Welcome to Abbys Journey!
Please take a moment of your time to dive into the touching journey of Abby, a spirited young girl whose life took an unexpected turn due to medical negligence.
This heart-wrenching experience has fueled our family’s passion to advocate for patients like Abby, bringing to light the silent dangers of neglect in our Canadian Healthcare System.
We’re here to share Abby’s story, to rally support around her, and to raise awareness about the often-overlooked risks patients face.
Stay tuned for an engaging video recounting Abby’s journey – a testament to resilience and the power of family. Thank you for standing with us as we strive to make a difference in not just Abby’s life but also in our Canadian Healthcare System.
The Domino Effect
"Vicious Vortex of Negligence"
Abby was a bright and lively child, her future full of potential, until she became a victim of medical negligence that unfolded in July 2019. Abby had an Asthma attack that was sparked from a common cold while my mother was babysitting as I was on vacation.
Abby’s trip to the emergency room became a traumatic experience, defined by numerous incidences of medical oversights and pure negligence that led to a life-threatening situation and lifelong damage to her lungs. The heart-breaking part is that this could have been avoided if these “medical professionals” and hospital had of done their jobs appropriately.
Abby needed urgent medical attention for her asthma, which is why my mother took her to the local hospital to see medical professionals. The nurse that was in charge of Abby’s care was supposed to use the Pediatric Respiratory Assessment Measures Score (PRAM Score) and The Children’s Hospital Early Warning Score (CHEW Score) to assess the severity of Abby’s symptoms, which would have given her the medication Abby required. These Assessments are critical protocols for managing Asthma attacks and other life-threatening conditions to avoid life threatening complications, these assessments were not completed which means they were not followed.
"Why Have Policy, Procedures and Protcols?"
Despite Abby’s deteriorating condition, the Nurse failed to provide appropriate treatment or escalate her care urgently to the doctor who was not in the Emergency department. The gross negligence of the nurse was compounded by shortages in vital departments like Respiratory and Radiology, leading to a dangerous delay of the essential assessments and interventions Abby required.
I want everyone to understand, this nurse was not busy with emergencies, she was not overrun with work. She was sitting at the nurse’s desk relaxing, doing absolutely nothing this was not an oversight due to staffing shortages in her department, the Emergency room had very few patients admitted and the ones who were in the emergency department were sleeping, it was a very quiet night. This was intentional neglect and pure laziness which resulted in the critical failures in my daughter’s care.
Throughout the night, my mother witnessed firsthand the gross neglect my daughter suffered at the hands of the nurse. My mother tried to intervene, she begged the nurse for help, and she was met with the nurse being rude and refusing to help. The nurse signed another nurse’s name to Abby’s paperwork, the nurse that neglected my daughter did not sign her real name to anything on my daughter’s chart, Vital signs were inaccurately reported, Abby’s worsening symptoms were ignored, and necessary medications were documented as given when they were not. Despite my mother’s desperate pleas, the nurse repeatedly failed to reassess Abby’s condition or call the doctor back to the Emergency Department. Instead, she increased Abby’s oxygen to dangerously high amounts for a child Abby’s age without proper evaluation, a decision that could have had fatal consequences.
...Continued From Above
I want to be very clear this is not a case of mistaken identity, we know who this nurse is, we know her real name and nowhere on Abby’s chart did she sign her own name. Not only is this fraudulent for impersonating another nurse but it is disgraceful that a nurse could care so little about human life.
Just when you think Abby’s situation couldn’t get any worse it does! Abby’s condition continued to deteriorate in the morning hours, the Respiratory Therapist was finally requested during the morning shift. This respiratory Therapist did everything he could do, however, after 1 hour and 15 minutes of trying to turn Abby’s condition around, he recommended Abby be given magnesium sulphate (which is a drug that is used in severe Asthma Attacks to open airways up when traditional treatment fails) as well as recommended Abby be transported to a pediatric facility.
Abby's Hospital NightMare ....
During this time the morning nurse performed a Children’s Hospital Early Warning Assessment on Abby, and the result came back as Abby being critical. There was a failure to communicate the gravity of the situation to our family. My mother was standing right beside Abby, and I was on my way home and neither one of us were notified of the seriousness of her condition. It was only through her medical file that we later learned the full extent of the hospital’s neglect, including the fact that Abby’s care was impeded because the doctor overseeing her care in the morning refused to transfer her promptly to a pediatric facility as he felt she was not unstable enough, a statement that has been deeply upsetting to our family.
