My son is 8 months old (born March 2008). When he was 4 days old he got the rota virus. We took him to the hospital while they toyed with him and eventually transferred us to another hospital (a university medical center). He was hook up to a pick line and TPN until the virus cleared and then we started feeding with the bottle. Since then he has always been a small eater so the GI doctors put him on 30 calories per ounce in September 2008. Around late September he just stopped sucking. He would pull the bottle to his mouth and go through the motions, but he was not sucking anything (it was like he forgot what to do in his mouth). In the beginning of October, we took him back to the University Hospital and had him in the ER and they admitted him. They put an NG tube into his nose and in his stomach to feed him. He seemed fine for a few days. The hospital conducted a dy color test to see what was going on. Shorty after he begin throwing up anything that was put into his stomach. The doctors places the NG tube into his colon to stop the vomiting. My Son then begin to have diarrhea. I came to the hospital and saw my son and he did not look right. I ask the doctors was something wrong and they just said he been through a lot so he probably does not feel good. I demanded that someone come in a take his blood and do tests on it. The tests came back and his sodium levels were off the charts! because of the diarrhea probably. Basically, my son was extremely dehydrated. He was pale and looked like death! It was disgusting looking… They had to move my son to ICU and hook him up to IV’s and stop the feeding.
Question 1: How could my son became dehydrated in a hospital, while he was being monitored, unless someone did not do there job?
After a little more then a month in the hospital, the doctors placed a G-Tube (button port) in my son. Now my wife and I can put food directly into his stomach. My son was discharged and we went home. He was fine for about 3 days… then we noticed he was crying a lot more and his stomach was hard as a rock. We took him back to the hospital ER and they did X-Rays and found his colons were packed with poop, air pockets and whatever else. They gave laxatives and sent us home after about 2 days in the hospital. A few days later he began vomiting. He vomited his food every time we gave it to him. Even when we only gave him his medicines, he would throw that up also. We had to go back to the hospital ER again, and again admitted. We have now been in the hospital for a week this time. The doctors are running some acid reflux tests.
I’m concerned about the fact that no one seems to be on the same page – doctors, nurses, assistants.
*For example today: Doctor says, We will be putting the acid tube in your son tomorrow because we have to wait 5 days with no reflux medicines. 30 minutes later another doctor come in and put in the acid tube in my sons throat. I asked about the 5 day thing and she said its okay, it was long enough.
*Another example today: Doctor said, we won’t put him on a 30 ml bolus feeds because we know he threw up last night – I responded back and said he didn’t throw up last night and was never on 30 ml boluses. The doctor told us that the paperwork said so. Did someone just write something in the medical record (that did not happen)?
These examples were just from today. Everyday there’s stuff like this and it makes me feel like it’s a horrible hospital. This hospital is basically top of the line (they say). The only other option is John Hopkins University but they don’t have a beds open and we can’t transfer because my son is considered to be monitored and they would do nothing different. Because of this, I cant even get a second opinion.
I have talked to one attorney and he said that they can not get involved until after the hospital is done. Then, I can contact the law firm about malpractice.
The thing is — I don’t want to sue anyone. I don’t want any money. I would just like the hospital to get on the same page with each other and fix my son. Is there anything else I can do to somehow light a fire up there butt? Are there lawyers out there for this? Should I pursue malpractice for my sons extreme dehydration while he was in the hospital?
I know this is a lot of questions. Thanks to all that reply.
ohmy
June 27, 2010 at 4:58 pm
YOu need to go the head of the hospital and discus this with them and you can contact your obusman the and tell him your concerns also, you can get their number at the hospital directly it posted everywhere