We say no for a reason

As I've mentioned before, the U operates on a lot of people that other hospitals wouldn't dream of operating on. Frequently, us nurses can be overheard questioning the sanity of our surgeons for approving this or that patient as an operative candidate. So when they do turn down a patient for being "too high risk," believe me when I say, that patient is so high risk that their chances of surviving surgery are negligible.

So the other day, there was this lady who was turned down for just such reasons. She absolutely did not qualify for a traditional surgery and was even deemed too high risk for our clinical trial alternative that is currently only enrolling high risk candidates. Her list of co-morbidities was not the longest I have ever seen, but they were significant and serious. She saw all of our surgeons and several related medical specialists who were consulted in her case. Everyone told her she would not survive the surgery, could not be optimized medically to be able to survive the surgery at a later date, and had no palliative surgical options.

This lady was adamant she was going to have surgery though. Not only did the U turn her down, but so did every other major medical center in several states. From what I have gathered, this lady was not used to being told no. With her family's connections and money, I assume few people have ever told her no for anything. Maybe that's a snarky assumption on my part. But it seems to be true.

So after being told she was not an operative candidate at a handful of top ranking medical centers by a myriad of well-respected physicians, what does she do? Go home with optimal medical therapy to spend the rest of her life (which was in danger of ending in the next year or two, but not imminently...) with her friends and family? Call hospice for assistance with symptom relief? Check out the swanky surgical digs in Mexico or Thailand? Nope.

This lady called the FDA and petitioned to get included in the trial. Like straight up told the FDA she should have surgery even though all the experts said she was not a candidate. The FDA is smart. They said no.

So what's next? Give up? Oh no. This lady is important remember. So she talked to her buddy the Senator (or Congressman or something...) and he petitioned the FDA for her. And somehow, this politician convinced the FDA that she should have surgery. (How does that even work?!)

So back on down to the U she comes. We do surgery.

And guess what? She fucking died. She didn't survive 24 hours out of surgery.

There are so many things wrong with this story. But mostly I keep coming back to... this is a prime example of why politics and medicine don't mix. The patient and the politician made this decision contrary to the advice of the people whose job is to be an expert in this subject matter!

Furthermore, their reckless arrogance has now not only affected this woman and her family who could have spent more quality time with her, but also potentially screwed the results of a major clinical trial.

Angry face.