My dad was down with heart valve disease and had an operation during sept 09. The operation for the valve repair was successful but somewhere in the middle of the operation, they broke the aorta which causes complication - aortic dissection. He nearly passed away that night and we were all shocked because the doctor told us that the mortality rate was 1%. But after the operation, he told us that the mortality was 70-80%.
Fortunately, he managed to pull through and was discharged one month later. Now, he will have to go for regular medical check up and the last time he went for the medical check up, the doctor told him that he is recovering and will only need to go for regular check once every 3 years.
However, Im a little worried because one of my neighbour passed away just few days ago. To my surprise, my neighbour was also down with heart valve disease and he was assured by the doctor that he had fully recovered. Yet, in less than two years, my neighbour passed away due to Heart Valve problem. (He just fainted and then gone)
After hearing about my neighbour's death, My dad has been thinking alot and keep asking me whether the doctor have told us about his lifespan and he keep saying things like usually no more than 5 years(Coz thats what the people in his company told him) . In fact, the doctor did not mention anything and all i could do was to do researching work on the internet. I feel rather helpless and do not know how to answer his question. What should i do?
Can we still trust the doctor?
Dear CfCJ,
Greetings to you, and I am sorry to hear about your father's and your plight. It must have been horrible to find out that a doctor, someone you willingly entrusted your loved one's life with has increased the chances of said loved one's fatality due to a mistake.
I strongly suggest that you seek help from a lawyer immediately to assess the situation and see what can be done. If you think you aren't able to afford such fees, then speak to someone from your community centre or FSC (Family Service Centre) for counselling help regarding this matter. If they are unable to help, you should try writing to the MP of your GRC.
I wish you all the best and hope for your father's speedy recovery.
Sincerely,
Naiwarai (���ら�)
Hi Naiwarai
Im from an average family in singapore. My sisters and i did thought of Legal action but we didnt go ahead because it will be fighting against government. We do not have that much of wealth and it might cause alot of trouble and stress to my dad.. thanks for your advise anyway. really appreciate it =)
CFCJ
CFCJ,
Not everyone is able to afford a lawyer, but that doesn't mean justice cannot be served for everyone. I don't quite understand what you meant when you said that you'd be fighting 'against government', though. The doctor is different from the hospital, although the hospital will try to defend their doctor first, but in no way would the government be fighting against you in court. Those are two different entities.
In any case, the more important issue now is about the doctor's performance. You are too kind to continue trusting your doctor after what happened, as most people would be too horrified to continue after the operation and immediate switch doctors. I do urge you to seek the medical opinion of other doctors to get a realistic gauge of his lifespan, though. Whether you want to trust this doctor or not is entirely up to you. Are you confident that he has done a good enough job and that it was just an accident? Or would you prefer someone who is more capable? Bearing in mind the situation, you can even have a case against him.
- naiwarai
Naiwarai
The reason which the doctor gave for the complication was due to my dad's artery vein wall being too thin as a result causing the complication. We do suspect that there might be existence of neglience coz nobody know what have happened inside the theatre.
Plus,the surgeon who performed the surgery was one of the most reputable and experienced surgeon in SGH. We dare not change the doctor as we do not have any contacts of other specialist who are reliable. I was wondering is it true to say that private hospital has got better specialist than the government ones?
CFCJ
While the lawyer is building up a case, you dad would have died.
Do you want that?
Isn't it better that you get another opinion on your dad, since you are not comfortable with the current doctor.
The first priority should be your dad's well being, not legal action.
i agreed with mancha you might want to go for 2nd opinon and your father would need to make lifestyle adjustment if necessary. What you want to do is to calm your father and not let him drift into this mental state and wasting energy on worrying about kicking the bucket.
Originally posted by ���ら�:Dear CfCJ,
Greetings to you, and I am sorry to hear about your father's and your plight. It must have been horrible to find out that a doctor, someone you willingly entrusted your loved one's life with has increased the chances of said loved one's fatality due to a mistake.
I strongly suggest that you seek help from a lawyer immediately to assess the situation and see what can be done. If you think you aren't able to afford such fees, then speak to someone from your community centre or FSC (Family Service Centre) for counselling help regarding this matter. If they are unable to help, you should try writing to the MP of your GRC.
I wish you all the best and hope for your father's speedy recovery.
Sincerely,
Naiwarai (���ら�)
i believe there are procedure on medical board to review such accident and if accident result in fatal it will be referred to police and there will be a police investigation and court hearing.
(At least that was what my family gone thru when one member of my family accidentally passed on between specialist, hospital surgeon and hospital nurse, the court finding told me what i already know. )
but in singapore I doubt the litigation attorney has the knowledge or medical skill to file for medical negligenece. And also our law maynot be patient friendly.
Singapore still have a long way to go......
for it to go to court...usually need expert to give their opinion...not cheap even if U can find a local doctor to do it...but I doubt U can even find a local one...the medical community here is not that big...everyone knows everyone kind of thing...especially at specialist and above level.
Originally posted by Xcert:for it to go to court...usually need expert to give their opinion...not cheap even if U can find a local doctor to do it...but I doubt U can even find a local one...the medical community here is not that big...everyone knows everyone kind of thing...especially at specialist and above level.
Thats right the legal proceding is just to cover their legal ass. I didn't even border to attend the hearing or find out cause i already know the outcome...everybody walked away.
Originally posted by Arapahoe:i believe there are procedure on medical board to review such accident and if accident result in fatal it will be referred to police and there will be a police investigation and court hearing.
(At least that was what my family gone thru when one member of my family accidentally passed on between specialist, hospital surgeon and hospital nurse, the court finding told me what i already know. )
but in singapore I doubt the litigation attorney has the knowledge or medical skill to file for medical negligenece. And also our law maynot be patient friendly.
Singapore still have a long way to go......
Actually right after my dad's operation (2 days later), there is another patient having the same heart problem and operation as my dad. but that patient was not so lucky and didnt make it out of the theatre. Before the operation there will be some documents tat requires you to sign. Things like they wont be responsible for certain event that causes complication. All the risks that was being told by the doctor are 1% which was so unrealistic!
I do agree with you that our law may not be patient friendly. Coz all the evidences are in their hand. God knows what they will do to all the documentation if legal issue are to arise. As for now, i will keep looking out for contacts of reliable specialist in singapore.
the human body is predictable yet in an unpredictable way.
do check out with the doctor regarding the diet requirements of your dad.
this type of thing is hard to say one
docs can oni comment based on test results and past records
but no one knows exactly the things going on the body tts undetected or oni known at a later stage, or it just happened
he shd go for regular checkups and take medication (if any) religiously
Sometimes everything is done correctly, diagnosed correctly, carried out according to the existing known procedures, and the operation was a success.
But the patient died.
命ä¸æ³¨å®š?
Yeah. If we fight life. life always win.=(
Originally posted by FireIce:命ä¸æ³¨å®š?
its a tricky question......what if you leave before your time is it still.... 命ä¸æ³¨å®š
Originally posted by FireIce:命ä¸æ³¨å®š?
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