Great Video - Wounds After The War

[Guest guest]

A land soldier is recovering at Shock Trauma from yet another

surgery since he was wounded in Iraq.

WBAL - Baltimore,MD

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/13209329/detail.html

The Towson High School graduate is the center of an emotional debate

about the quality of his care at Walter Army Medical Center.

Images

WBAL-TV 11 news I-Team reporter Deborah Weiner investigated these

wounds after the war.

On Nov. 10, 2006, an IED exploded in Ramadi, Iraq -- critically

injuring 22-year-old Army Spec. Major, who is just two feet

away from the explosion.

The only relief his mother can experience is when she learns he will

be treated in the United States near their land home. That

relief for Lorrie Knight-Major will be short-lived.

" I don't believe, " said Knight-Major. " Had I not been there? Knowing

that my son would have survived Walter ? I don't believe so. "

's days include grueling physical therapy as he begins a life

without legs. While his right leg was lost in the blast, his

severely injured left leg was amputated six days after he arrived at

Walter .

" I can not say with absolute certainty that the leg would have been

saved, " Knight-Major said. " But with absolute certainty, I can say

that my son received substandard care. And because of the

substandard care, it necessitated his leg being amputated. "

Major also suffers from traumatic brain injury. At his mother's

request, 11 News did not interview him for this report, but Weiner

met briefly with him.

" What happened to at Walter Army Medical Center? During

his six week stay, we primarily know from Lorrie's detailed

account, " Weiner reported. " Because not only is she his mother who

held a constant vigil, she is a nurse who has worked in critical

care in two Baltimore hospitals and managed a long term medical unit

with patients on ventilators. "

In those first few days at Walter , Major was very sick with

fever and being treated with a number of antibiotics. Concerned he

is not improving, Knight-Major suspected a fungal infection and said

she asked for an infectious disease expert to be called in and for

anti-fungal medications to be started.

She said her requests are denied several times.

" You're seeing your son die before your eyes and they won't allow an

infectious disease doctor to give an expert opinion, " Knight-Major

said.

Knight-Major's close friend, Dr. Hilliard -- a clinical

pharmacist at Northwest Hospital -- is there in those early days

with her.

" An infectious disease expert would be able to look at a patient and

think, 'what are we not treating here? " Hilliard said.

Three days after he arrives at Walter , Knight-Major said a

medical resident told her that her son's remaining leg is so badly

infected, it must go.

" I then consented to my son's left leg being amputated to save his

life, " Knight-Major said.

The day after that amputation, Knight-Major is surprised to learn

doctors need to amputate part of her son's left hand as well.

" In my mind, I'm just thinking they're cutting my child away, one

day at a time, " she said.

What she later found out confirmed for her what she had feared from

the start. Major did have a dangerous fungal infection. In a lab

report, a pathologist, who had looked at the amputated leg, reported

seeing a number of fungi, including one " consistent with

aspergillus " -- the rare but potentially deadly fungus that can

travel to the brain.

He suggested a " culture " for a definitive identification --

something Knight-Major thought should have been done when her son

still had the leg.

" I felt like I was in a twilight zone, " she said. " The way they were

managing his care. "

Despite the amputation, Major still had the dangerous aspergillus in

his body. It was confirmed with a culture of his left stump.

Hospital records showed the antifungal medication that Knight-Major

said she requested before the amputation begins five days after

Major's leg is gone.

A vascular surgeon cautioned that the issue of limb loss is a

complicated one.

In terms of protocol at Walter , a hospital spokesman

said " cultures are not routine standard of care in normal healthy

appearing tissues. " and that " most wounds appear normal. " Because of

privacy issues, he could not say how Major's wounds appeared.

Dr. Sharon Henry treated Major at land Shock Trauma. Weiner

asked her about Knight-Major's concerns.

" Can she take her emotions out of it and look objectively at what

happened? " Henry said. " Of course she can't. And why should she?

