Poison out of control: Poison control and KVHD

Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

As I skirted past the communication problems with the Kern Valley Healthcare District in a previous post, making light of the fact that the ER wrote in a report they were "looking" for my appendix, which I say again, was removed when I was 12, I was only trying to digest what I only recently learned about my "incident" at the ER in January.

There's nothing funny or light about what has happened to people in this ER, and I will explain exactly what went wrong in my case.

But I didn't know about it until two weeks ago about this cardiac condition.

It's called Bradycardia

What you maybe able to see in this picture above is an EKG from the ER at KVHD, the heart rate is 45 beats per minute. For those of us unfamiliar with heart rates, the medical profession considers a heart rate of 60 and lower to be "Bradycardic," meaning the heart is not pumping the juice fast enough.

Generally, when people are diagnosed with bradycardia, according to a wide variety of websites, the next step is a trip to the cardiologist and likely a pacemaker, unless it can be directly linked to an acute drug overdose.

The relation of this picture to my case is that this picture of the EKG, was that it is from November of 2010.

I got the news a little late don't you think?

My "9/11" occurred on 1/20/11 when I arrived at the KVHD ER with my dog in the car as I had palpitations and weakness, and though I regularly tried to get help for my gastric problems which were becoming so severe as I could not get the ER doctors or even my own PA to take the situation with some immediacy.

There's not a day that passes that I wish I had not gone there that morning, but the point is we take tests and then we don't get results or we get a missed signal that could have halted a mistake or treated an underlying issue.


There's a scratch in our record keeping

Why didn't my doctor know I had Bradycardia and why did the hospital who knew and I didn't, never even make a diagnosis, when you can see my pulse was much the same as it was on 1/20. I also had a second event, or at least noticed event that was so bizarre I can't believe it.

I fell in my room, fainted I would say, as I had been weak and sick for a couple of months. It also made no sense that I was sleeping as much as I was during this time, as I'm an insomniac. My neighbor was actually entertaining my dog as I slept the days away.

It would have been nice to know that I had a problem, and the tests that were paid for again, were of no use whatsoever. Those test were for nothing but a path that was never followed up on and not by me, as I notified and made complaints all during this time frame.

Nothing has been followed up on

I'm in a new place and a new time, with different conditions to wrestle with, and it's because I came home from fainting at the hospital, the diagnosis was a "panic attack and pain of unknown etiology." There is an EKG again with Bradycardic symtptoms, yet nothing is done, or said about it.

Again we the insurance of the government of the United States paid for a useless test I was never advised of nor was I treated for. And now it's nine months later and the insurance is paying away as I have had to take this all on myself, outside the valley.

Does the government know about what happened to me and others I know of directly, are my numbers part of a "quality control" system for this Critical Access Hospital, how they are doing in terms of actually "healing" patients and not making patients out of people who were well or even better before they entered the KVHD death trap?

No, and that's why you and your friends should stop relying on the figures out there regarding medications, hospitals, doctors as you know nothing until you see them close up, what they are really about.

The Jaguar program

I don't think KVHD could have been more clear than they were last year when they gave the CEO a raise, froze the raises or increases for the "regular" employees, and asked the community to bail them out of bad decisions financially all at the same meeting.

It's very clear this is like Dr. John Owens, OBGYN, in Bakersfield told me in regards to his former visits to the valley to keep us from having to travel, he said, " it's like a third world country up there, so I'm doing what I can to help."

Sounds like an honest approach, but not one generally found around the feeding dish we call KVHD.

I'm sure Owens made nothing coming up here and there are others that have been overextended two of which are leaving, and another one is suing the hospital.

Is this the kind of company we want to trust with our "health" or future as Dr. Gross again, I must say, makes a point.

I trusted KVHD and I've trusted the medical profession, and I am dealing with them in the best manner possible at this juncture. My feelings are more of disappointment in the people who actually would mix my politics and medicine.

In fact, I asked that question only a couple months before this whole drama began, and I was told with a certain "how dare you even question me" response that it would never happen.

But suddenly it's an emergency call poison control

I imagine that everyone who has been hooked on pain management has a story or two to tell, but this is not a story that should have happened, and the outcome was damage.


The point of pain management which is not being met in my opinion, is to educate the patient to monitor their own pain relief, as the only real antidotes to certain pain is opiate related. There are contracts a patient will sign in order to receive these medications from a "specialist" in pain.

