Family says loved one was in VA Hospital for over 60 days after being misdiagnosed and overlooked
Houston Family Claims Negligence and Misdiagnosis at VA Medical Center
In a gut-wrenching tale of alleged negligence and misdiagnosis at VA Medical Center, a Houston family has shared their harrowing experience. David Norman Williams was admitted to the hospital on March 4 for a kidney transplant and his health has since taken a turn for the worse. Family members and his wife, Constance Williams, claim that he has been neglected, abused, and staff won’t listen to him.
Ms. Williams shared her struggles exclusively with KPRC stating that the past 64 days have been a nightmare. She fears what could happen to her husband who is so weak and weighs less than 100 pounds. “Sometimes I’m afraid to even enter the room because I think I’m going to find him dead,” she said.
Ms. Williams also claimed that her husband missed her birthday, holidays, and their anniversary since he’s been admitted to the VA Medical Center. David, who is 74, told KPRC via video, “Nobody should be in this pain that I am in.” His health has reportedly been in sharp decline since the day he was admitted.
Ms. Williams alleges that her husband was abused, neglected, and staff at the center won’t listen to him since he arrived back in March. In addition to the stomach pain, he started bleeding and had to drink four pints of blood, Constance claimed. It’s been one problem after another for David since his arrival, including swelling in his hands, inability to digest and swallow, pneumonia, and fungus in his throat and stomach.
David’s situation took another alarming turn when staff members at the center put the feeding tube in his mouth incorrectly, and doctors almost performed surgery on the wrong patient the next day. Williams said, “His room is 298-D Williams. The other patient is O-Williams 246. The nurse came in and said you were wrong Mr. Williams.”
The family has sought justice and accountability for the alleged mistreatment, and the VA Center responded in a statement that, “These circumstances are unacceptable, and we have apologized to the veteran and his family. In addition to addressing this specific situation immediately, we have already initiated a systemic review to ensure this does not happen in the future. Veterans have earned and deserve world-class healthcare, and we at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center will never settle for anything less.”
Despite some changes being implemented at the center, David’s condition has reportedly not improved much. He has developed blood pressure issues and bed sores from feces left on him, and stool left in the room and bathroom for several days. Furthermore, when Ms. Williams goes to the nurses’ station, she claims that she hears other veterans saying, “Help me, please, someone come change me, get me some water.”
The Williams family has reportedly hired a lawyer to fight the alleged mistreatment and advocate for David’s well-being. Ms. Williams said she asked staff to transfer him to another hospital, but they refused because they performed the kidney transplant. She added that David has developed blood clots in his legs, arms, and on his heart and doesn’t know when he will be discharged.
This is a poignant story that highlights the vulnerability and mistreatment of veterans who have served their country and deserve the best. The Williams family has called for more accountability and high-quality medical care for veterans who entrust their care to VA centers.
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