10-1-97
In 1994 we insisted that Bill have a full physical. He had begun work for another company, but had no health benefits. I had begun working for a company that offered another company as an HMO option. Under this plan we were able to choose a private physician.
On examining my husband our physician immediately noticed Bill's slow and irregular heartbeat, something Kaiser personnel had commented on but not alerted us to the dangerous implications. The doctor immediately referred Bill to a cardiologist. Within two and a half months, Bill had an angiogram, stress test, EKG, Holter EKG and an echocardiogram.
His cardiologist advised us that a pacemaker was an immediate necessity. A pacemaker was fitted. Besides the fact that his heart beat irregularly, we also discovered that Bill had a left atrial enlargement and left ventricular hypertrophy (massively developed), and a weak wall in his heart that could rupture if he does anything that makes him breathe hard- or puts stress on his heart.
We believe that Kaiser Permanente knew that something was not right and failed to investigate in the interests of saving themselves money as long as my husband had no knowledge of these things. My husband had symptoms (angina, falling asleep constantly), but he just thought that these things were age induced. The slowness and irregularity was commented on only as "Gee, you have a nice low heart rate". They did not tell us that this was a serious or even fatal situation.
We believe that Kaiser should have investigated the slowness and irregularity further. Now, at this point the only cure is a transplant and as we now have no health insurance I wake up every morning knowing that this could be the day that my husband does not wake up.
Every day this month, CNA will release the story of another Kaiser patient. For information, or to speak to the patient and/or family, contact Gerard Brogan, RN, (415) 437-3328.