On my records I gave KVHD the name and number of the doctor, Ashok Parmar, of Bakersfield, as the ER was blaming the drugs which I had taken for a year with no adverse effects, then had only taken a sample of the new drug, and had seen this doctor the day before.

Now suddenly my heart rate becomes an emergency. If that is the case, then it was emergent on November, 11, and December 25th, as my heart rate was the same and I was not using that medication.

No call is made to my doctor, but poison control, which I have had to break up into several videos below, is the first call Dr. Martin makes in his attempt to treat this two month old emergency.

He also does not offer the full information which are on the records, as he then has no problem admitting there's a history of bradycardia, but why are we treating it as a poison control issue suddenly?

I would have like to have known about this, I think it would have been best explored at a cardiologists office and also with the endocrinologist and rheumtologist.

We all have paid for this service, and due to the maltreatment and misuse of a drug known to cause serious side effects, called Narcan, or generically, Naxolene, the costs are skyrocketing.

They don't use it much except on overdosing heroin addicts, though it has other therapeutic uses, it's commonly administered routinely in the back of an ambulance. And the nurse who administered the drug to me, my best guess, is he hadn't done it in a long time or ever.

If only it was a paramedic

The drug was put directly into my vein, it was not dripped in a bag at a low dose to deal with a long acting medication, as the Narcan lasts only about 45 minutes. It would have to be slowly infused easily and gently if the person is awake and treating pain, but if someone is turning blue it goes up the pipe and many a successful heroin addict has his story I'm sure.

The nurse would have to had regular experience with this drug to know that when he ran to get more pain medication that he would be giving it to me while the anti-opiate was still working, thereby making that pain even more intolerable.

I don't know how much Narcan is used at the hospital, it could be a good question, but I don't imagine they have a tremendous use, therefore the nurse was as confused as he seemed to me to be as he was putting this in my vein and not the bag.

(Pictured above is my final EKG as I was released from San Joaquin hospital with a 30 beats per minute pulse, which is lower than the pulse I had when I entered KVHD four days earlier. I guess I was a walking emergency)

The second issue that has cropped up for me is the tape of poison control and the discussion with the hospital. I do think they had a problem getting correct information from Dr. Martin who openly told them I come in a lot for and take a lot of "drugs." On the record from the two times I saw him regarding what has now finally been treated and is a hiatal hernia, a hole in your gut, he gave scant history. He gave incorrect history his own records refute.

What happens when a doctor asks poison control whether or not they should admit a patient? I don't know how it happened, but I knew somehow that poison control would have a record, and upon hitting the welcome sunlight of the day leaving San Joaquin, I went straight home to my computer.

You see nobody told me anything. From here to Bakersfield and back, I didn't know what had happened to me and why I would be in the shape I was now in. It was like the date rape drug, I was in and out of it, and transferred with nobody in my family notified, my friends were on the list and all they got were death threats once I arrived home. (Post and recording of death threats below somewhere on here)

Oh, the government will protect you

I looked up the Narcan, then called the FDA, as I was never told about the bradycardia from November and December, therefore, I assumed they were treating the drug I was trying, a once a day, called Exagol. That's what I told the FDA as I assumed something had gone very wrong.

But then I remembered hearing the phone call, as I had a migraine and could hear a pin drop and Dr. Martin was talking to poison control. I made a few inquiries and found them, though they don't want to deal with this situation, (more in a moment), I called them and wrote to them.

I ended up with the tape you will hear below, if it works.

By the way there are certain "apps" you require to see the video on an Iphone and such. So, to see these videos you will need a computer and speakers as well.

But when I heard it finally trying to edit it, I really began to hear it. I really began to hear the things that had happened that have left me damaged for months.

It could be you, it could be anyone in this town, and albeit odd to have to write first person this is my story, I did complain, I will continue to complain, I will also add to this story, as it effects my ability to do many things. I know my story telling has taken a dive, but give me a chance and I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.

These are slightly out of order...consider this blog still under construction, if there are any problem listening to the tapes, I'll be pulling some quotes, but the best way to experience this nightmare is to hear it....


"Ape shit" "Ballastic" and "crazy": The KVHD medical record glossary....Part One: Dr. Martin getting poison control to do his job.




