Dear friends, family, and fellow Virginias,

As the world rang in the new year with hope and joy, my family is finding itself thrust into a harrowing ordeal—a battle against time and a public healthcare system that has failed us at every turn. Our distressing journey which began with a when my father suffered a fall outside his home, a seemingly routine slip-and-fall has spiraled into a nightmare and has led to my father being in a vegetative state.

The grim sequence of events unfolded rapidly:

On December 29th at 5:46 PM, a concerned citizen who witnessed my father fall outside of his home and hit his head on the sidewalk and dialed 911. Paramedics from @alexandriavafd quickly arrived at 5:51 PM & transported him to the nearest hospital, @inova -Alexandria arriving  exactly 6:00PM 

Upon arrival at @inova -Alexandria, my father was left unattended in the emergency room, bleeding significantly from a brain hemorrhage after already suffering major blood loss while he was laying on the sidewalk in a pool of blood (slide 5). 

Despite our inquiries on if the bleeding had been stopped , there was no sense of urgency from the staff, and we were informed that they had called for a transport to @inova Fairfax surgery center since they can’t operate at @inova Alexandria but the ambulance had yet to arrive. A delay in transport that resulted in even more blood loss.

At approximately 9:45 PM, nearly 4 hours after he was brought to @inova Alexandria, my father finally arrived at the surgery center @inova Fairfax. A transport that should have taken under 30 minutes, had taken over 4 hours. In these 4 crucial hours my father, continued to suffer significant internal bleeding which has now led to permanent brain damage. 

At 10:15 PM, my family received a distressing call from the surgery center, notifying us of an imminent high-risk brain surgery that was about to happen which had a high risk of bleeding mid-operation. Given my father's complex medical history, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and the fact that he had already lost significant blood + the neurosurgeon who was about to do the operation was an inexperienced resident-student, we explicitly opposed the operation and demanded he be air lifted to @hopkinsmedicine where experienced hands could do the risky operation instead.

The surgeon agreed with our stance and assured us an immediate transport to Johns Hopkins was underway. 
However, upon our arrival at @inova Fairfax , we found my father neglected once again, continuing to bleed internally and to add insult to injury, simultaneously vomiting internally into his lungs with no one around to turn him to his side. When I confronted the emergancy room doctor and asked what  was going on, he informed me he had failed to call for a medivac transfer, and no helicopter was en route…..a grave mistake that has resulted in even more brain damage for my father. 

Despite this mistake and my legal authority as my father's primary caregiver and durable power of attorney, @inova then proceeded to operate on him, agaisnt my warnings claiming it was too late for the transfer. This action later turned out to be yet another grave mistake, leading to further complications just as I had warned them it would. 

The following day, my father experienced uncontrollable seizures, and an extremely high blood pressure while @inova continued to refuse to transfer him to Hopkins. Instead of transferring him they decided to put him in a fentanyl induced coma against our wishes and restrain his arms and legs to the hospital bed so he would not move while he seized. 

Later that day, while I was by my fathers bedside, I watched him suffer from a heart attack and go into shock as his body shaked uncontrollably and his heart rate jumped to 252 beats per minute. With every machine sounding an alarm and no staff response I had to run over and bring nurses to his room. Something that would have warranted no attention had I not been there. 

During this occurrence we begged @inova to get a cardiologist onboard as we feared there was a blockage in the heart caused by his underlying coronary artery disease but they have repeatedly refused to do so claiming they do not have a cardiologist around due to the NYE weekend. 

 

Imagine your father is having a stroke, you call 911 and they tell you they’re out on lunch.

 

That’s akin to what’s currently happening at @inova Fairfax. They have refused to assign my father who has had significant cardiac problems for the last 96 hours a cardiologist. An outright denial of the basic standards of care, which is not only alarming but raises serious ethical concerns. The refusal to provide adequate and timely medical attention in critical situations like these goes against the fundamental principles of medical ethics, which include beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice.

Beneficence, the principle of acting in the patient's best interest, seems to be compromised when life-saving interventions are delayed. Non-maleficence, the duty to do no harm, is put into question when the lack of prompt response potentially exacerbates a patient's condition.

Furthermore, the autonomy of patients and their families is undermined when their pleas continue to be ignored. Every patient deserves to have their health concerns taken seriously and to be treated with dignity and respect. The situation also touches on the principle of justice, which demands fair and equitable treatment of all patients. It is distressing to think that the availability of medical care could be compromised due to the time of the year or the day of the week.

Ethical healthcare practice requires institutions to be prepared for emergencies at all times, ensuring that patients receive the necessary care promptly, regardless of external circumstances. 

The situation at @inova Fairfax highlights the critical need for healthcare systems to reevaluate their protocols and commitment to ethical standards, ensuring that such neglect and oversight do not occur.

As I stand by my father's bedside, witnessing him struggle, it's a stark reminder of the gravity of ethical practice in healthcare. It's not just about treating an illness; it's about valuing human life and upholding the dignity and rights of those in need of care. The healthcare system's moral obligation is to protect and prioritize patients' well-being above all else."

The sequence of events that is currently transpiring  at @inova Fairfax exposes alarming failings in patient care and major civil rights violations. We have lost complete faith in @inova to care for my father and have demanded for immediate, life-saving care @hopkinsmedicine but they have continued to deny our request.

We now seek comprehensive support in securing immediate, life-saving care and a possible heart transplant for my father given the extent of the damage done to his heart from a specialized team at @hopkinsmedicine. 

Hopkins, known for its multidisciplinary approach, is fit to bring together neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, cardiologists, and medical doctors that are able to handle his complex care & provide long time recovery such as speech therapy, physical therapy, psychotherapy and more. This comprehensive team is crucial for addressing the severe brain and heart damage he has sustained.

We demand that Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland collaborate to facilitate my father's swift transfer from the neglectful hands of Inova and into to the safe hands of Hopkins. 

Now, time is of the essence, and each passing moment without the specialized care at Johns Hopkins places my father's life at an increased risk. He is currently suffering from Apnea and has stopped breathing multiple times already. In picture number (5) you can see he is breathing at a mere 11 breaths per minute while the patient next door is at 27 breaths per minute. We cannot continue to stand by while @inova disregards his critical needs and covers up their mess. 

 

Taking the the time to write all this has not been easy but I know that change won't happen without support from people like you. Those of you who personally know me, know creating a public campaign would fall far outside of my comfort zone, but I was compelled to do so by a haunting experience. While sitting in my father's hospital room, I heard a scream for help that has haunted me for the last 24 hours. 

Just a few doors down, I heard a woman desperately screaming “Help!” repeatedly at the top of her lungs, with no response. When I asked the nurse who was attending to my father in that moment what that was about, she simply said she’d just close the door so I didn’t have to hear “that”………in that moment, I realized that there’s likely many others suffering @inova facilities besides my father and a broader investigation is warranted.

 

Ways to help:

Sign & share the Petition!

Your support and advocacy can make a significant difference in our fight for justice and the immediate well-being of my father along with other patients.