RSS Feed

‘You’re too late, she’s dead’: What nurses told man who rushed to hospital to visit his dying mother (but she was alive in the next bed)

August 2nd, 2012 FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

  • Michael Driscoll’s wife noticed the dead body had the wrong colour hair
  • She began shouting: ‘This is not my mother-in-law!’
  • Couple said the weeks after the incident were ‘difficult and traumatic’
  • Health chiefs have apologised for the mistake

By
Emma Reynolds


PUBLISHED:

04:53 EST, 2 August 2012

|

UPDATED:

05:45 EST, 2 August 2012

Distressing mistake: Nurses told Ira Driscoll's family that she had died - but the 80-year-old (pictured) was alive and well in a neighbouring bed

Distressing mistake: Nurses told Ira Driscoll’s family that she had died – but the 80-year-old (pictured) was alive and well in a neighbouring bed

After getting a call telling him his 80-year-old mother was dying, Michael Driscoll rushed to the hospital to see her alive one more time.

But on arrival at Royal Glamorgan
Hospital in Llantrisant, South Wales, the 51-year-old was devastated to
learn that he was too late and his mother had passed away.

However, his despair soon turned to
shock after learning that the elderly woman they were being shown wasnot his mother Ira, who was actually still alive – and
lying in the neighbouring bed.

The mix-up was discovered by his wife
Andrea, also 51, who was taken behind the curtain to see the body first
as her husband composed himself.

She was initially horrified by the
apparent dramatic change in her mother-in-law’s appearance – before
realising the nurses’ mistake.

‘I went in first to allow Michael a
moment to gather his thoughts,’ said Mrs Driscoll. ‘A nurse walked me to
the bed with the curtains drawn and asked if I wanted her to come in
with me, but I said I’d be fine.

‘I went behind the curtain and
straight away thought: “What on earth has happened to my poor
mother-in-law?” Her face was swollen and puffy.

‘But when I went up to the head of the bed and saw this lady had white hair – Ira’s was brown.

‘I was in so much shock I started shouting hysterically: “This is not my mother-in-law!”’

Nurses then realised the mistake and took the aghast pair to see their elderly relative, who was alive in the neighbouring bed.

Health chiefs yesterday apologised for causing the family distress with their mistake.

The couple say that visiting the elder Mrs Driscoll in the weeks after the January incident were ‘difficult and traumatic’.

Terrible shock: Michael Driscoll and his wife Andrea said visiting the elderly woman at Royal Glamorgan Hospital, pictured, afterwards was 'difficult and traumatic'

Terrible shock: Michael Driscoll and his wife Andrea said visiting the elderly woman at Royal Glamorgan Hospital, pictured, afterwards was ‘difficult and traumatic’

Her daughter-in-law, a social services worker, said: ‘Luckily she slept through it all. We were very relieved to see her alive.’

Mrs Driscoll died a month later, a day before her 81st birthday.

The couple, from Pontypridd, South Wales, are now claiming compensation from Cwm Taf Health Board for the distress they suffered.

A board spokesman said: ‘Whilst we can confirm we have expressed our sincere apologies to Mr and Mrs Driscoll for this mistake, we cannot divulge any particulars of the case due to the legal complexities involved.’

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.



  • Newest


  • Oldest


  • Best rated


  • Worst rated

Yes its a terrible mistake, but compensation?

Report abuse

How nice for all of those who don’t work in the NHS to have the knowledge that they have never ever made an error at work, or relayed wrong information by accident or gone home after an exhausting day where you have helped many people but have to read how poor they are at their jobs.
As a hard working nurse for 25 years, I can assure everyone that the staff involved in this mistake (yes mistake, not pre-meditated effort to distress) felt and continue to feel bad about this.
Compensation, don’t make me laugh.

Report abuse

Better to be relieved your mother’s the one who is alive than being disappointed to find its not your mother who’s dead.

Report abuse

I know I would have been so happy she was still alive. There is a few times I could have sued the NHS
but would not dream of doing so everyone makes mistakes. What a bonus she was still alive.

Report abuse

This must of been devastating but why cash in on it seems very greedy and wrong

Report abuse

Compensation for what?
It was a mistake get over it.
Just be glad your mother IS alive
– Karen, Birmingham, 02/08/2012 13:24
Spot on Karen!!

Report abuse

Claiming compensation for distress?! I do hope they aren’t successful, as upsetting as it briefly was, get a grip and accept the apology.

Report abuse

It was a terrible mistake to have been made, I can’t imagine your grief for those 5 minutes before you got the miracle news that your mother was actually still alive! The miracle that meant you could hold her once more and ensure she knew how much you loved her! Explain again why you should sue our free NHS!!! I am sure the nursing staff involved were deeply sorry and mortified by their mistake.

Report abuse

I know mistakes are made but it must have been a horrible experience what would have happened if both these ladies had have no family I wonder, surely an apology would have been sufficient.

Report abuse

How on earth did the hospital manage to make a mistake like that? Dreadful. I understand that the Driscoll’s feel angry and upset by what has happened but unfortunately claiming compensation only makes it more likely that this kind of thing could happen to somebody else because the more understaffed the NHS is, the more mistakes will be made.

Report abuse

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Related posts:

Why I Have (Largely) Given Up on the Federal Government
100 Billion Popped Bubbles Later: Zynga's Bubble Safari Tops Facebook Gaming Chart
Internet providers bracing for calls about malware
News cycle exhausting pollies: Beattie
Mega Millions Winner In Illinois To Come Forward
Hollande seeks to keep Greece in euro
Posted in UK News Tags: ,
«
»
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes