‘Everybody May Not Make It Out’ - Katrina Dr vindicated - her story

[Pirate Smile]

‘Everybody May Not Make It Out’

Dr. Anna Pou was accused of murdering nine patients in a New Orleans hospital wracked by Katrina, but a grand jury declined to indict her. Now she gives her side of the story.


Dr. Anna Pou pauses to compose herself at a July 24 news conference regarding a grand jury's decision not to indict her on murder charges

WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Julie Scelfo
Newsweek
Updated: 7:24 a.m. CT Aug 25, 2007

Aug. 25, 2007 - The tragic deaths at New Orleans’s Memorial Medical Center after Hurricane Katrina are among the most notorious examples of the vast human suffering that resulted from the destruction of the levees and the flooding of the city—and the government’s incompetent response to the disaster. At least 34 people died in the hospital awaiting evacuation and it wasn’t long before dark rumors began circulating that some of them were helped along by lethal doses of morphine or other medication. Almost a year after the storm, in July 2006, authorities arrested Dr. Anna Pou, a well-known head and neck surgeon. She was eventually accused of murdering nine patients who were in a long-term acute care unit on the seventh floor run by LifeCare Hospital of New Orleans. (Two nurses were also arrested but their charges were later dropped.)

Late last month, a Louisiana grand jury refused to indict Pou and the highly controversial criminal case came to a close. Pou still faces several civil lawsuits brought by relatives of patients who died while at LifeCare. In her most extensive comments yet on the events surrounding those deaths, Pou tells NEWSWEEK’s Julie Scelfo that she did indeed administer morphine and a sedative to the nine patients and she knew that these medication might hasten their deaths. But, she says, killing them was not her intention. In the desperate calculation Pou and other medical professionals were forced to make in the chaos and madness that engulfed the hospital, she says some patients could be saved and others were almost certain to die. It was their suffering Pou says she sought to alleviate. Excerpts:

-snip-
Tell me about conditions from Wednesday night until Thursday.
By the time Wednesday evening came around, if you can imagine in our mind, there is a central area that is a sea of people. A lot of very sick patients in that central triage area. It’s grossly backed up. Few patients had been evacuated. So there was just enough space to walk between the stretchers. It is extremely dark. We’re having to care for patients by flashlight. There were patients that were moaning, patients that are crying. We’re trying to cool them off. We had some dirty water we could use, some ice. We were sponging them down, giving them sips of bottled water, those who could drink. The heat was—there is no way to describe that heat. I was in it and I can’t believe how hot it was. There are people fanning patients with cardboard, nurses everywhere, a few doctors and wall-to-wall patients. Patients are so frightened and we’re saying prayers with them. We kind of looked around at each other and said, “You know there’s not a whole lot we can really do for those people.” We’re waiting . The people in that area could have by boat but no boats were coming. I would do what I could with the nurses: changing diapers, cooling patients down with fanning. It wasn’t like, “I’m a doctor, you’re a nurse.” We were all human beings trying to help another human being, whatever it took.

-snip-
How did you feel?
I was tired but I was more in total disbelief that the sick and the poor could be abandoned the way that they were in the United States of America. I never thought I would ever live to see that day. I was sad, heartbroken, kind of amazed and shocked at the lack of organization—the fact that there was no type of coordination. I have friends who practice in the third world and this was less than third world.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20437669/site/newsweek/

Long article - so unbelievably sad, sounds like hell on earth - the heat and the pitch black darkness in the rooms while people are suffering - such a nightmare.

[Tanuki]

1. Recommending....lest we forget

Dr. Pou sums up how I felt as I watched the events unfold on tv: "I was more in total disbelief that the sick and the poor could be abandoned the way that they were in the United States of America. I never thought I would ever live to see that day." All while Bush couldn't be bothered to interrupt his vacation and went on making campaign appearances elsewhere, eating birthday cake and playing air guitar for the cameras.

[aquart]

2. K&R Lest we forget.

[susanna]

32. Totally remember that feeling...

...while watching events unfold. The utter helplessness made me weep for what we have become.