That's her kid. "

While Knight-Major has many of her son's medals including his Purple

Heart, she has been unable to obtain his official medical records

from the Army.

Since March 8, land Rep. Van Hollen has been trying as

well, citing what he called the " serious issues " rose in this case.

He said the military has been " less than forthcoming. "

Sen. Ben Cardin is recommending that Major's mother testify on

Capitol Hill in congressional hearings on Walter .

" Obviously, this mother has been very aggressive to take care of he

needs of her son and has been successful to make sure that her son

is going to be able to recover, " Cardin said. " She shouldn't have to

do that. "

As for Major, he is a wounded soldier known for his smile and his

deep love of his mother.

Major-Knight remains his greatest advocate catching him when he

falls and hoping the falls are only small ones.

There is some confusion over Knight-Major's request for Major's

medical records. The hospital said it hasn't received certain

paperwork from her, but she said that's not the case.

Walter said its medical records administrator would call Knight-

Major to expedite the process of getting her son's medical records.

[Guest guest]

THATS JUST REALLY MESSED UP.

>

> A land soldier is recovering at Shock Trauma from yet another

> surgery since he was wounded in Iraq.

>

> WBAL - Baltimore,MD

>

> http://www.wbaltv.com/news/13209329/detail.html

>

> The Towson High School graduate is the center of an emotional

debate

> about the quality of his care at Walter Army Medical Center.

>

> Images

>

>

> WBAL-TV 11 news I-Team reporter Deborah Weiner investigated these

> wounds after the war.

>

> On Nov. 10, 2006, an IED exploded in Ramadi, Iraq -- critically

> injuring 22-year-old Army Spec. Major, who is just two feet

> away from the explosion.

>

> The only relief his mother can experience is when she learns he

will

> be treated in the United States near their land home. That

> relief for Lorrie Knight-Major will be short-lived.

>

> " I don't believe, " said Knight-Major. " Had I not been there?

Knowing

> that my son would have survived Walter ? I don't believe so. "

>

> 's days include grueling physical therapy as he begins a life

> without legs. While his right leg was lost in the blast, his

> severely injured left leg was amputated six days after he arrived

at

> Walter .

>

> " I can not say with absolute certainty that the leg would have been

> saved, " Knight-Major said. " But with absolute certainty, I can say

> that my son received substandard care. And because of the

> substandard care, it necessitated his leg being amputated. "

>

> Major also suffers from traumatic brain injury. At his mother's

> request, 11 News did not interview him for this report, but Weiner

> met briefly with him.

>

> " What happened to at Walter Army Medical Center? During

> his six week stay, we primarily know from Lorrie's detailed

> account, " Weiner reported. " Because not only is she his mother who

> held a constant vigil, she is a nurse who has worked in critical

> care in two Baltimore hospitals and managed a long term medical

unit

> with patients on ventilators. "

>

> In those first few days at Walter , Major was very sick with

> fever and being treated with a number of antibiotics. Concerned he

> is not improving, Knight-Major suspected a fungal infection and

said

> she asked for an infectious disease expert to be called in and for

> anti-fungal medications to be started.

>

> She said her requests are denied several times.

>

> " You're seeing your son die before your eyes and they won't allow

an

> infectious disease doctor to give an expert opinion, " Knight-Major

> said.

>

> Knight-Major's close friend, Dr. Hilliard -- a clinical

> pharmacist at Northwest Hospital -- is there in those early days

> with her.

>

> " An infectious disease expert would be able to look at a patient

and

> think, 'what are we not treating here? " Hilliard said.

>

> Three days after he arrives at Walter , Knight-Major said a

> medical resident told her that her son's remaining leg is so badly

> infected, it must go.

>

> " I then consented to my son's left leg being amputated to save his

> life, " Knight-Major said.

>

> The day after that amputation, Knight-Major is surprised to learn

> doctors need to amputate part of her son's left hand as well.

>

> " In my mind, I'm just thinking they're cutting my child away, one

> day at a time, " she said.