Part two, we hear Dr. Martin flat out give incorrect information to the the poison control operator. Martin is heard saying, "she was in a week ago," (no I wasn't). If anyone can make sense of Dr. Martin write to me and I'll add your comments to the responses I've already received.




Again, a "top notch" doctor such as Dr. Martin who I had to complain to the hospital, told me he didn't believe in "white blood cell tests." Then I assume he believes in only the tests that he wants to, or he isn't making any sense. In fact, they didn't seem to believe in Bradycardia either, but rather, they did believe in making monkeys out of a large organization called Poison Control.




I am not completely researched yet, but it seems Dr. Martin asked Poison control if they should admit me even if the heart rate returns to normal. Now Cathy Marquart doesn't even know that she's talking to a doctor and even asks with a serious tone if Martin is a "doctor." But Poison control is giving the ORDERS....based on Martin's confused tale of my health.



Then Poison control called back to see how everything went after speaking to the "doctor" earlier, and the nurse who administered the Narcan without telling me, admits to them that the Narcan didn't go so well...we had to give her more drugs...she went "ballistic" which was the term used in my records. Now what does it mean when a patient in hospital is written as "ballistic?" It means she was under "stress."




ER Director, Dr. Sacapano, receives the final phone call from Poison Control. At this point there may have "been a mistake" as there's a line in the transcript where Sacapano admits the problem isn't coming from the medication...What, why it was an emergency?




Next up: No help? How to stake your claim....with the rest of the community...It's a problem for us all to solve.

Why the Lake Isabella Community lacks vital information on local hospital: KVHD

Special meeting on KVHD strategic planning...What does the local media plan to say? Another product review from the Kern River Valley....


Local reporter, for the Kern Valley Sun Newspaper, Sue Barr, showed up last year at a "special" Kern Valley Healthcare District board meeting during the heat of August leading up to the hospital's caper to obtain a tax payer bail out on their debt with a GOB called "Measure G."

Today, the district is threatening to unveil it's strategic plan at another special meeting in August, coincidentally, as the board selected a company to do another in a series of reports that are meant to offer new and improved ideas to the hospital which has been in default on its lingering debt.


Due to the fact that nobody from the Sun ever shows up for these special meetings, last year I knew instantly that Barr was attending to report on the board vote for the tax measure and it had to be expected to pass to bring her there.

My best guess is that Barr likely knew the agenda behind the agenda, that the board was huddling together to put a tax hike on the ballot.

Barr, spent much time around the water cooler as information such as knowledge of the real costs, the potential negative impact, were being batted around by the board, and it's bond sales company, Caldwell, Flores and Winters.


Where did the story go?

None of the information ended up in the newspaper as many key elements needed to make a decision by voters were left out of the weekly tabloid.

Though the information included such issues as potential loss of administrative jobs as Beedle spoke of debt insurer Cal Mtg. who was waiting in the wings for a 20 million dollar GOB promised by the hospital, again, none of this was published anywhere else but on this blog.

Nobody except the small audience and participants knew the board and administration tried to get the bond quietly on the ballot in private but due to inflammation of the joint powers, (KVHD and Cal Mtg.) it failed at this meeting too and they had to drag their bond in front of the concerned community at a "regular board meeting."

But I bet you didn't know that.

How do you get your information?

When I wrote for the Kern Valley Sun many years ago, I realized the importance of having local oversight in the form of a "news"paper. There is another newspaper in town, the "Kern River Courier" but they have had little to do with the hospital in terms of news, but they did accept complimentary materials and advertising.

In truth, the Courier did not want to take letters to the editor for a period of time if they were about the hospital. It's too bad, but recently they published a nice piece on the hospital accomplishments. Due to the lack of understanding that these are basically paid PR pieces that show up occasionally, again you get no real workable information.

People used to care...

I observed the participation, and criticism, of local readers and it made it seem promising that the community cared about it's newspaper and the information it put out.

That is no longer the case.

Likely the Sun will show up for this strategic "event" today, as they covered a bit of it already, but what they never talked about and never showed up for, was the meeting with attorney, David Weinstein.

Shunning the free advice

Here we had in our corner for three hours an attorney who was willing to explain to an uninformed public about the various options the hospital has as it is up against the wall financially.