The callousness I saw in this administration's response to Katrina, and the callousness of people I thought were friends here - "they could/should have gotten out," made me experience new levels of anger; I thought I'd seen it all. (As a sidenote, I have quite a few less friends after Katrina. Good riddance to bad rubbish.) I guess I still wonder when people will understand that what hurts others also hurts them. We are connected in every way as humans, and it's mind-boggling to me to see the distance we place between one another. This story just illustrates that.

When IT hits the fan, what can one do to help? It isn't a cut-and-dried answer. Tough times call for people to make tough decisions. Some we agree with later, some we don't. But at least someone acted in a way they felt would ease pain. If those patients had been evacuated, as they SHOULD have been, none of this would have happened. Period. People forget that part, and it's wrong.

on edit: clarity

[Mnemosyne]

3. "and this was less than third world"

So glad the GJ actually had brains, common sense and compassion.

She never should have been charged. She saved these folks horrible suffering, imo, and I hope someone would help me that way if ever needed. Tough call for those caregivers.

And it was how long until anyone came?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

4. They were set up to fail. They were triaging based on who was most able to be evacuated.

They were planning who would go with those who were first evacuated and who would stay behind.

They were planning where those critical patients should be located, allowing for the most doctors and nurses concentrated in that area.

They were basing their decisions on the expectation that there would be boat or helicopter rescue at the hospital shortly after the storm was over.

Instead, days later, the patients were still there, in the most hellish of conditions. And the doctors and nurses still providing care, while trying to figure out system to manage the overflowing morgue.

No electricity with stifling heat for days in an American hospital in an American city.

:crying: MKJ

[saracat]

5. This doctor is as great a hero any any on a battlefeild.She deserves the Medal of Honor!

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

8. Why is she a hero?

Answered by others. Never mind.

MKJ

[saracat]

13. You must not have read the article .She stayed and saved lives under

deplorable conditions when others fled.She was the ONLY doctor who remained at risk to her own life! And you ask why is she a hero?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

14. Never mind.

I have tremendous admiration for her and all the other nurses, doctors and other medical professionals who did the best they could under horrific circumstances.

She and all the other caregivers did their level best in the worst possible circumstances.

They've been persecuted beyond belief.

It just might be my aversion to the word "hero". MKJ

[saracat]

15. That was it.In a nutshell.She STAYED and helped get patients on Helicopters and put into boats.

She bathed and fanned and intubated them She had no water and no lightes.It was filthy and toic.She was the only doctor that remained.How could you have missed that ? That is the scenario.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

16. You're incorrect in your assertion that she was the only doctor.

The chief of staff organized physicians. He got us all together and said we have a lot of patients in the hospital so we are going to assign physicians to different units and you can triage and decide how well patients can do with the evacuation.

MKJ

[saracat]

17. Well she was the ONLY doctor in the lifeunit then. I will have to reread it.

She was the last to leave as they said the hospital was "empty" when she left.And even if she wasn't the ONLY doctor, how does that alter her heroism is staying. It was clear the Medival doctor left and most others.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

20. They were starting IV's on each other while agonizing that they were taking away life saving

care from their patients by doing so.

I doubt that they were vying for a "hero" title at that point.

And, among those of us who are nurses, doctors, aides, techs, etc, it was a chilling moment when criminal charges were filed against them.

As I said previously, I have a general aversion to the word "hero" anymore. And, applying the word obscures the actual course of events that unfolded, those upon which she is asking us all to focus.

How can you plan when the big plan is to let everyone die?

MKJ

PS saracat, I know you were sincere in your response. I really wanted to know why you thought she should be awarded a Medal of Honor.

[Alacrat]

19. Was She by herself ?

Was she the only Dr. who stayed behind?
I was under the impression there were others and if not other Dr.s, there were nurses who also stayed behind.
There were lots of heroes after katrina, she was one of many.

[pitohui]

43. the doctor (contractor) in charge of that unit had fled

she was not the only doc who stayed behind but she's the one who took over that unit when the doc who was supposed to be there fled -- this doc knew she would and was already preparing the smears in advance against her in other to distract from his own cowardice

it was a heat index of 108 degrees outside, on the roof

christ only knows how hot it was inside that hospital and in that unit

they're lucky a lot more people didn't die

the nurses who helped her in that unit were also charged, the charges being dropped days before the grand jury impaneled, in hopes of playing one against the other -- which didn't work because none of these women did anything wrong

they are all heroes and charles foti is a publicity seeker of true duke lacrosse DA=like evil to hound these women like this...

