Family: Heart Attack Victim Moved for Michael Jackson

[Blue Diadem]

Family Says Woman Died After Hospital Moved Her to Accommodate Flu-Stricken Pop Star
By 20/20 CORRESPONDENT JIM AVILA and BETH TRIBOLET

Feb. 25, 2005 — A woman who had suffered a massive heart attack died after hospital personnel moved her out of a trauma room to accommodate a flu-stricken Michael Jackson, the patient's family said.

Jury selection in Jackson's child molestation child had to be temporarily postponed Feb. 15 when the pop star was taken to Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, Calif., complaining of flu-like symptoms. Manuela Gomez Ruiz, a 74-year-old grandmother, was moved from the primary trauma room and taken off the machine ventilator, with her breathing instead assisted manually by hand pump, until she was relocated to a smaller room nearby, her family told ABC News.

The larger room was kept for Jackson, the family says. Hospital records show Jackson, 46, told emergency room staff he had severe abdominal pain. His body temperature, 96.9 degrees, was below normal and he had tears in his eyes. The initial emergency room report said he could go home anytime.

There was no doubt Jackson was sick — as a doctor assured the judge presiding over his trial — but how sick? Ruiz's daughter-in-law says she watched as Jackson entered the emergency room

more here:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/MichaelJackson/story?id=529513

[Blue_Tires]

1. that is nothing new

hospitals always pull out all the stops for movie stars, athletes, politicians, etc....these people ask for preferential treatment, and get it.

I read somewhere that Julia Roberts displaced an ENTIRE maternity ward to give birth to her twins. And don't think they can't pull some strings if they are on the waiting list for an organ transplant (Mickey Mantle)

[funkhowser]

3. more from the link

"Why does she have to be moved if he's coming in for a stomach flu?" Ortiz said. "I said, 'My mother just had a heart attack and I think it's more critical than a stomach flu.' They didn't say anything."

How does this sit medical ethically?

I've been to an ER before for chest pain (turned out to be gas/stress) and if you come in with a complaint of chest pain, you go right to the front of the line. You're escorted immediately into the cardiac suite of the ER and they go right to shaving your arms/hands to start IVs ... they pull out the meds to have them available to mix a "cardiac cocktail", they're dosing you with nitro, and they take it VERY seriously, until the lab results on cardiac enzymes come back indicating no cardiac event is happening.

But, I guess the fading pop star prevails and this 73 (I think that was the quoted age) year old woman, who was obviously in a real bad state (had 2 additional heart attacks that day), can just get out of the way. She probably had Medicare anyways and they weren't going to generate any revenue off of her (sarcasm). How sad for the extended family.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. The Tabloid Court of Public Opinion will now come to Disorder

Yes, indeed, we will be offered a new object for our national Two Minutes' Hate sessions. Soon, we will hear all about how Michael Jackson pulls the wings off butterflies, steals candy from babies, and brazenly jaywalks without consequence.

After all, the real news is always about such trivial and depressing things, like oil prices, presidential lying, political fraud, international warfare, genocide, dangerous medications, torture, disease and poverty. Thank God we have a new outlet for our pedo rage to take our minds off the picayune stuff.

--p!

[Maine-ah]

4. my husband just said

"was the smaller room closer to a children's ward?" I know, thats bad! I hate how celebrities get preferential treatment, and this one is over the top!

[7th_Sephiroth]

5. Michael Jackson: Accuse pedophile, Proved Murderer

[THUNDER HANDS]

6. let me guess, private hospital, right?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Judi Lynn]

7. I heard people discussing it on a local radio station this morning

They mentioned the family hopes to go after Michael Jackson personally, and it was expressed that there is NO WAY he would have known their relative's life was being endangered because he was taken to the hospital.

Outlandish, absurd, preposterous to even bring it up.

They should separate their need for facing grief head-on, and it comes to EVERYONE, from their wish to take a shot at a wealthy stranger of whom they actually know absolutely nothing.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. I don't blame Jackson for this...

I'm no fan of his; but the responsibility for this woman's death lies solely with the hospital.

They need to have the courage to treat all patients the same. Any celebrity who can't deal with that can build a hospital for the priveleged and boorish.

[Blue_Tires]

9. yes

the fault here is with the hospital staff/administration