There was no reporter from the Sun, the moon or the stars at this presentation, only a few gathered in the audience know what was said during that meeting. And of course, there's the audio tape I listened to with perked ears.

One particular moment captured was the question of whether this attorney and his firm, would be a match for the "big guys" at Cal Mtg.

Well, Cal Mtg. has an array of defenses and probably a list of justifications hanging on the fridge in the lunch room, but what they don't want is visibility. They are a company which is off the radar for the average community member, and they are also something of a used car dealership in they sell to anyone, but under what terms?

There's a very timely loan situation which took place in between the vote to bring in David Weinstein for an informational gathering, and the sudden seven million coming from yet another deal with Cal Mtg. Weinstein's visit was put off several times, while the loan papers were in the oven, and once that was accomplished Weinstein finally made the trip to the valley.

At this point the information or analysis of hospital financial standing, was different as this loan went through prior to his arrival.

What would he have said had the hospital told him, we don't know what to do with our current situation and we would like to get out from under Cal Mtg.'s program? You see the board and administrators are working for Cal mtg. and the interests of that agency and the conflict of interest with this valley, the keeper of the debt.

It's our debt when it's said and done. When we vote in board members for the hospital we, the voter, resident, expect they will be working for us, just as any political position, senate, congress, etc.

And when the elected board doesn't follow thru on their promises, or are found to be inept, this is when the news becomes so important as people need some cold, hard information. .

Since our media are paid directly by KVHD in terms of advertising, it will be no surprise to see a story pop up on the strategic planning meeting which took place this afternoon. As long as it is positive...


Scott Costa, shown above covering a recent meeting, also known on this blog as "Smooth News" is your other option for news and information on the only radio station covering this community.

Costa came on the information wagon with sparse supplies of hospital history, but did owe the community some research into the hospital, but there was some conflict there as board member, Bob Jamison, shown above in front of Sue Barr, is the engineer for the radio station.

Most of his reports I caught, anyway, were always modestly inaccurate as well as missing most of the major issues the community would need to understand to allow them to decide whether or not to use the healthcare services provided by KVHD...or even to pay more property taxes.

Sadly, during the election results, Smooth News reported that the bond measure passed due to his lack of knowledge regarding the 2/3 vote needed for general obligation bonds.

For several weeks people thought the bond had won. They even wrote me to say how sad it was that the hospital won the bond. I told them that there was an errant report on the radio causing the confusion.

That in and of itself tells the tale of how important it is to have a good source of information such as now that we face some serious issues at the hospital, it's failing rural health clinic, the lawsuits, the quizzical new loan with Cal Mtg. as well as even potential collapse.

Where was the last article?

Noticeably missing from the last meeting at KVHD in the beginning of August, was a story about how board members were served involving the lawsuit being brought about by former employee, Surgeon, Dr. Kent Skoegerson.

According to an audience member, there was a request to hear the nature of the lawsuits, and acquire paperwork associated with it.

Follow the crumbs to the truth about what is happening with this surgeon and his former employer, because you won't find it in the KV Sun or broadcast on the radio.

Two thumbs down

Yes, the Sun can attack private citizens with their police reports and ultra zoom pictures of defendants right smack on the front of the paper, but they won't be doing that to their advertisers. This is what I have observed in terms of my regular media review.

If you hear about this special meeting in the paper or on the radio, you will likely hear what the hospital wants us to hear...like I said, advertising dollars are opinions of their own...

How strategic will it be: KVHD special meeting

Strategic specialist needs special board meeting

The Kern Valley Healthcare District "strategic plan" will be revealed this afternoon August 25th at 3 pm in the director's conference room at the hospital where board members will take action on the analysis recently completed by Michael Philps and company.

After 22 years of costs and meetings to try and bring the healthcare district out of its debt and into a brighter future, another in a long line of reports will be unveiled today. This one will be interesting as the district recently had a report completed/started last year done by another company, HFS, who was invited in to manage the district's default on it's debt.

Though HFS was brow beaten by Chet Beedle, KVHD CFO, and Dr. Robert Gross, board member, they still completed a financial analysis for the district. The CFO and board member were not impressed, and told the community there were "giant holes" in their report.

Though HFS pursued a more urgent analysis, this report is called a "strategic plan" which is slightly different but still covers many of the components addressed by HFS last year as the district slid into a deep default with debt insurer, Cal Mtg.

