Remembering La Jefa: Senora Lina (Abresch Franco)

My beloved Mom's unexpected passing caused somewhat of a financial crisis in my meager budget and had to borrow an enormous amount of money to pay for her funeral, expenses and part of her memorial.  To be honest the brunt of the bills were taken care of my ailing Dad, who is retired on a fixed income and also was unprepared for the shockingly high cost at Sunset.  So this fund was set up to help offset the debt that he and I incurred.  My Mom was beloved by her friends and family both here and in native country.   She touched lots of lives in the Tampa Bay area and was affectionately called La Jefa by her friends.  Originally from Panama, she was the oldest daughter and helped her younger siblings make it in a harsh upbringing and eventually cared for her ailing mother in her final years as well.  Always thinking of others and generous to a fault, she lived to 91 and was very proud of the fact that she looked good for her age and was physically strong and active, down the very last.  She loved traveling and loved gardening and activities like eating out with her family and visiting theme parks like Sea World, Disney World and Busch Gardens.  That's why it was so upsetting and such a shock when she passed away but I still feel it did not have to happen the way it did.  We took her to the hospital in Wesley Chapel complaining of headache, weakness and feeling unsteady.  They took her in and basically just observed her for nearly 5 hours when it dawned on them that she had actually suffered a stroke.  She was coherent and walked on her own power but I feel they should have known, after all, they are experts are they not? She had a massive episode right there in the ER and they admitted they did not have any stroke expert on hand but were trying to get a hold of somebody.  When he finally came and administered the tPA through the veins but alas it was too little too late.  It was decided she had to be airlifted to Tampa.  But instead of taking her to Tampa General, they took her to a hospital in Fletcher Ave where they just plugged her up and monitored her.  A day or two passed and by then she had been drugged into a sleep like state while they shoved a feeding tube down her throat.  A technician on the scene said that's routine but be sure they don't leave it in for too long.  In fact the do-nothing doctors there in the Intensive Care unit just abandoned her.  We came into see her and she was practically unclothed and with no cover on her.  Shame on the staff and the doctors for treating my mother like that.  A day later they shipped her off to a long term facility in Connorton (Land O Lakes) where she proceeded with wither away since no doctor actually treated her.  They never did any of the promised procedures like making a feeding tube in her side, so eventually she developed a massive infection from the feeding tube which spread to her organs and she passed away after two weeks of torture.  No, we did not seek legal action since the laws in Florida make it nearly impossible to seek damages.  (thank you Florida Legislature, for nothing).  So readers, beware, think twice about sending your elderly loved ones for stroke treatment to those well known hospitals in the area.  They are horrible. .. the pits.  If you can spare some extra dollars, please consider honor her amazing life by donating whatever you can.