ER DIAGNOSES PATIENT WITH PNEUMONIA, THEN SENDS HIM HOME WITH COUGH SYRUP, IMODIUM, AND DRAMAMINE

When Picking up Patient at His Home, Paramedic States, “Oh Great, You’re Going to Infect us All”

Philip was basically sent home with cough medicine after being diagnosed with Covid pneumonia and the hospital knew he was at risk of dying. Two days later his wife, Anita, had to call the paramedics to pick him up because he was so weak, he couldn’t walk to the car. He was never going to come home. He is survived by me and our 4 children.

Going to the Emergency Room at Torrance Hospital, Philip was diagnosed with pneumonia, something he had a history of.  He was sent home with cough syrup, Imodium and Dramamine.  A couple of days later his oxygen dropped to 83% and he struggled to breathe. Philip was sitting on the couch barely audible and unable to get up.   Anita, unable to assist him to the car, called 911 and paramedics arrived. One of the paramedics stated, “oh great, you’re going to infect us all.”  The Chief says to Anita, “ask for Remdesivir; it helped a buddy of mine.” 

He was taken to the Little Company of Mary in San Pedro where he was placed on high-flow oxygen and sent straight to the Intensive Care Unit. Philip was worried and kept asking and texting Anita saying that they are taking forever with medication; he was obviously distressed. The first week he seemed to progress until the doctors and nurses changed. Remdesivir was given for a couple of days, stopped and then started again.  The communication went away with the rotation change and they were not telling Anita anything that was transpiring stating, “I can’t give you any information” and pushing she ask for the nurse floor manager. 

The doctor finally called and stated that he’s going on a vent “just to give him a break because he’s tired, Anita, and he needs a break.” Anita gets to FaceTime him prior but is unable to hear him over the machines.

Soon after venting the charge nurse calls and asks Anita if the doctor has called her and wants to know if she is still Covid positive, If not, she needs to come to the hospital. Asking why, Anita is told that Philip went into cardiac arrest after being vented. Anita arrives and a nurse was on the phone talking about the patient in Room 111, Philip’s room, when another nurse indicated to her that Anita could hear. The nurse on the phone changes her tone and tells the person on the other end of the line, “need to call you back” and the nurse tells her that Philip went into cardiac arrest again and there was an air bubble in his lung. 

Entering Philip’s room Anita reaches out to touch him, his skin ice cold, and his eyes drifting in different directions. Anita didn’t want him to be a vegetable; she knew he wouldn’t want to live with disabilities after living such an active life. The guilt sets in and she is thinking, “I should have done something different.”

Philip was loved by so many. His passion as a tattoo artist will live on with his art. Philip was the youngest of his family and loved by anyone who knew him.

If you would like to support our work on The Remembrance Project, you can either pay for a monthly or annual subscription or buy us a coffee at:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AFLN2021.