The worst part of this section of Abby’s morning was we did not know Abby was admitted, we thought she was still being seen by the “Emergency Room Physician” as that is the only doctor we had seen that morning. I talked to the Emergency Room Physician via facetime, unbeknownst to us she was called in on a consult by the night doctor before he left from his shift at 7 am, she was trying a few more interventions to attempt opening Abby’s airways.
What Other Families Are Saying
Continuation of Abbys Journey ...
The doctor who was in charge of Abby’s care did not assess Abby, he had the nurse assess Abby and he wrote down the nurses’ findings, the nurse covered the negligence up by writing in Abby’s chart that “the attending” physician was assessing Abby, which never happened. When this doctor was notified, Abby was critical he stated that Abby was not unstable enough for transport and he was seeing his own patients and would be in later and repeated this twice. It is clear to me Abby’s mother that his patients in his clinic meant more to him than my critical 3-year-old little girl. This entry in Abby’s chart broke my heart as how can he say she was not unstable enough; how could he shrug her care off and refuse to treat her.
The pain and trauma of this incident are etched into my family’s memory—The heart-wrenching drive back from vacation, the fear of losing Abby, The trauma and pain of Abby’s screams and cries in the trauma bay while they waited for life flight to arrive, the image that is burned into my parent’s memories of her being loaded into a helicopter screaming for my mother, watching helplessly from the parking lot as Abby was airlifted to the hospital. Our family’s trust in the medical system has been deeply shaken, Abby has developed anxiety and fear that persist years later.
Abby’s story is not just about a series of medical errors; it’s a blatant example of how systemic failures and individual negligence combine to cause irreversible harm. It’s a cautionary journey about the critical importance of following medical protocols and the devastating impact when they are not followed. Abby, once a child with a promising future, now faces a lifelong battle and permanent lung damage because of the night she was let down by those entrusted with her care in place she should have been safe.
Abbys Video Message To Mommy
The Ripple Effect
Abby who is now 8 years old battles Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis which is a lung condition that not very common and is wildly underdiagnosed in Canada. Non-CF childhood bronchiectasis is a lung condition that affects children who do not have cystic fibrosis (CF). In simple terms, bronchiectasis causes the airways in the lungs, called bronchi, to become widened and damaged over time. This damage can lead to the buildup of mucus, which can cause infections and breathing difficulties.
For Abby, everyday activities like enjoying ice cream or laughing with friends can trigger coughing and breathing problems, needing medication to help her breathe. She was diagnosed with this condition alongside asthma and recurrent lung lobular collapses (Atelectasis).
The initial cause of Abby’s bronchiectasis was a mucus plug in 2019, which went unnoticed by her medical team. When she returned to school for 1 year and interacting with others, her symptoms have become more obvious and severe, leading to frequent illnesses and missed school days.
Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, if not properly managed, can lead to several complications. It primarily results in repeated lung infections due to damaged airways that hinder mucus clearance, leading to frequent infections. Over time, airway damage worsens, causing scarring and significant breathing difficulties, especially during physical activities. A chronic, persistent cough that produces a large amount of mucus is a key symptom. Individuals may also experience significant fatigue as the body expends energy clearing the lungs and fighting infections. Occasionally, the airways may bleed, leading to blood in the mucus. In severe cases, the lungs can fail to provide enough oxygen to the body or remove carbon dioxide, resulting in life-threatening respiratory failure. Chronic lung diseases like bronchiectasis can also increase the risk of heart problems by raising pressure in the arteries between the heart and lungs.
The goal of treating bronchiectasis, including non-CF bronchiectasis, is to manage symptoms and prevent further lung damage. However, these treatments can have side effects or negatively impact quality of life over the long term. Treatments that weaken the immune system can increase infection risks. Long-term antibiotic use can lead to antibiotic resistance, complicating future treatments. Some medications, including antibiotics, may cause gastrointestinal issues like stomach upset, nausea, or diarrhea. Additionally, drugs used for severe infections may cause hearing and kidney problems if not carefully monitored.
Abby experiences fatigue, weakness, respiratory distress, and nausea on a daily basis. Despite her resilience, Abby feels the physical and emotional weight of her condition, from fear of playing outside to feeling upset about her situation.
In short, Abby’s condition affects her lungs and makes it harder for her to breathe and be active like other kids her age. It’s a challenging journey for her and our family, and we are working towards finding the best way to manage her symptoms, improve her quality of life, raise awareness for bronchiectasis and atelectasis as well as advocate for change!