Time is more precious these days for Janet Bedin. Especially after learning she lost five months with her mom Dolores. "If my mom didn't get nauseous that day, maybe we would have never known," she says.
Never known, she's dying. In September, a hernia sent 86-year-old Dolores to a Rockford hospital. That's when Janet says they learned Dolores has inoperable pancreatic cancer. How they found out? A cat scan taken at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital months earlier, in April.
"The hospital has known information my mother is terminally ill, which cut into the quality time we could have spent with her and the planning time," says Janet.
"I encourage patients to learn their test results whether they're normal or abnormal, don't assume hearing nothing means they're normal," says Dr. Martin Lipsky, Dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine.
Lipsky says unfortunately communication errors happen all of the time. And with any tests, call to get results within a week.
"It's important for family members to be very visible in the care of patients," he says.
Lipsky suggests children get a power of attorney for health care. Janet has that right, and it was a battle to keep it.
In a rare move, Northwestern Memorial Hospital took her to court to get that authority revoked. Dolores had already been in the hospital two months and didn't feel well enough to leave. So the hospital threatened to have a Public Guardian take over.
"How could you say to me I don't have my mother's best interest at heart," says Janet.
Like most daughters, Janet didn't want to lose her mom so she took her home.
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13 comments:
Janet, you have my utmost admiration!
How dare the hospital bully a dying woman! I hope you have filed a grievance and will sue them.
Lipsky, your attempt to gloss over the hospital's mistake and put the burden back on the family falls short.
I have not heard of hospitalists before, and I sure don't like what the idea!
Are the doctors getting as sick as the lawyers? It's all about money, of course.
Rare move? Has anyone questioned the hospitals statement? This story scares the hell out of me and it should scare everyone who reads this. USA land of the free? I don't think so. Janet had a valid POA but the hospital didn't approve of how Janet was advocating for her mother so the hospital accuses her of not caring about her mother?
What the ________?
REQUEST: I want to read the Petition for Guardianship now wouldn't that be a revelation into how it's done the Crook County way?
You're so right Outraged. It's not a rare move at all.
I would urge investigators to focus on the role of the attorneys that were hired by NW Hospital.
Amy McCarty is someone you should know more about, and her actions in this case should be examined.
Perhaps NW Hospital is being portrayed incorrectly in this case. The hospital would not benefit financially from guardianizing the elderly patient.
However, the attorneys and new-ly proposed guardian would gain financially.
Look at the actions of Amy McCarty, and find out who was being named in the petition to be the guardian of the estate, and the guardian of the person.
I was an attorney in the court room that day and was disgusted. Amy McCarty was the attorney along with Joe Monahan of Monahan & Cohen from Chicago. Amy McCarty was particularily brutal during the second hearing and ran the courtroom. She was a pit bull against this gentle, caring daughter. I am ashamed this has not been addressed for filing a false petition. The daughter was caring and loving devastated by these hijacking tactics. Who gets between a daughter and her mother with these trumped up reasons? The Public Guardian in the interview was to take over, Sherri Rudy, who is in this interview. She said she is overwhelmed and needs help who is her boss? Why are you bothering to want to take over for this daughter who you can't hold a candle to? What does anyone know about McCarty. Please post it. She should be disbarred for this.
My recommendation: file a complaint with the ARDC...it won't be her first
My question to the attorney who was present:
Was a representative from Northwestern Memorial Hospital present during these proceedings?
Is the hospital aware of how this case was handled?
Is the transcript from this proceeding available, or is it part of the sealed court documents?
Consideration should be given to the motive for Northwestern's petition to guardianize an able minded woman with a terminal illness.
Guardianship takes away children's standings in court. Guardianizing a victim of medical malpractice protects the physician/hospital from a medical malpractice suit from the daughter.
Amy McCarty works on a regular basis with Northwestern Hospital. She has also been watched in other courtrooms and has a history of turning simple cases into convoluted cases which allow excessive attorneys fees to be charged.
If your loved one was exploited by Amy McCarty, please report her actions to the state and federal officials, as well as the ARDC.
Sooner or later she'll need to be held accountable for her actions. The sooner the better.
Amy McCarty was recently seen in a Cook County Probate Courtroom, attempting to gain a client for the Cook County Public Guardian. When a niece had petitioned for gd-ship for her uncle, she told the judge her uncle didn't want to go into a nursing home.
Amy McCarty replied: your honor, this is truly a contested case, and the Public Guardian is ready to take it.
Fortunately for the woman caring for her uncle, the judge didn't buy Amy McCarty's attempt to convince the judge it was a contested case.
It's pretty sad when attorneys go fishing in the probate court for cases.
Shame on Amy McCarty, and shame on the Cook County Public Guardian!
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