Oladipo Ademola

The following is my father’s account of the last days of Mama on Earth.

On the 31st of March 2006, the above named Mama of 84 years was taken to your hospital at about 4pm with two different complaints of

1. mild swollen instep of the two legs
2. frequent urinating
   

The Doctor-in-Charge diagnosed the first complaint as SOMETHING BLOCKAGE, while a test of (RBS) was quickly carried out to rule out or confirm DIABETES for the second complaint. The result according to the Doctor was positive thereby confirming Mama a diabetic patient.

A lot of argument ensued between the Doctor and myself, I protested vehemently that Mama was never diabetic and that all the tests carried out in two different private hospitals and LAGOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (LUTH) as at August 2005 proved NEGATIVE. I was of a very strong opinion that Mama could not have developed DIABETES overnight and that a similar complaint of frequent urinating was attended to at LUTH, and an infection was diagnosed and treated.

However, after a very long argument, the Doctor had his way, hinging his authority on the level of his competence and professionalism. Consequently, some drugs were dished out while INSULIN injection for three days was recommended. One dose was given to Mama immediately while the final two were programmed for her at home by one of the Nurses for the following Saturday and Sunday respectively. We were therefore asked to keep the injections for the two days in a refrigerator. All the drugs and the insulin injections are still with me.

A few hours after the injection was given, Mama collapsed to a point of complete coma. Unfortunately, I was no longer in Ikirun and it was getting late for me to leave where I was then for Ikirun.

As early as 6:30am on Saturday, I was in Ikirun in the company of my cousin, Hon Tokunbo Oyedokun – a retired Air Force Officer/Nurse to meet Mama still in coma. We took her back to your hospital and the Doctor who attended to Mama the previous day arrived to meet us in the hospital at about 8:15am.

He was taken up by my cousin, being a retired Nurse. He kicked against the insulin injection given to Mama, rather, he was of the view that other tests such as Urine and Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) ought to have been carried out in the first place. The Doctor admitted but insisted on carrying out another quick test of RBS. This he did with yet a positive result.

At that juncture, my cousin was of the opinion that may be the equipment was faulty but whether faulty or not, he stood his ground on his earlier claim of insufficient tests and needless administration of insulin injection as a STARTING TREATMENT even for a confirmed diabetic patient moreso in the absence of all the required tests.

Anyway at about 8:30am, Mama was rushed to LAUTECH on your Doctor’s advice with a referral letter because the situation has resulted into stroke. The history again that Mama never had.

It was a very long story at LAUTECH, but Mama was revived from the INSULIN COMA after about 48 hours. All the necessary tests – URINE, FBS and RBS carried out at LAUTECH proved NEGATIVE, alas Mama is NOT DIABETIC.

It is therefore obvious that your Doctor has committed an error of medical judgement by declaring Mama a diabetic patient and by rushing into giving INSULIN injection without caution despite my advice on Mama’s medical history.

All in all, Mama was in the hospital for a total period of 21 days. Disgustingly, no member of your hospital including the said Doctor felt it necessary to pay a courtesy visit to Mama until after eleven (11) solid days when I decided to visit your hospital to intimate the Doctor of my impending action of litigation for negligence of duty. A visit was thereafter made to LAUTECH on Thursday 13th April 2006 by the Doctor under reference.

Mama was later discharged to my younger sister’s house in Ikirun as an OUTPATIENT. She is yet to regain her former self, she is more of a burden to the entire household, because she can no longer stand firmly on her legs, rather, she totters, consequently, she has to be assisted in all that she should do naturally by herself. THIS IS UNFORTUNATE.

The total expenses incurred in this regard cannot be accurately ascertained because of the mental and social trauma involved. I am based in Lagos and had to relocate to Eripa for the total number of days involved, this development affected my business very seriously. My younger ones slept in the hospital for the total number of days and also abandoned their own businesses. The experience in that hospital is better imagined.