With several reports lying around on table tops and in folders in my house, it will be interesting to compare these previous strategic plans and financial outlook reports to this latest one about to come out of the "crackerjack" box.

What is the prize that makes this report different from the other reports? Planning or really goal setting, projecting future costs, and educating your board members on how to even implement new ideas, has been done before, again and again and again...

Actually, I take that back, open planning has it's place in any business, watching market trends, following technology, "finding government grants for projects," (they failed sorely there, as ARRA monies were dis-missed and excuses made while the district opted for a tax increase instead: gambled and lost): but the hospital has never followed through on it's obligations created in these reports.

Philps said he cannot guarantee the board and administration will actually utilize the information he collected, as the company does not have an on-going contract, but he has recommended that the issues he has outlined be addressed at every board meeting. (He might want to stay around a little longer and hold the board's hands as they figure out how to actually implement these ideas not just pay for them)

After nine months of waiting for the results of this new strategic plan, board members will be gathered this afternoon to take action on the report, which is merely a vote.

If I were to put together a strategic plan, my first idea would be "not to pay for anymore strategic plans" and get the board members into a classroom so they can be of use, not just used.

As the question always is with KVHD, will they and even "can they" follow through, and will the information contained in the plan be new or unique, or will we still be hearing the same ideas bandied around for two decades?

(Now if number one on this report is a "GOB" or tax rate increase, we will know, it's the same thing, just another day. )

Special meeting (why?) today at 3 pm..."Planning our future: who should we trust?" (I gave the meeting that title as board member, Dr. Robert Gross, DO, raised that very question while sullying the reputation of HFS)

Medical records, test results, refills of prescriptions, billing: Where are our records KVHD?

Most people I talk to who are caught in the healthcare system due to chronic illness or even longer than expected healing times, will tell you that the standard routine is all about making appointments for care, testing, filling prescriptions, and paying the bill.

But in the last few months I have collected a number of stories from patients within the Kern Valley healthcare district who complain all of these basic needs are not being met.

Last year I had to be the one to find out that the radiology department was seemingly holding on to records and they were not being sent out in a timely fashion as the new CEO, Tim McGlew, had only recently reported the successful transition to Truxtun Radiology and how well everything was going.

Taking a test is useless if your doctor or you do not know the results.

I had a cold, a summer cold, and for whatever reason I was sent for an x-ray at the KVHD radiology department to look in on my lungs for possible pneumonia which would fetch more money than a simple dose of over the counter Benadryl.

Not wanting to disappoint my doctor as he had spent those few seconds scribbling down the test request, I went and had the test done.

My doctor told me I would have the results the following day. Tim McGlew told the community that results would be quicker or actually "were" quicker with the new radiology contractor.

I hacked and coughed for a week and then realized I had heard nothing from the doctor on my test results. Not that I thought I had something horrible other than a cold, but since we spent the government's Medicare money to run the tests, I thought I might like to know the results.

At first, I assumed they would call me if there was a problem, then I questioned that logic as I have never seen that sort of fastidious care thus far, so I called.

Suddenly, everyone was looking for my x-ray and even the hospital which did the test, had to spend time in the search for test results.

When they arrived, I was informed that they DO NOT have one day x-ray service outside of the ER.

This was a minor error

In this case I was correct I had a cold, and the insurance paid money to find this out. But in other situations that have come to my attention, this problem is not only irritating but possibly dangerous. (Not possibly, I'm a textbook case right now)

This single mother had many tests run as she had been sick with gastric problems for what she claims is four years. The insurance again paid for all of this and the tests have been run multiple times, but the communication between all the parties, doctors, referrals, test results, were never able to come together.

After four years, she has a surgery scheduled that could have been potentially treated with medication in the early stages, but now has reached a point where more money is out the door, to bring in the surgery portion of the story.

She could have had complications, the risks are now growing, along with the bill.

The problem is one that can harm a person to the point of death, though unlikely, but it is a great big light bulb for those in the industry to consider more closely.

I called it in

You will hear that phrase regularly as those of us who have to regularly gather our medications often have to hunt down our doctors.

The doctor writes the prescriptions and you read on the back that you must take it a certain way and not stop without contacting the doctor as there might be some curious side effects: such as your blood pressure skyrocketing or your heart beat nose diving.

