Confused and disappointed
New member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2008
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- 9
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- Loved one DX
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- California
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- San Dimas
Has anyone treated with Dr. Carlayne E. Jackson of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas?Well if you haven't, do not start. My brother in law was diagnosed with ALS approximately two years ago. He has ALS with Dementia. He is only 57 years old.
From the time he has seen Dr. Jackson she has been indifferent and insensitive to his diagnosis. This is a doctor who is known for treating ALS patients. However, she should not be treating them.
My brother in law is now in his final days. About two months ago he was moved to a nursing home, as his care became too much for his daughter and her husband. My niece found a great nursing home for him that was almost brand new, Huebner Creek. He was doing very well there, and liked the staff and the other patients. However, one day his breathing became labored and he was rushed to the hospital. He has not been back to Huebner Creek since.
After being misdiagnosed by the Pulmonary Doctor of Dr. Jackson's staff a couple of days before his hospitalization my brother in law almost passed away. He was finally properly diagnosed by the hospital with pneumonia, and immediately put on antibiotics. In addition he was given his bi-pap machine to clear out the carbon dioxide.
He seemed to be doing better but not well enough to go back to Huebner Creek. He was then placed in a Hospice but suddenly developed complications and was rushed back to the hospital, where he was stabolized then he went to Vitas Hospice, where he has been ever since.
Since this time, my niece has called Dr. Jackson's office and only is able to leave a message for Dr. Jackson with one of her nurses. Not once has Dr. Jackson in the the month and half my brother in law has been in a nursing home, then the hospital, and now hospice has she called my niece back or visited my brother in law.
Today she responded to my niece with the most insane email I have ever seen. My niece since she was not getting any calls back from Dr. Jackson emailed her on the 19th. Today my niece got the below email from Dr. Jackson-SEE BELOW.
The woman is so uncaring she cannot stop by to see my brother in law. Futher she invites him to come to clinic. This would be almost funny if it were not so patheticly stupid on her part to assume a man who is now down to 120lbs, in a weakened state, and has his breathing compromised by the ALS would be in any shape to get up out of the bed and go trotting over to see her for clinic. How utterly absurd.
But this is what my niece and her husband have dealt with. This uncaring professional who calls herself a doctor.
She assumes the Hospice knows what they are doing, and in assuming she seems to think she can wash her hands of the whole situation. The hospice has told my niece on several occasions, that they have never had an ALS patient in their care. They are unfamiliar with the Bi-Pap Machine and have no idea how it works. In addition several of the Hospice personnel have been less than unkind to my niece by suggesting she is torturing her father by prolonging his life with the Bi-Pap machine and the feeding tube.
My brother in law has insisted that he wants the feeding tube and the bi-pap machine, but yet the Hospice has taken it upon themselves to remove the bi-pap machine without consulting with my niece who has power of attorney.
To complicate matters, Dr. Jackson has never come by to check on my brother in law to affirm the medications he is to receive or to take part in the active care of his hospice. She does not care. And that is evident with her reply or lack there of to my niece.
I am sharing this with all of you because soon my beloved brother in law will no longer be here with us, and for a man that was once so vibrant, and the most caring compassionate man you would ever want to meet, has had to endure this illness and had to be treated in the way that he has by a doctor who could care less. She belongs in research where she does not have any interaction with patients because she does not have the compassion nor understanding to be treating ALS patients.
I truly feel sorry for all who are in her care, because my niece and her husband have accompanied my brother in law on several of his "clinic visits" and have heard similar stories from other patients regarding the lack of care and compassion of Dr. Jackson.
It is a travesty that patients with this disease have to be treated like they are. But to be treated with the blatant disregard that Dr. Jackson has treated my brother in law is unforgiveable.
ALS is a tragic and horrendous disease. Each and every patient is afflicted in different ways, and for some the battle to win out over the disease is over before it even started. Then there are those that are able to live longer lives, and receive good care, and are fortunate. However, my brother in law was not one of the lucky ones. His quality of life over the last two months has been horrible. Maybe if Doctor Jackson in her busy schedule could have visited him just once, it would have made all the difference in the world. But she hasn't and he will probably die soon without ever having been visited by his ALS doctor.
