What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA
My mother, who had advanced COPD, went into the hospital recently. While there, she was given ativan, which knocked her out for a very long time (half a day), and when she came to, she was confused and it took a long time for her to respond. We placed her in a managed care facility with nurses, dr, etc while preping her home for longer term care. In less then a week, she had fallen (she was a fall risk) and developed bed sores. At the end of that time, she had anxiety, and they gave her ativan (as prescribed by the hospital - and against our wishes). Her breathing became difficult, she became unresponsive, and she was transported to a hospital. The home did not immediately state that she had been given ativan as a possible cause of the unresponsiveness and hard breathing. At the hospital, she was given a counteractive drug for the ativan. Her CO2 level when she entered the hospital was 70, but quickly rose to 90. She never regained full use of her facilities - before she came in she could speak and move around on her own, after the drug, she could barely move or speak, and could only squeeze your hand. Her condition worsened, and the doctor recommended that we take her off fluids (which had been done priorwithout our knowledge, early in her admitance, once again without our approval). Lack of fluid may have resulted in her becoming "clogged" - and having extreme pain in the gut area. Fluid was returned and she began to have movements, but these were made worse by a virus that apparently entered that section of the ward. Her condition worsened, and they recommended again removal of fluid and morphine to reduce her pain and suffering. After 5 hrs (2, 4, 2 mg of morphine - the last reduced at my request due to the large drop in heart rate after the 4 mg) - she passed on to God, but she struggled to the end.
Question - we feel that the ativan knocked her off the current health plateau she was on. We know that she didn't have long, but the end for her was more painful than it should have been. We feel the home mistreated her. The hospital did what most hospitals are now doing with the elderly - steering them towards death, whether the family wanted it or not. There are three of us, and one feels strongly that the home (and perhaps hospital, that put ativan on the approved list despite our misgivings to the doctors after her first experience with it) should be made to "pay". Another feels its not worth the pain it would bring us. I am unsure, although leaning to the later. Any recommendations?What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
My mother, who had advanced COPD, went into the hospital recently. While there, she was given ativan, which knocked her out for a very long time (half a day), and when she came to, she was confused and it took a long time for her to respond. We placed her in a managed care facility with nurses, dr, etc while preping her home for longer term care. In less then a week, she had fallen (she was a fall risk) and developed bed sores. At the end of that time, she had anxiety, and they gave her ativan (as prescribed by the hospital - and against our wishes). Her breathing became difficult, she became unresponsive, and she was transported to a hospital. The home did not immediately state that she had been given ativan as a possible cause of the unresponsiveness and hard breathing. At the hospital, she was given a counteractive drug for the ativan. Her CO2 level when she entered the hospital was 70, but quickly rose to 90. She never regained full use of her facilities - before she came in she could speak and move around on her own, after the drug, she could barely move or speak, and could only squeeze your hand. Her condition worsened, and the doctor recommended that we take her off fluids (which had been done priorwithout our knowledge, early in her admitance, once again without our approval). Lack of fluid may have resulted in her becoming "clogged" - and having extreme pain in the gut area. Fluid was returned and she began to have movements, but these were made worse by a virus that apparently entered that section of the ward. Her condition worsened, and they recommended again removal of fluid and morphine to reduce her pain and suffering. After 5 hrs (2, 4, 2 mg of morphine - the last reduced at my request due to the large drop in heart rate after the 4 mg) - she passed on to God, but she struggled to the end.
Question - we feel that the ativan knocked her off the current health plateau she was on. We know that she didn't have long, but the end for her was more painful than it should have been. We feel the home mistreated her. The hospital did what most hospitals are now doing with the elderly - steering them towards death, whether the family wanted it or not. There are three of us, and one feels strongly that the home (and perhaps hospital, that put ativan on the approved list despite our misgivings to the doctors after her first experience with it) should be made to "pay". Another feels its not worth the pain it would bring us. I am unsure, although leaning to the later. Any recommendations?What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