A main complaint I have gathered and experienced is the last dose effect. If you're not all together such as myself, and have no ability to organize, you find yourself down to the last pill at 10 pm and you can't find a pharmacy less than an hour away.

And you forgot there are no refills. In this area this can become a big problem and though I often call and scare the poor pharmacy techs I manage mostly to keep the medications going. But there are people who have lost insurance or changed insurance or don't have a generic, are caught in the KRV prescription trap.

I've seen people think they can stop something and suddenly find they are sick again, and we again pay for that mistake.

Sometimes small mistakes become big

The hospital knows it has communication problems even within it's own doors, five feet away, or whispered in their ears, they are not hearing with any acuity.

Why should we pay for this business when it is not working and therefore unsafe? I'm sure the hospital would love to have a great big GOB of 20 million to talk about how the problem is they have no money: the problem is they think they have no other problems.

Yes, they have money problems due to imprudent spending, just like their biggest brother, the federal government, but they also have let down their patients and put people in danger.

The federal government has a problem in that they are supposed to pay for all the mistakes made by their little bothers, such as KVHD, a public healthcare district, with elected board members.

Imagine the exponential effect of all the hospital's taking Mediare and Medicaid adding just a few tests or visits on the bill.

For instance, I found out over the weekend (many things) but one of which is that I have been getting pregnancy tests. I know about the birds and the bees, but I also know I had a hysterectomy.

Why doesn't KVHD know that?

They were also recently looking for my appendix which is probably decayed by now as it was removed when I was 12.

Paid for by the Government against waste and fraud....

Remember when I said I knew it was a cold?

I know myself and I'm sure most people feel that way, as I said I knew last year when I was getting a cold that it was a cold. I didn't think I was dying, I was uncomfortable, and my nose plugged, but I knew.

Now when I say making a small mistake can be larger than you first imagined, picture this: I have been seen for a cardiac problem twice detected by KVHD ER staff and equipment, and it was never reported to me.

I have to make a quick phone call as my emergent condition 10 months ago was only uncovered in the past few days...make sense? No, it sure as heck doesn't.

More soon, including the poison control tape you must hear....

A message from Laura Hart

From the human side

There are a few things I want to share with you that have changed my thinking over the course of the last few days.

It's out of the ordinary for me to do this, but I am interested in trying to communicate my message in the most precise manner when I write the articles for the blog, but now I have some personal things to say, which I need to say.

I've written about my recent healthcare nightmare at the Kern Valley Healthcare District Hospital ER, which has left me struggling daily to do the simplest of tasks. I didn't, however, expect to be struggling to write. But I am.

Some of the posts you will see beginning at the end of January 2011, were meant at that time to tell the story of what happened to me, contemporaneously, so there would be a record of the events. I cringed as I looked back over the materials I put up during this duration, but it is the truth for me, and that is why I am leaving them up.

But there are other things I do want to retract

I am not afraid of making mistakes, because I use "pencil" and correct them. And failure can be a friend if you listen to the lesson, so I am perking my ears up daily. Had Thomas Edison thrown out the light bulb because someone told him he was "crazy" we wouldn't be having this simple communication right now.

My main goal with this KVHD investigation has always been the safety of patients at this hospital and the removal of all people and things that keep this from coming to fruition.

Recently though, I have begun to recognize that my method has lead to some mistakes and hurt feelings. That was not part of the goal.

As the military calls it, "friendly fire."

I ran into a young paramedic when I went to dinner with a friend recently. She was one of the paramedics who was on my deck after I had passed out from a stroke related to a head injury I had on the side of a bath tub in December of 2007.

After a week of thinking about it, I am not happy with myself in the way I reacted to her. As I swung open the door to the restaurant, I looked around and saw her sitting there. She saw me too, and made a smirk.

Before I knew it, I said something to her about the way she handled the situation that day on my deck, but my mockery was not nice. I regret that. And I know I could have done something better like simply tell her I was not okay with her behavior that day, and then explain why.

When I sat down at the table, my friend asked me if I was okay, as my chest was pounding, my face red, and my eyes steeled. I said, "honestly no, I'm not okay."

I was having a reaction to the image of past events and I did not handle it the way I wish I had. There are those who do deserve a good round of truth, but this was not the way I normally handle young people. I usually can decide what is important to address and how to address it in a fashion that is understood.

