Medical Errors at Manatee Memorial Hospital Caused the Death of My Sister Debbie - Florida Free Kill
- Constance Salinas
- Jul 18, 2017
- 6 min read
On June 19th 2017 My Sister Debbie Magiera underwent a routine herniated disk surgery, this surgery was supposed to be an in and out type of procedure.
She was operated on by Dr. Timothy Roberts M.D. of Costal Orthopedics @ Manatee Memorial Hospital, Debbie went to the hospital that day expecting she would be home the same night, so her finance went with her and the family did not think this was going to turn into anything serious so we let Bob take her.
Shortly after her back surgery the Surgeon came out and told Bob that her surgery went well but there were some complications and he had to take her back to surgery, he did not go into detail what happened he just informed Bob that Debbie was critical but stable. Bob hung onto "STABLE" knowing Debbie was in great shape and had no real health conditions he just figured she had a hard time during surgery!
At no point did a Doctor/Nurse or Patient Advocate come and sit down with him and tell him that this was a life or death matter, Bob did not learn until many hours later that Debbie was going to die.
Me being the her sister, I called and spoke to Dr. Robert's to see what the heck was going on and he stated he nicked an artery during the back surgery but did not notice it until she was in recovery c/o abdominal pain, at which point he knew what had happened and began calling in a trauma team, cardio, vascular, GI. Half of Debbie's blood volume had pooled into abdomen meaning: when they cut her open much like cleaning a deer, she was pouring out blood faster than they could pump it back into her, the GI team was removing intestines, abdomen anything that was in the way of them finding the bleed. There was a cardio surgeon there and a vascular team, however it took more than eight hours to even locate the bleed. By the time they found it, Debbie's blood pressure had been so low and at points absent; that her brain went into hypotensive shock (which means brain dead). She did go into cardiac arrest briefly but I was told she came back quickly.
Dr. Robert's was looking for anyone to give permission for him to stop heroic measures, after speaking with my medical team here in San Antonio, I was advised that if Debbie had more than 10 united of blood that is not compatible with life, Dr. Robert's gave her over 20 units, Forcing blood in so quickly that Debbie's body could not keep up to coagulate it; which means death for her was certain because she could not clot.
After asking Dr. Roberts very bluntly if her brain was dead he stated yes her brain was dead, and even if she did go into cardiac arrest and he could get her heart beat back she would still bleed to death, that they could not reverse.
I began asking why they had not transferred her to a level one hospital and have a vascular team waiting and put her on heart and lung bypass to keep her brain healthy until they fixed her body, Dr. Robert's thought he could control things there at Manatee.. Well He was WRONG and now my sister is DEAD.
My 80 year old mother has now had to bury three children and telling her the law does not protect her daughter because she was not married nor head children is unacceptable.
We Riot for Black lives matter, Brown lives matter,
Blue Lives Matter!
Why don't all lives Matter?
My sister did not have a Husband but she was engaged and due to be Wed Sept 22nd she was ready for this new exciting chapter in her life that has been robbed from her, she was never able to have children for health reasons, but she was still every bit as important to us than any thing in the world.
To add insult to injury Dr. Robert's refused to sign the death certificate for days, until the health department forced him. He even then he filed two incorrectly and they were kicked back. This blocked us from getting her body cremated because we could not obtain the proper permits. However in both death certs Dr. Robert's marked accident.
The third and final death certificate was filled out by a D.O, Dr. Peter's. His reason for death was natural causes including blood loss, anemia and lack of ability to coagulate. He neglected to state what caused the bleed!
People do not 'naturally' die of blood loss
unless something went terribly wrong.
In most cases that would be a gun shot wound a knife wound, shark bite. A routine back surgery where the doctor severed her artery is NOT natural. It's malpractice, to the highest degree. It's Wrongful Death.
I spoke with multiple attorneys five to be exact and one told me Florida is the #FreeKill State due to the law and if this had occurred in any state other than Florida, the Doctor, the Nursing Staff, The Anesthesiologist, the Hospital and Coastal Orthopedics (that employed Dr. Robert's) would all be culpable.
According to Florida Law: Having no husband and no children means
HER LIFE DID NOT MATTER
Well here I am SCREAMING her Life mattered I love her, Her Fiance Loves her, Her Mom Loves her Her many brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews aunts and uncles, cousins and soon to be step children, but I imagine none of matters either.
This law must be changed! I will fight until I have no life left in me to make sure this law changes, I will not let my Sister's death be in vein, she deserved better.
Better than the nurses not removing her breathing tube deforming her face for a horrible open casket funeral, for the hospital staff breaking three fingers on her left hand so that her finance could not put her wedding ring on her finger, for ripping her little body to pieces, including cracking her chest after I told them no heroic measures.
I have worked in the medical field 26 years both in Michigan and in Texas and I promise you if this happened in either of those states, the doctors would find their (backside) in a world of hurt, they would be sued their license would be sanctioned and they would lose their position. Especially disobeying the law in Florida that states the doctor has 72 hours to fill out a death certificate and it took her doctors 14 days for her to just lay on a slab and wait for their legal team to instruct them what to do!
I'm angry and out raged, I contacted the medical board (no help) Medical Society (no help) Health Department helped after 14 days, Attorney's No HELP, Local and National News no HELP, Celebrities NO HELP....... What would any of those folks that keep stone walling me had this happen to someone in their family? or someone they loved?
I'm sure things would change however you have to be deemed important enough/worthy of getting good health care to begin with.
I"m still waiting on Medical Records the records department. They have stone walled me to the point they know I am in Texas and just can drive over there and kick up a fuss and they are not willing to help even though I followed all their stupid protocols and hoops they had me just through with still no resolve.
I hope this letter gets to someone who really cares about the people and truly wants to help because we certainly need it.
Anything you could do to help would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Constance Salinas CRMA
San Antonio, Texas
313-850-4820 contact information.
Published by Florida Medical Rights Association, A non-profit Florida Advocacy for changing Florida Statute 768.21(8) and raising awareness in Florida hospital accountability levels in honor of the cherished and forever missed life of Debbie.
For information on how to/where to file complaints in Florida in the case of wrongful death click here. This will NOT yield an investigation into your loved ones death however it is very important to follow these steps to make noise which will yield change.
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