How Not to Go Out in Style

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

I hope he had some fun, at least. I've always wondered what I would do if I got one of these kinds of diagnoses.

Death Takes a Holiday, Patient Goes Broke

Last Updated: Tuesday, May 8, 2007 | 1:00 PM ET

CBC News

A British man misdiagnosed with terminal cancer who lived his life as if there was no tomorrow is now asking for financial compensation after doctors admitted they were wrong.

John Brandrick, 62, was told two years ago he had terminal pancreatic cancer. He decided to spend his remaining time in style, quitting his job and spending his life savings on hotels, restaurants and holidays.

Brandrick even gave away his winter clothes to the Red Cross because he didn't think he'd need them come November, according to the Daily Telegraph. He and his partner, Sally, lived lavishly, expecting he wouldn't last long, said the paper.

A year later, doctors at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in southwestern England revised their diagnosis: Brandrick was suffering from pancreatitis, a non-fatal ailment.

Brandrick said that after living life to the fullest he must now sell his house.

"My life has been turned upside down by this," he told reporters.

"I was told certainly, by the doctor, that I had cancer and from that day I lived life in full. I was told I had limited time to live. I got rid of everything — my car, my clothes, everything."

Brandrick is hoping for an out-of-court settlement because he wants to avoid lawyers' fees.

He said he does not want to take the hospital to court, "but if they have made the wrong decision, they should pay me something back."

A hospital spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said doctors wouldn't have done anything differently.

"Whilst we do sympathize with Mr. Brandrick's position, clinical review of his case has not revealed that any different diagnosis would have been made at the time based on the same evidence," he said.

With files from the Associated Press

[Basher]

"You jackasses told me I was going to die, and now you tell me I'm going to live? Jerks!"

[edger]

Yeah... hard to feel sorry for this guy. I mean no one should ideally have to live with the agony of knowing they are going to die soon, if that isn't the case. But medical diagnoses are far from perfect. For example, my step-mom was informed that she had no blood relatives that were a suitable match for a bone marrow transplant. We were informed months later that an error had been made, and in fact her brother would be a match. By that time she was in no shape to be able to survive a transplant...this was extremely difficult to accept.

Herself, my family, (along with a hell of a lot of other people who are in similar situations I suspect) would be elated, and sooo thankful to hear that their worst nightmare had only been just that... just one big, bad dream.

[ollie]

A British man misdiagnosed with terminal cancer who lived his life as if there was no tomorrow is now asking for financial compensation after doctors admitted they were wrong.

Maybe the doctors should offer to kill him instead?

[edger]

Ahh..Ollie, always using that noggin of yours. Sounds like a fair ultimatum to me.

[StoneMtn]

That may or may not be right. I think it comes down to the question as to whether or not this doctor met the accepted standards of a competent physician when making the diagnosis.

[phorbesie]

Yeah... hard to feel sorry for this guy. I mean no one should ideally have to live with the agony of knowing they are going to die soon, if that isn't the case. But medical diagnoses are far from perfect. For example, my step-mom was informed that she had no blood relatives that were a suitable match for a bone marrow transplant. We were informed months later that an error had been made, and in fact her brother would be a match. By that time she was in no shape to be able to survive a transplant...this was extremely difficult to accept.

Herself, my family, (along with a hell of a lot of other people who are in similar situations I suspect) would be elated, and sooo thankful to hear that their worst nightmare had only been just that... just one big, bad dream.

that is really sad. i went through a similar thing with my dad (doc didn't see tumor on xray, then it was too late).

i agree this man should be happy to have a new chance at life!

[boiler]

I guess you're better off taking it with you after all!

[AdamH]

I think the shock of being told you're dying and finding out there was a mistkae is as bad as the reverse. Certainly he's happy he's living but he's spent months in agony, coming to terms with death, saying his goodbyes and so on. I would guess that a misdiagnosis of something fatal would leave the patient with very little time to get mad, sue and come to terms with things. Since I'm assuming he went in for follow-ups, treatments and everything else over the course of two years I think he's right to seek compensation if only for the mental anguish of that 2 years...and that's hard to price out.