Lately that polite talent has been difficult.

Then the hospital

After reflecting about that situation for a week, I began to realize I had said things I would likely not have said prior to my 9/11 at the hospital.

On Sunday, after getting my daily ICEE, my dog and I were heading home, when I suddenly wanted to stop by the hospital. I drove my car into the Rural Health Clinic parking lot and sat there looking at both buildings...and wondering what happened to me in the past eight years here.

I stared down at the ER, I simply couldn't take my eyes off of it. I felt fear which surprised me. The memories started flooding my mind about not just the recent past, but the past six years.

Out of the blue, I suddenly wanted to talk to somebody I have known since I came to this valley. Somebody I realize I trust. But I had hurt this person and I didn't know if I would be able to talk about it and make amends.

But I got the courage up to make the call and I'm very glad I did. I was not wrong, this was a person I could trust, and a person who does care, always did. And this person was straight up with me, which is what I expect and respect.

Taking a chance on people after what has happened at the hospital in the last few years, is a struggle for me, I prefer to stay within the security of my friends and family, but I realize if I'm to survive or even gain anything from this, I have to be willing to take a risk to trust again.

Thankfully, what happened was like good cardiology: it helped my heart. And I have implemented a few safeguards in my life to try and become more cognizant about my words which have sometimes caught certain people in the crossfire.

The beat goes on

I have used rhetoric, hyperbole, satire, sarcasm, logic, and video to take on Goliath and I still have not been able to make my case properly so that there is some true justice for those who truly deserve it.

The blog is going video for your information and illumination. You are about to hear and see some of what I saved for a rainy day.

Get out your umbrellas...by gosh it's pouring out there.

Broken news: KVHD elder abuse trial set back until March

Kern County Superior Court case #BF 126665 ACD

"Do you know what the case number is," the clerk at the Kern County Superior court "Felony Department," asked me earlier today when I called to find out why there's a new trial date in the Kern Valley Healthcare District elder abuse case.

I rattled off the familiar number above because this case has been on-going, with the three defendants changing lawyers every other month, until now it boils down to public defenders and a new court date.

The elder abuse trial was set for September, though the calendar has a lot of "white out" on it now, it has recently been stretched out until March of 2012, as defendant, and former Kern Valley Healthcare District, CEO, Pamela Ott, changed attorneys.

According to the Superior court clerk, the reason posted in the minutes, was that Ott's new attorney and also a public defender, Brian McNamara, needed more time to go over what she called, "extensive discovery..." even though McNamara is yet to be cited as Ott's attorney.

With this trial like a cloud over the Lake Isabella community, maybe even defining the rural healthcare system in the region forever, there are now seven months for Mr. McNamara to pick thru the evidence, but what will the new California Attorney General, Kamala Harris, be doing during the lull?



This was Jerry's case

On the campaign trail, Jerry Brown, and Kamala Harris showed up in Bakersfield just days before the election last year. Harris is pictured at the left next to the now Governor, Jerry Brown, who brought the justice department into our mountain community in 2007, taking away a few defendants on elder abuse charges, but leaving behind many who participated in the cover up at the financially failing rural hospital.



I have been watching the cases that Harris has taken interest in since she stepped into Brown's shoes this year, and his boots went a walking into the Governors mansion leaving behind a case that simply doesn't go away. Why?

A situation that involves more than just the abuse, which is enough, to some degree in my opinion, but leaving behind the actual issues and administrators which allowed this foul soup to continue to simmer, really doesn't serve the purpose that is intended to stop the chance of it happening again.

Yes, it's a big case, bigger yet than the DOJ ever imagined in that they have not even touched upon the issues that have occurred with a California insurer, Cal Mtg.

One of their own?

Two years ago nobody here in this valley, employees and residents included, knew of the debt that is attached to their property taxes and insured by Cal Mtg.

Now Cal Mtg. is a well known name and those who want to seem as if they know of something, often mention Cal Mtg. as the villain in the downfall of the hospital over the last 20 years.

Cal Mtg. has actually taken over the hospital at points of default, but they have also tried vigorously to get the community to spend a "latte's worth of money" monthly to pay off the debt and potentially go into more construction projects which is why the hospital is flat broke in the first place: they couldn't oversee to complete the expansion.