[susanna]

33. Because the word has been abused.

Sometimes, it really does fit (IMHO).

[Richard Steele]

6. K&R

[WillyT]

7. Dr. Pou Is An American Hero !!! - K & R !!!

:kick:

[Alacrat]

9. Terrible situation

I feel for those who died, their families, also Dr.Pou.
From what I've read, under the circumstances I believe she did the right thing.

If one of her patients were a member of my family and in critical condition with very little chance of survival or they were already terminal, I would thank her for easing their pain.

I can't blame the families for wanting someone to pay. The conditions those patients endured was criminal but IMO the criminal liability lies with the government officials.
The government, from bush & brownie, the governor, the mayor and everyone in between, failed.

They should pay the liability claims, not Dr.Pou.

[MissWaverly]

10. all of our leaders set up this disaster, then punish those

who were there left to deal. This is another example of Bush leadership of blaming the victims.
To this day, there are people who believe that somehow those who were left deserved it becuz
they were lazy or irresponsible. You can not evacuate a city by having everyone evacuate by car.
They needed the army in there to help people get out, they need to load them onto to aircraft
carriers and sail them out of there before Katrina. They needed medical tranport to take all
the hospital patients and nursing home inhabitants out of there, first
along with any disabled or special needs people.

[Robbien]

30. Exactly. Blame the victim and deflect all criticism away from this admin.

The false story of doctors killing people was blown up on MSM to divert attention away from the Feds screwing up.

[MissWaverly]

40. yes, those people were not evacuated, that's the fact

No, let's not deal with that, look at the seniors that were left to drown in the nursing homes, was that
blown up in the media, was there a continual focus on how the government failed these poor people.

[lovuian]

11. yes it was less than third world these nurses and docs stayed

and now they are getting sued

it looks like abandonment would have been better ... then they would have gotten out

thats why noone will convict them

if they did no nurses or docs would be there in a disaster for fear of murder charges

[glitch]

12. Very far beyond "enough is enough" K & R nt

[ribrepin]

18. Another recommendation

First of all, you abandon people to that situation and then you scrapgoat them. America should be really proud that we couldn't measure up to third world standards.

[ribrepin]

21. This article brings up some really unpleasant feelings in me

About 10 years ago I was badly injured in a auto accident. I was taken to the local hospital and they were unable to control the bleeding. I was airlifted to the local trauma hospital. I remember rolling into the trauma hospital and being wheeled under a sign pointing to triage. That's where I went. The staff was very aggressive in treating me and they controlled the bleeding. I needed lots of blood and later that night was on the table for six hours to repair my leg.

I wonder where I would have fit in a reverse triage? I have no doubt the doctors would have done their best for me. I was a middle aged woman in good health, but needed immediate intervention to keep from bleeding to death. I have nothing but respect for the people who stayed to take care of patients under these circumstances. They should have been honored rather than sued.

[tavalon]

25. Absolutely

[indepat]

22. 'pukedom bringing Americans less-than-a-third-world country, all courtesy of compassionate

conservatives.

[badgerpup]

23. When I first heard about this...

...before these...I don't have an epithet bad enough for them...decided to put her and her collegues on trial, it just amazed and humbled me.

To not only have to make decisions like that, but to actually carry them out...takes more than mere courage.
Even if you KNOW the choice is either assisting someone to go out peacefully or standing back and allowing them to drown...but your own hands would be 'clean'...

I wonder how some people...and I certainly do NOT mean Dr. Pou and her colleagues...
can even stand to look at themselves in the mirror, let alone sleep at night.
:nuke:

[tavalon]

24. Yes, I felt nothing but pain for my colleagues

and great sadness for the people caught in this maelstrom. The evil people who allowed this heinous situation to happen and to continue to happen deserve nothing less than hell.

[avrdream]

26. Good interview/article.

Down here in Australia I took a lot of heat for being from the States as nobody here could believe that our own people could be treated so poorly by the government.

I'll never forget the picture of Dubya looking down on NOLA from the plane - that one actually made it to the papers here. I was disgusted and ashamed.