[phorbesie]

I think the shock of being told you're dying and finding out there was a mistkae is as bad as the reverse.

i wholeheartedly disagree.

not saying this guy hasn't suffered in the interim, of course he has.

i can't in Any way see how this is 'just as bad' as being misdiagnosed and dying because of it.

[bradm]

It sounds like he didn't get a second opinion, which is what I hope/think I'd do in his case. I also wonder if any tracking of the progress of the disease was done. From what I've heard, terminal cancer often proceeds in "phases", with each phase getting worse and worse. Would pancreatitis mimic the phases of terminal pancreatic cancer?

Aloha,

Brad

[edger]

I agree with Phorbesie.

There's no way the two compare. Obviously it is different for everyone, but in my family's experience, even when preparing for death you are still holding out hope that somehow, some way this will all just go away.

I agree that he went through undue anguish and suffering. And I suppose that you could argue that he deserves to be compensated for this (but even highly qualified medical experts make mistakes)... but I would like to think that if I was put in the same situation, I'd concentrate my efforts on something more positive than a lengthy litigation process.

Many people don't get the luxury of spending their life fortune on things that they enjoy. Many people lose everything when they channel all of their resources into treatment, recovery, experimental procedures that are unlikely to work in the first place... only to lose the "battle" in the end anyways.

I figure that being financially destroyed is better than being financially destroyed and dead (or in the case of family, financially destroyed and left alone to pick up any remaining pieces)

[phorbesie]

Phorbesie.

somebody finally spelled my name right. i love you!

:laugh:

[Super Freak]

I just lost someone very close to me to Pancreatic Cancer and it was horrible. It is the worst kind of cancer-NOBODY survives it. It is fatal. He was right to live life to the fullest while he could.

Some of these responses are pretty cold, regardless if he is lucky enough to survive pancreatitis, which by the way, is just as painful and horrid as the cancer.

He should be compensated. How much, will be the judges call. I'm sure he is glad to live but I'm sure he wouldn't mind having a job or his house either. Who is going to hire a 62 year old man for a decent job? This is a tragedy within a tragedy.

[paisley]

this was brought up on The Hour last night... George quipped it was maybe the first time in history someone was horrified to hear they didn't have cancer

agree he should be compensated, pretty low blow... what if the guy had've killed himself to avoid the imminent pain to come

also think the guy should be able to get his job back, if I ran a company I'd understand someone quitting under those circumstances and be able to empathize

[paisley]

Phorbesie.

somebody finally spelled my name right. i love you!

:laugh:

I thought that was a silent "e"

[hamilton]

Here's another way to not go out in style:

Man dies in parking lot dance faceoff

May 08, 2007

Associated Press

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – A 48-year-old man has died while dancing, trying to outdo a rival with an acrobatic move while ``battle dancing," police said.

Robert Stitt and his rival were competing in a parking lot on Main Street Monday night when he tried a forward flip and landed on his head.

"It was just two guys dancing. Everybody was laughing,'' Stitt's friend John Boxley said.

Boxley said James Brown was on the radio and Stitt wanted to outdo a rival dancer, who had flipped in the air.

Police said the victim went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead a short time at a local hospital.

Police said several people were in the parking lot drinking and battle dancing – a competition in which each dancer tries one-upmanship with unique dance moves.

The Star

[edger]

I just lost someone very close to me to Pancreatic Cancer and it was horrible. It is the worst kind of cancer-NOBODY survives it. It is fatal. He was right to live life to the fullest while he could.

Some of these responses are pretty cold, regardless if he is lucky enough to survive pancreatitis, which by the way, is just as painful and horrid as the cancer.

He should be compensated. How much, will be the judges call. I'm sure he is glad to live but I'm sure he wouldn't mind having a job or his house either. Who is going to hire a 62 year old man for a decent job? This is a tragedy within a tragedy.