I am unsure of what agency handles the oversight at Cal Mtg. but it is something to look into as they have an interesting history which includes taking all of their premium on a 30 year contract, during an emergency measure of refinancing the "revenue" or municipal capital improvement bonds, done by CFO, Chet Beedle in 2003 when the state had it's worst credit rating in years.

Cal Mtg. was either duped by a dump like KVHD or they didn't understand that the hospital has been not only imprudent, but ignorant in it's financial spending. Board members with little knowledge or experience have voted in things they don't even study. The rubberstamp it's called when a board simply relies on it's chief administrator and privately contracted legal counsel to make a decision is too common here.

I don't know the reason that this hospital was not shaken down so that the possibility of restoring it would be available if new oversight was put in place.

Is it justice to simply take away a few people and not the whole group who bred the problems that lead to this type of situation? And then to almost leave behind the leader, head administrator, Pam Ott, who had full knowledge as well as control as her title implied?

But then so did her HR department manager hiring and firing, and her CFO could not have missed the projections of costs, while they were short staffed? Could he?

Ott's relationship with certain board members gave her quorum, therefore cover, and employees who had knowledge was also significant, and especially as scapegoats were made of innocent employees who tried to help expose the mess.

Or would it have been better to simply do all that is necessary to protect the safety of the patients, remove all the infection, do the investigation, so the hospital has a chance to heal?

Well, I have some questions for Kamala Harris, as her PR department doesn't know much about this hidden thorn, that has damaged so many lives, not only the sad treatment of elderly patients and their families, but the ability to function properly financially and offering safe and fair healthcare to the community.

So, at this time, the KVHD/Jerry Brown, elder abuse case is now in the hands of new leader, Kamala Harris, and has been pushed to March of 2012 as all the defendants have had to change attorneys, and these same people are using public defenders, though two are in private practice, due to conflict of interest.

Also coming up: the next generation of law suits and trials from the Kern Valley Healthcare District...Go to the Kern county Superior court site and click on the tab "Civil" enter dates from 2003 to present to find the list of cases now filed in court.

http://www.co.kern.ca.us/courts/crimcal/crim_index_case_num_results.asp

Update soon: What does the DOJ have to say? And why do doctors and CEO's use public defenders?

The story behind the KVHD blog picture: Board Blanket Bingo

The Brown Act: When caught on the spot, stand and stare...


Kern Valley Healthcare District Board member, and my mentor (explanation later) Robert Jamison, looks a bit piqued as my camera filmed a Brown Act violation that followed a highly contentious meeting last July regarding the hospital's pitiful attempt to have the community pay for the financial maladies ailing the healthcare district with a property tax hike: Measure G.

During this quickly assembled "special meeting" generally unattended by community members and reporters, it was evident the supporters wanted some privacy to put the measure on the election ballot away from the general board meeting where they would push thru a CEO raise and freeze the salaries of employees, while asking the community for it's money.

After this contentious meeting, I walked out without my camera in the confusion. A woman offered to go retrieve it, and when she returned, she said there are four board members in the room together.

I grabbed my camera and went back to the room, and when I opened the door to the board room, I was blocked by the administrative secretary, "Hidey Sage," with a food cart. (And can you believe I wasn't even offered a sandwich?) So, I took a few pix and went around the other door, as others slipped out, and found board members, Bob Jamison, Victoria Alwin, and Bradley Armstrong lagging behind.

As stood right in front of them, Bob Jamison, knew exactly what I had finally caught on film. Oh, there was a witness who spoke of the "sticky three" meetings, or I should say private meetings, prior to board meetings, where Jamison, and his former team, Barbara Casas, Bradley Armstrong, made their own quorum during the power struggle of 2006 and 2007.

This person spoke directly to the investigator from the county, giving details, but as I have reported and we will speak of again shortly, the Kern County Grand Jury has denied ever receiving a complaint from me and other witnesses back in 2007...when the trail was still fresh.

Had the county followed up with more than a recent glance at the hospital which resulted in the same advice: have the community pay your debt just like they did in Tehachapi...our hospitaless, bond indented neighbors...(Great ideas, why didn't anyone think of a bond, property tax increase? Oh, yeah, they did for the last 20 years. Ask anyone in Tehachapi about the taxes they pay...)

Look for the follow up: "Kern Kounty Korruption"