In Loving Memory of Barbara McGhee
Donation protected
As of 9:30 pm on March 15, 2019, my amazing mom was declared brain dead.
Wednesday morning, my mom went to get her second hip replacement done. She had her first done in December. The anesthesiologist went to do her spinal block and grabbed the wrong vial of medicine. He injected digoxin into her spine. When she didn’t go under, he injected a second dose. When she still didn’t go under (because obviously this medicine is mean to slow heart rates, not sedate someone) he put her under general. The surgery was completed successfully. When they went to wake her up she was unresponsive. The anesthesiologist admitted what happened and an investigation is taking place right now. An angiogram was done and it was determined her brain had zero blood flow and nothing more could be done. They are now prepping her for organ donation which will happen in the next few days.
This is the hardest thing we've ever faced. We are so broken because this was a medical malpractice that should not have happened. Given the circumstance with wrongful medical treatment and malpractice resulting in her death, we are struggling to stay afloat. We don't have life insurance, Barbara's husband is on disability, and we have car payments and a move in mid-progress.
She was full of kindness, compassion, and joy. She touched a lot of people over the years. She taught us to appreciate the little things in life be happy with what you got. Her family didn't have much growing up, but she never made it seem that way. She never missed her son's soccer games or her daughter's theater shows. This woman did everything in her power for not just her immediate family, but for everyone she knew.
Wednesday morning, my mom went to get her second hip replacement done. She had her first done in December. The anesthesiologist went to do her spinal block and grabbed the wrong vial of medicine. He injected digoxin into her spine. When she didn’t go under, he injected a second dose. When she still didn’t go under (because obviously this medicine is mean to slow heart rates, not sedate someone) he put her under general. The surgery was completed successfully. When they went to wake her up she was unresponsive. The anesthesiologist admitted what happened and an investigation is taking place right now. An angiogram was done and it was determined her brain had zero blood flow and nothing more could be done. They are now prepping her for organ donation which will happen in the next few days.
This is the hardest thing we've ever faced. We are so broken because this was a medical malpractice that should not have happened. Given the circumstance with wrongful medical treatment and malpractice resulting in her death, we are struggling to stay afloat. We don't have life insurance, Barbara's husband is on disability, and we have car payments and a move in mid-progress.
She was full of kindness, compassion, and joy. She touched a lot of people over the years. She taught us to appreciate the little things in life be happy with what you got. Her family didn't have much growing up, but she never made it seem that way. She never missed her son's soccer games or her daughter's theater shows. This woman did everything in her power for not just her immediate family, but for everyone she knew.
Organizer
Noelle McGhee-Westbay
Organizer
Santa Maria, CA
