Susan Sedgwick
Great BritainBiography of Susan Sedgwick
Susan Sedgwick, a 53-year-old British woman, tragically passed away due to multiple organ failure. Her grieving husband decided to sue the healthcare service after his wife died from this condition. Doctors sent her home with simple painkillers instead of conducting a full examination. Sedgwick, a former bank manager, was admitted to the hospital with severe abdominal pain. They discovered gallstones but simply sent her home with co-codamol tablets. Her husband claims that the doctors decided to forgo any further testing. Three days later, she was rushed to another hospital after experiencing a seizure at home. Three days after that, her loving husband had to give permission to disconnect Susan from life support. Death was the only way to end her excruciating suffering caused by multiple organ failure.
Medical Negligence and Lawsuit
Susan's 60-year-old husband, an engineer consultant, who had been married to her for 16 years, criticized the doctors for providing his wife with only simple painkillers containing paracetamol and codeine. He stated that he would file a lawsuit against the hospital for the "appalling level of care." He expressed his anger, saying, "I am furious. A simple operation could have saved my wife's life. Now I have no wife and no future." He continued, "I had to make the decision to turn off life support because she was in unbearable pain. It is one of the most heartbreaking decisions you will ever have to make. The duty to do so completely crushed me."
"But the hardest part is knowing that all of this could probably have been avoided if the doctors had done their job properly."
Susan Sedgwick's Medical History
Susan Sedgwick from Hopwood, Worcestershire, first learned about her gallstones in 2010 after undergoing a private medical examination at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. She was also diagnosed with diverticular disease of the colon at that time.
Sedgwick decided to switch to a healthy diet, which helped manage her condition. Three years later, on February 5, 2013, she was brought to the emergency department of the same hospital due to severe stomach pains that had become unbearable.
However, the doctors failed to determine that the gallstone had started moving, blocking Susan's digestive tract and causing acute pancreatitis. Her husband said, "Susan suffered terrible abdominal pain. She was examined by a junior doctor and a consultant. Both of them performed a physical examination, pressing on areas of her abdomen."
"They confirmed that she had gallstones, but they did nothing. No blood tests. No ultrasound. They said they could give her painkillers and that she wasn't that bad to be admitted."
The husband continued, "It was a simple, routine painkiller. There were no recommendations or advice given. They simply released her."
After this treatment, he scheduled an appointment for Susan at The Priory Hospital in Edgbaston, Birmingham. However, due to her sudden deterioration, she was urgently transferred to Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, Worcestershire. Later, she was moved to the Intensive Care Unit, where she ultimately passed away.
Her husband stated, "The doctors realized that she was very ill, and nothing could help her anymore."
A simple medical procedure conducted a few days earlier could have saved her life.
"The doctors could have detected the gallstone through a simple ultrasound," said Susan's husband. "Even simpler tests could have sufficed. But they just pressed on her stomach. They did nothing. They gave no advice. They didn't prescribe anything for the future. It's the lack of action that truly upset me."
"Susan led a very healthy lifestyle. She didn't abuse alcohol and ate nutritious food. She didn't deserve to die in this way. If the doctors had treated her differently, she would be here now."
He added, "I agreed to tell her story, hoping to save at least one person's life."
In a statement, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which is funded by the National Health Service, expressed its sincere condolences to Mr. Sedgwick regarding the death of his wife, Susan. They conducted a thorough investigation into the care provided to Mrs. Sedgwick in the emergency department.
"The investigation revealed that Mrs. Sedgwick did not have acute pancreatitis at the time of admission. Based on her symptoms, she received appropriate clinical care. Urgent surgery, which carries risks, was not required at that time."
