Double Mastectomy and a punctured vein???

bluesapphire

A close friend of ours who is a JW recently found out she had to have a double mastectomy and removal of lymph nodes due to cancer. She and her husband do not have medical insurance because he was laid off a few years ago from his union job. He started his own business but work has been slow...

Anyway, having a pre-existing condition, the only insurance he could get her was through Kaiser. They got the insurance and she was scheduled to have surgery today.

Well, apparently, they signed the DPA and the Liaison Committee members were there, hours after she went into surgery the doctor came out and told the husband that they had not removed the breasts because they were so unfamiliar and nervous about doing the surgery and the "no blood" condition that they accidently punctured a vein and they spent hours trying to figure out what vein it was and her lungs are now full of blood...

Granted, I got this second hand from my hubby who is not great at getting all the details. So I am worried sick and I don't really know what is going on. They said they would have to reschedule the double mastectomy for Thursday.

Right now she is in ICU. She is intibated. She is sedated. She is surrounded by JW's. She refused blood and I don't know how much she lost during this accident.

And I don't know enough about the double mastectomy surgery. What I'm looking up on line is not telling me much.

I don't know why I'm posting this. I guess out of frustration and sadness about what is going on.

mimimimi

What a shame. I hope she is okay.

Leolaia

How awful that this is happening to your friend.

hours after she went into surgery the doctor came out and told the husband that they had not removed the breasts because they were so unfamiliar and nervous about doing the surgery and the "no blood" condition that they accidently punctured a vein

I'm not sure I'm reading this right. You mean that the surgeons got all jittery and nervous about the unfamiliarity of the HLC that they became incompetent?

My sister had heart surgery and the surgeon punctured a vein or artery without realizing it and she was bleeding for days and her lungs were filling up with blood, and then not realizing the problem, the doctors made it worse by giving her a blood thinner thinking it was a blood clot. But she got through this okay.

bluesapphire

That's what her husband told my husband.... that they said they were concerned with the "no blood" demands and accidently punctured a vein. Her lungs filled up with blood also. She lost a lot of blood.

I'm glad your sister survived the ordeal. Kaiser Kills!

JeffT

they were concerned with the "no blood" demands and accidently punctured a vein.

I highly suspect that the doctor had an additional period in that sentence as in "We are very worried about the no blood demand. We punctured a vein."

I've been around doctors all my life and I have yet to meet a surgeon who got jittery about anything. It is not a profession tbat attracts nervous people. Surgery can be very tricky around tumors, because things like veins and nerves aren't where they are supposed to be, due to new growth. Tossing in medical prohibitions from a 2000 year old book doesn't help.

I hope your friend pulls thorugh.

bluesapphire

Thanks, Jeff. Yeah, I'm sure the conversation has been "interpreted" several times. But I'm still worried. Just checked and found out she is still in ICU and intibated but coming in and out.

I'm really sick about this whole thing. To think those power hungry morons were there to give their support pressure. She has a little girl, who is only 6 years old!!!

Ugh.

BurnTheShips

I can't wait until mastectomies are a thing of the past.

BTS

Gregor

Kind of scares the hell out of you when thinking of needing surgery. JW blood issues or not. What incompetance!

Most important part of the physicians oath, "First, do no harm"

bluesapphire

Exactly!!

I was thinking about how I have had a Gall bladder removed, appendix ruptured, cysts removed 3 times, 3 C-sections and a hysterectomy and I NEVER worried about an incompetent surgeon UNTIL NOW!

I hope my surgery days are over. My poor friend is laying there having her first surgery F'd up!

I just don't see how this even happens. I mean they do have laparoscopes ya know? How come they didn't see where they were cutting through video before actually cutting?

If you pray, please do so for Roxy. Thank you.

bluesapphire

Just talked to her husband who said when she woke up and felt her breasts still there she looked all confused but couldn't speak. She is not even aware of what she has gone through. They cut her open in her back to find and take care of the vein they ruptured. She has no clue.

Double Mastectomy and a punctured vein???

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