I actually agree with a lot of what you have said here. I also recently lost an aunt to pancreatic cancer, and I agree that it is one of the more painful, fatal cancers. I by no means intended to come across as "cold". I think you may be focusing on a word or two that I used, as opposed to my overarching message. I sympathize with the unecessary pain that this man has endured. And I would like to think that there are supports available that could be put into place that can help him through his transition.

I honestly don't know diddly about pancreatitis, so I admit to being ignorant in that regard. My response was simply to the fact that I know many that would give anything to be given a second chance at life. Sure, one needs to have the resources in place to secure the fundamental necesseties. But I stick to my original message that there are better ways to make use of any remaining life experiences. Some of the best things in life are free, and if I almost lost my life, that is one lesson that I hope would be driven home. I'd like to think that I would be focused on indulging in those types of moments that you can't put a price on.

Brian, thanks for the comic relief in this downer of a thread!! (not that the demise of that poor dancing warrier is funny... but it's certainly one way of going out with a bang). Something tells me that it's time for me to take my exit on this one... too close to home.

Edited May 9, 2007 by Guest

[Super Freak]

Certainly wasn't focusing on you Edger--there were a few folks that emphasized that he should just be happy to live. For us, 20's and 30's folks, that is closer to home--for a man in his 60's, not so good. Imagine how depressed your parents would be if they had no income and no house. Mine would be out of thier minds.

[phorbesie]

ah, perhaps i'm one of those you are focusing on.

i don't think i was "cold" either, and really i don't discount this man's suffering OR say he should not be given some help.

personally, i'm just not the suing type. i think people need to live their lives and stop blaming others. sure, i could remain bitter at my father's doctor for misdiagnosing him, get into a legal skirmish, whatever. but that's just not right. how would it benefit anyone? it's certainly not gonna bring him back now. i'd rather focus on better things. and i think doctors are overworked and do the best they can.

[Super Freak]

I wasn't focusing on anyone...I was just noticing a few comments that were similar.

[AdamH]

And everyone would wish for a reprieve that extends life for a loved one, there's no information to support this but we can be fairly certain this man is happy to be alive and not dying.

The issue is with the doctor's ineptitude which isn't even excused by him not having got a second opinion (and even then, if that second opinion was formed using the first doctor's notes it would be possible for a false diagnosis to be repeated).

As Super Freak has said it is a tragedy within a tragedy. I don't see why "he should be happy he's alive" excuses a case against poor medicine practitioners who continued to misdiagnose a patient over 2 years and leaving him financially bankrupt and emotionally distraught. I'd sue.

[phorbesie]

*erased post* as well

walking away...

Edited May 9, 2007 by Guest

[dancingbear]

personally, i'm just not the suing type. i think people need to live their lives and stop blaming others. sure, i could remain bitter at my father's doctor for misdiagnosing him, get into a legal skirmish, whatever. but that's just not right. how would it benefit anyone? it's certainly not gonna bring him back now. i'd rather focus on better things. and i think doctors are overworked and do the best they can.

i agree...

i say compensate him fairly, however.

and edger...as for the doctors "ineptitude"....yes wrong diagnosis, BUT you go with what you have. medicine is NOT perfect, yet everybody expects to be cured or for you to have an answer. maybe it was ineptitude, but i think you cant come to that conclusion, without all the facts.

point is many people would sue if this happened.

many would sue if it was misdiagnosed the other way.

[edger]

and edger...as for the doctors "ineptitude"....yes wrong diagnosis, BUT you go with what you have. medicine is NOT perfect, yet everybody expects to be cured or for you to have an answer. maybe it was ineptitude, but i think you cant come to that conclusion, without all the facts.

point is many people would sue if this happened.

many would sue if it was misdiagnosed the other way.

I think you may actually be addressing AdamH's post. If you re-read the thread you will see that I had argued along similar lines to yourself here.

Anyhow, I wish this fellow well (and anyone else who is struggling for survival, or on the road to getting their life back together)