Infections at Lourdes Hospitals in Paducah KY Part 1

"Dr" Philip G. Hunt

Today's topic is one that is going to appear in several parts and is extremely important to us: infections in Kentucky hospitals (namely Lourdes Hospital). Its importance is undoubtedly due to the fact that my husband contracted an MSSA infection at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah KY during the original January 2013 surgery performed by none other than "orthopedic surgeon" Philip G. Hunt when he installed two Arthrex anchors and claimed he repaired my husband's shoulder tear.

This infection was left untreated intentionally for months, until it was finally treated by the infectious disease specialists at Washington University in St. Louis MO in August 2013 through February 2014 (and a month later there was an eye infection to deal with...but I'm getting ahead of myself).

My husband David felt there was something very wrong within days of the January 2013 surgery. Since his arm was to be completely immobile due to the sling and block provided to him (photo at right taken February 15, 2013) for six weeks, it was difficult to ascertain everything or pinpoint what was wrong.

The pain David felt was excruciating every second of every day, similar to a screwdriver being dug into you. Go ahead, grab one and jab yourself with it, I'll wait. That's what he lived with from January until August.

He could tell the problem was deep within a short time, and called Hunt's office within days to alert them of a problem. On the 6th, Hunt's office called in a prescription for Clindamycin and on the 11th we went to their office for a consultation. Hunt was nowhere to be found, we only saw his PA Tanna Vaughan, who said she couldn't imagine what the problem could be and proudly showed us some photos of the surgery. (note: when we requested the records from their office much later on, these photos were nowhere to be seen so it's hard telling if those were actual photos or not...they could have been stock photos they downloaded from the internet for all we know).  On that day, she suggested that David continue the Clindamycin so we filled the prescription while we were there and decided to try to salvage the day by going out to eat at Whaler's Catch, particularly since it was my birthday.

I felt horrible dragging David there, he was extremely uncomfortable and the sling was bothering him greatly already. If you can see it poking out, he had to tuck one of our fabric napkins under it to avoid any further irritation. He went through life just putting on a brave face for months.

This was the extent of our lives for a very long time. Snippets of trying to salvage a horrible situation or just trying to feel normal again. Unfortunately it never lasted very long, the pain would just be too great and we would have to return home so he could rest the best he could, which was nigh impossible.

Back to infections. Did you know that Kentucky has no laws regarding the reporting of infections? According to this website at http://www.hospitalinfection.org/state_reporting.shtml Kentucky is one of 13 states (and D. C.) that do not have any laws for reporting, although it is noted under State Reporting:
Kentucky

Kentucky hospitals are not required to report HAIs, and no legislation is pending on the subject. However, many hospitals in the state report HAI data to NHSN, and the information can be found using http://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/search.html. 

For more information, visit: http://chfs.ky.gov/dph/

I think you can see the disconcerting red for Lourdes Hospital. Keep in mind this is in regards to MRSA, and "voluntary information". My husband had MSSA which is apparently an enormous problem but rarely mentioned even in states that do have laws for reporting infections. MSSA nearly cost my husband his arm and his life; by the time he had his third surgery in August, he lost an extensive amount of bone due to it. Why pinpoint only certain infection types to be reported? Insane. 

What ARE the actual facts regarding patients that contract MSSA? Your guess is as good as mine. We have serious issues folks, how do these infections occur? Hunt claimed it was an "infected" anchor (the Arthrex ones) and indeed during the August surgery it appeared to be the origin of the infection. So, pray tell, how do two separately packaged anchors come to be infected? Not just the anchors. the THREADS of the anchors. We'll be discussing these anchors soon too. Did Hunt intentionally put MSSA on the anchors? Was it an accident? Later you will see why I'm asking these questions....

In a recent thread on the Topix forum, I happened across this recent entry by someone who apparently worked in surgery with Hunt:  

"coworker" wrote: "You wouldn't want to know how he is as a surgeonin [sic] surgery. I worked with him. No no no, don't go to him...he brings his coffee into a sterile environment all the time."

Even if Hunt didn't put the MSSA directly on the threads of the anchors himself, he is just as guilty if he is doing this sort of thing in a surgery. It's inexcusable. 

Still want to go to Hunt? Hope you're the praying sort, or very lucky, because that's the only thing going to save you. And don't bother reporting it to Lourdes Hospital, they aren't interested. More on them later too. 

Much more to come regarding infections later...

Another journey begins

Nothing gets done without starting it. Pretty basic, isn’t it? Yet the horrible ordeals that my husband David and I have endured for the past couple of years especially have been so wearing that neither of us have had the energy to do anything beyond bare existence each day, let alone any mental capabilities to string two sentences together. His pain, physical and mental, has been overwhelming. My pain, physical and mental, yet for far different reasons, has been overwhelming.

But today, my husband said the words, “I’m a survivor” and that has made all the difference. Today it begins. “It” has yet to take true form, but we know it will be in the realm of helping people that have also been harmed. Our stories, especially combined, are long and arduous, but hopefully they can be of value. This isn’t about dwelling on the past…far from it, it is dwelling on the future, and reassuring others that there can be a future. There are many like us that have survived, or trying to survive, yet feel so alone in what they are going through, that they have no voice. It is small wonder, we have found that few will listen and even fewer will take action.

Our ordeal began with “Dr.” Philip G. Hunt, of Paducah KY, a supposed orthopedic surgeon that attempted to destroy our lives. He failed miserably; just as he failed at the two botched surgeries he performed on my husband at Lourdes Hospital and installing two MSSA-infected anchors that he left untreated for months, and trying to kill him with an overdose of prescriptions. My husband nearly lost his arm, and has been disabled. My husband nearly died in front of me; of all the terrible things that have happened to me, that is the one that will haunt me forever.

We know Hunt has harmed others; they are now finally coming forward. He’s done this for a long time. This has tormented us since it all happened, knowing the others were out there. I know all the sleepless nights my husband has endured in pain unable to think of anything else. 

Now we see a purpose, to implement change where we can, help others get through what we fought so hard to get through alone. And this was just one doctor. There are plenty of others. And there are many that are complicit in allowing it to happen. We will expose them too. All of them that refused to help, or even listen, should be ashamed of themselves, and should be brought to book for the harm they do. This is not what humanity is supposed to be.

Things have to change. Many things in not only the medical field but in the legal and law enforcement fields. Laws need changed. Many things that are far too numerous to cover in one post, or to change in a day. Some may not change at all. But we can start. If you don’t start, it never will start. We have to take things one day at a time, be patient. We’ve been patient and we can continue to be patient. Slow and steady can win the race. Hard work will win the day.

Join this journey with us; don’t worry, we will take breaks along the way. Living in the beautiful Shawnee Forest near the Ohio River saved our lives and allowed us to heal. Heal with us. Our poor neglected Shawnee Forest Diaries blog will see the light of day again. It isn’t all doom and gloom: the wonderful doctors (orthopedic surgeon Dr. Aaron Chamberlain and Dr. David Warren of Infectious Diseases) and their staffs from Washington University at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis MO saved my husband, so there are heroes in our stories too.

There have to be heroes; we just have to find them. It isn’t like the movies where they are summoned by lifting a red handset or shining a light in the sky. Underdog won’t always fly in to save us at the last second; we aren’t all Sweet Polly Purebred. But they’re there. We’re here, and we know you are too. So, it begins at last.  

Together we can make a difference. Let’s make that difference…together.