>

> What she later found out confirmed for her what she had feared from

> the start. Major did have a dangerous fungal infection. In a lab

> report, a pathologist, who had looked at the amputated leg,

reported

> seeing a number of fungi, including one " consistent with

> aspergillus " -- the rare but potentially deadly fungus that can

> travel to the brain.

>

> He suggested a " culture " for a definitive identification --

> something Knight-Major thought should have been done when her son

> still had the leg.

>

> " I felt like I was in a twilight zone, " she said. " The way they

were

> managing his care. "

>

> Despite the amputation, Major still had the dangerous aspergillus

in

> his body. It was confirmed with a culture of his left stump.

> Hospital records showed the antifungal medication that Knight-Major

> said she requested before the amputation begins five days after

> Major's leg is gone.

>

> A vascular surgeon cautioned that the issue of limb loss is a

> complicated one.

>

> In terms of protocol at Walter , a hospital spokesman

> said " cultures are not routine standard of care in normal healthy

> appearing tissues. " and that " most wounds appear normal. " Because

of

> privacy issues, he could not say how Major's wounds appeared.

>

> Dr. Sharon Henry treated Major at land Shock Trauma. Weiner

> asked her about Knight-Major's concerns.

>

> " Can she take her emotions out of it and look objectively at what

> happened? " Henry said. " Of course she can't. And why should she?

> That's her kid. "

>

> While Knight-Major has many of her son's medals including his

Purple

> Heart, she has been unable to obtain his official medical records

> from the Army.

>

> Since March 8, land Rep. Van Hollen has been trying as

> well, citing what he called the " serious issues " rose in this case.

> He said the military has been " less than forthcoming. "

>

> Sen. Ben Cardin is recommending that Major's mother testify on

> Capitol Hill in congressional hearings on Walter .

>

> " Obviously, this mother has been very aggressive to take care of he

> needs of her son and has been successful to make sure that her son

> is going to be able to recover, " Cardin said. " She shouldn't have

to

> do that. "

>

> As for Major, he is a wounded soldier known for his smile and his

> deep love of his mother.

>

> Major-Knight remains his greatest advocate catching him when he

> falls and hoping the falls are only small ones.

>

> There is some confusion over Knight-Major's request for Major's

> medical records. The hospital said it hasn't received certain

> paperwork from her, but she said that's not the case.

>

> Walter said its medical records administrator would call

Knight-

> Major to expedite the process of getting her son's medical records.

>

[Guest guest]

Sad story.

" Most wounds look NORMAL " ?? Since when is injured skin normal and

healthy looking? Ridiculous.

Getting records: I hate to get started on this subject but..

Medical records get harder and harder to get. I really get ugly

when anyone gives me trouble about receiving my medical records.

I've asked for and kept records of medical care since I was in my

20's and had few doctor visits. I read it was a good idea to keep

them so doctor can look back and see what normal is for 'me', and my

history of course. However it gets harder and harder to get them.

They make you jump through hoops, i.e. come and pick them up in

person, charge you although they are free to doctor, sign all kinds

of papers (who would get angry at them for giving them to the

patient??)and other ridiculous stuff. I'm sooooooo fed up and

wonder other people are not. NOW, when I fill out new patient

paperwork and they ask for a signature to be able to reveal info

about me to other, I fill it out that only person they can reveal

info to, besides doctor I'm seeing then, is ME!! Then they try to

explain to me how to fill it out like I'm a moron. They are the one

who isn't 'getting it'. Everyone can get your records easily but

you. I've had people 'make deals' with me, sign it and I will get a

copy of records first, ready for me when I leave office, etc. lol.

> >

> > A land soldier is recovering at Shock Trauma from yet

another

> > surgery since he was wounded in Iraq.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Barb, you read my mind.this is one of the reasons I'm in such a foul

mood. like they, grrr, nevermind.

> Getting records: I hate to get started on this subject but..

> Medical records