As a doctor who used to be in the military, I know all about reverse triage in wartime but it is immensely sad that it had to be used in a civilian setting such as that.

[defendandprotect]

27. We may all be "Katrina" -- we should all know where the cyanide tablets are - ---

Where are they?

[tavalon]

28. What an incredible hero!

I'm pretty well known for my lack of hero worship when it comes to doctors but if there were more like this woman, well, I might just respect them a whole hell of a lot more. She is a true healer.

[2Design]

29. Boston legal - did this story - and said the United States of America

was missing in action - there was not usa in new orleans - I am glad to see her get off - if anything they should have gone after * who failed miserably that day as every day in office

[sce56]

34. The military was ready but had to wait for Shrub to act first.

Asked why Northcom hadn't reponded to Hurricane Katrina more quickly, accidentally told the truth:

Northcom started planning before the storm even hit....We had the USS Bataan sailing almost behind the hurricane so once the hurricane made landfall, its search and rescue helicopters could be available almost immediately So, we had things ready.

The only caveat is: we have to wait until the president authorizes us to do so. The laws of the United States say that the military can't just act in this fashion; we have to wait for the president to give us permission.

So why didn't the president issue the orders?


They waited for two days to start evacuating and never used the 600 bed hospital on board the assault ship!

[JDPriestly]

31. The Bush administration should be indicted for criminal

neglect in failing to respond with every bit of support that could have been given to the heroes of New Orleans. Those deaths fall to the Bush administration. Where were the helicopters that could have rescued these people? Why weren't generators flown in? Why didn't Bush make a bee-line to D.C. the moment he heard that the levees might burst in New Orleans? Remember how quickly he returned to D.C. in the Schiavo case? Were the people of New Orleans less important?

Is this what the people of Iraq are experiencing? No water, no electricity, no medical care? This is a worse horror story than anything that Edgar Allen Poe or Stephen King could imagine? This doctor has survived hell and returned. There is nothing left for her but heaven, and, if there is a heaven, I'm sure she will go there one day.

To be honest, this story was so gruesome, I could not bear to read it. This is the worst thing I have ever heard of.

[idgiehkt]

35. she speaks for me

... I was more in total disbelief that the sick and the poor could be abandoned the way that they were in the United States of America. I never thought I would ever live to see that day. I was sad, heartbroken, kind of amazed and shocked at the lack of organization—the fact that there was no type of coordination. I have friends who practice in the third world and this was less than third world.

I realize from reading that that I am still furious about this. I guess I will die furious about it. I will never forget, never forgive, and never 'get over' Katrina. It affected me far more profoundly than other historical event in my lifetime, even 9/11.

[bread_and_roses]

39. I am with you. And I will never get over supposed "liberals"

and I will never get over supposed "liberals" and "progressives" blaming the victims, denying the racism, giving one minutes credence to the spin of the murderous junta in power in Washington.

[loudsue]

42. If someone is blaming the victims here, you can rest assured they aren't "liberals".

I've never heard such a thing.

:kick:

[nadine_mn]

36. I cannot imagine how hard it was for her and the others to stay

in such conditions and to continue to provide care in the dark, heat, death, and toxic conditions.

If it was my loved one or if it were me, I think I would rather have died Tuesday night as conditions got worse. I don't know how I would have reacted in such a situation - I would like to think I would have stayed to help, but my god the nightmare it was I don't know how anyone could stay.

[Hekate]

37. KnR. I hope this American hero can regain her life and peace now.

And I hope George W. Bush rots in the bowels of Hell.

Hekate

[WHAT]

38. Damn them...

the incompetents who have to create targets so they can be the source. Morality expands and I feel a common outrage at the whole Katrina injustice.

I hope this person escapes the vicious ... eventually.

[knitter4democracy]

41. I rarely cry at articles, but I'm crying now.

All I could think was how my husband would've stayed and what if this legal mess had happened to him? He told me during Katrina that doctors would end up having to do stuff like that, and he just was sick. It really messed him up for awhile, and the medical staff at the hospital here started working on plans for if they get left alone like that.

Dr. Pou did the right thing in a horrific situation. If she'd done it when all was well and normal, I'd question her decision, but that was not well and not normal.

It was hell.