rumpshakers Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 I'm speechless, damn people dont know left from right http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/04/05/botched.surgery.ap/index.html LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- An Air Force veteran has filed a federal claim after an operation at a Veterans Administration hospital in which a healthy testicle was removed instead of a potentially cancerous one. Benjamin Houghton, 47, was to have had his left testicle removed June 14 at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center because there was a chance it could harbor cancer cells. It also was atrophied and painful. But doctors mistakenly removed the right testicle, according to medical records and the claim, which seeks $200,000 for future care and unspecified damages. He still hasn't had the other testicle removed. "At first I thought it was a joke," Houghton told the Los Angeles Times. "Then I was shocked. I told them, 'What do I do now?"' Houghton, his wife, Monica, and their attorney, Dr. Susan Friery, said they hoped to get the VA's attention by going public with the situation. Dr. Dean Norman, chief of staff for the Greater Los Angeles VA system, has formally apologized to Houghton and his wife. "We are making every attempt that we can to care for Mr. Houghton, but it's in litigation, and that's all we can tell you," he said. The hospital changed practices as a result of the case, he added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Washington Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 I'm speechless, damn people dont know left from rightHoughton, his wife, Monica, and their attorney, Dr. Susan Friery, said they hoped to get the VA's attention by going public with the situation. that sucks. i heard the VA takes its time making things right when they screw up. otherwise you can't beat it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Y'know, I'd give my left nut to see . . . (OTOH, how much are your nuts worth when you're 47?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 I'm speechless, damn people dont know left from right This doesn't surprise me. About 18 years ago I went to Georgetown Univeristy hospital to have a right tympanomastoidectomy. While they were setting up in the operating room they put the arm support for the i.v. on my right side (which would block access to my right ear). A nurse came in and told the person setting it up that it was on the wrong side. Fortunately someone was paying attention and they moved it to the other side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 This explains by Sarge is so angry all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpshakers Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 This explains by Sarge is so angry all the time. Ouch............you know Sarge is coming for you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 We were talking about this yesterday at work. If I ever have to get a limb amputated, I'm taking a sharpie and writing on the other limb "THIS IS THE GOOD LEG!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 My neighbor went in for back surgery and they operated on the wrong disc. He needs a cane to walk for the rest of his life, and he has to wear morphene patches 24/7. It happens. Doctors are human too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 We were talking about this yesterday at work. If I ever have to get a limb amputated, I'm taking a sharpie and writing on the other limb "THIS IS THE GOOD LEG!" (Imagining a doctor seeing that and saying "So, we're good to operate on this one?") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy28 Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 (Imagining a doctor seeing that and saying "So, we're good to operate on this one?") Ok, ok. Maybe I should revise that."WRONG LEG. THAT'S THE BAD ONE -->" :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 This explains by Sarge is so angry all the time. Yeah, at least if they'd removed his left testicle he might still be happy...after all, he's right-handed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRSmith Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 So did they operate to get the cancerous one? And I hope they offered a flase set for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 I heard the singer from The Crash Test Dummies has an extra to spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 This explains by Sarge is so angry all the time. Classic, just classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blighty Skins Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 This reminds me when I had my hernia operated. The surgeon asked me about 20 times which side it was on before the pre-op chat and this after he physically examined me...I thought he was a moron, but in fact those are the good surgeons. They don't leave any room for error. Then in the pre-op he marked it with two black arrows with a permanent marker which side it was on. Is that so hard? Marking it with an arrow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 This reminds me when I had my hernia operated. The surgeon asked me about 20 times which side it was on before the pre-op chat and this after he physically examined me...I thought he was a moron, but in fact those are the good surgeons. They don't leave any room for error. Then in the pre-op he marked it with two black arrows with a permanent marker which side it was on. Is that so hard? Marking it with an arrow? funny you mention that. When had shoulder surgery, I wondered how they made sure. Then the nurse came in, asked which shoulder. She marked it with a pen. then the Dr. came in, acted like he didn't see the mark, asked the same question and marked it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stwasm Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 We were talking about this yesterday at work. If I ever have to get a limb amputated, I'm taking a sharpie and writing on the other limb "THIS IS THE GOOD LEG!" Isn't that what Candace did when she had her knee operation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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