I truly feel sorry for my niece who has called, sent emails, left numerous messages and yet this doctor never has returned one phone call. She answers my niece's heartfelt email and pleas for her to visit her father, with such utter nonsense one can only derive from her response that she did not read my nieces email. She doesn't get that he is dying. And you know what she never will because SHE DOESN'T CARE!
Warning do not seek treatment with his doctor if you live in the San Antonio area. Go elsewhere!
From: Carlayne Jackson [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 10:01 AM
To: K--------, Marie
Subject: Re: Gerald (Jerry) T-------
Is Dr. Jane Appleby his VITAS physician? I am sorry, but I am not going to be able to visit your dad. Dr. Melo and the VITAS staff are very experienced and I am sure they will make the correct treatment decisions. If he can make it to clinic, I would be happy to work him in any time.
--
Carlayne E. Jackson, MD, FAAN
Professor of Neurology and Otolaryngology
Interim Assistant Dean for Ambulatory Services
University of Texas Health Science Center
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
Mail Code 7883
San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900
(210) 567-1945 (phone)
(210) 567-1948 (FAX)
From: "K------, Marie"
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:11:18 -0500
To: "Jackson, Carlayne E" <[email protected]>
Conversation: Gerald (Jerry) T-------
Subject: Gerald (Jerry) T-------
Dr. Jackson,
My name is Marie K----------, Gerald (Jerry) T-------'s daughter. After doing our best to provide care for my father at home, we finally gave in on February 1, and placed my father into Huebner Creek Rehabilitation Center. On February 29, I received a phone call from the nursing home advising me my father was not breathing well. This was following a visit to Dr. Melo that morning for a breathing test and evaluation. My husband and I arrived at the nursing home to find my father having a difficult time breathing, semi conscious, and decided to call an ambulance. My father was taken to Methodist Transplant and Specialty Hospital. After deliberating between whether my father had pneumonia, or a mucus plug, the ER doctor, as well as the doctor covering for Dr. Melo that weekend, Dr. Andrews, determined my father had a mucus plug. My father stayed at the hospital until March 4, and then was placed into Odyssey Hospice, which has been sent out by Dr. Melo's office. He stayed one day there.
On March 5, I received a phone call from the hospice advising me my father was near the end and we needed to get over there. My husband and I arrived to find my father in worse shape then we had found him at the nursing home. He was non-responsive, and having problems breathing. That was not the way that he arrived, as he was feeling much better after being in the hospital, and was very conscious of his surroundings, and able to converse freely about anything when he was transported. We feel that nothing was done for him until we arrived in regards to giving him assistance with his breathing at this facility. We revoked hospice, called an ambulance, and my father was taken back to the same hospital in an ambulance. When we arrived at the hospital the ER doctor informed me my father only had hours to live. Then, later on that same evening we were advised that my father had pneumonia by Dr. Esquivel, who in my opinion, saved my father's life. Dr. Melo came by the next day and advised me that I had two options, to start my father on a morphine drip and let him pass away or keep my father on the bi-pap and he would only live a few more weeks. We opted for the second option.
On March 6, my father was placed into Vitas Hospice, and has been there since that date. He has good days and has had a couple of bad ones as well. On March 15, hospice called us at 4:10 a.m. and advised me my father was nearing the end. Upon arrival, we found that he had stabilized, but had probably been given too much morphine. He proceeded to sleep throughout the day, but at around 9 pm that night, awoke, and has been pretty responsive since.
My father is continually on the bi-pap machine 24/7, and is still receiving feeding through the feeding tube only. My father is still some what alert, and very restless. The hospice doctor offers no hope that anything will change, and such might be case. However, we lack a certain amount of faith in him at this point, as he seems bothered and short with us whenever we ask questions as to my father's status. In addition, my father has asked on several occasions what your opinion is, and we have been unable to respond. I am at a loss at to what to do for my father. I realize the severity of his disease, but am in hope that you might be able to find time from your busy schedule to visit my father at the Vitas Hospice, which is off Datapoint, located in the Methodist Health Care building. My father is on the third floor, Room 353. I would really appreciate your expertise at this point, and feel your presence would offer him some comfort as well.
If you have any questions or comments, I can be reached on my cell phone at My work # is . My home # is . My e-mail address is
Thank you,
Marie K----------
