SAME THING ,SHE DIED 12/22/2013 FROM PNEUMONIA. I RATE THIS PLACE A ZERO. THE LAW NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED YOU CAN'T BE HELD AGAINST YOUR WILL OR THE WILL OF YOUR SURROGATE [ WHICH I WAS.] YOU TREATED MY BROTHER AS IF HE WAS A HOSTAGE ....... .. LIKE HIS CHOICE DIDN'T MATTER .HE DIDN'T MATTER TO YOU , JUST...... $$$$$$$$ .HE WAS A GOOD MAN ,HE DESERVED BETTER....... . AFTER THE MEDICATION THAT NURSE KATHY GAVE HIM AT SHANDS FOR THE TRANSPORT , HE NEVER TALKED AGAIN. BUT I MADE SURE HIS FAMILY TALKED TO HIM,READ GOD'S WORD TO HIM. HE DIED AT HOME . BJH 1/14/2014