Minor Procedure Turns Into Double Amputation For NYC Woman

Stacy Galette Now Suing Winthrop University Hospital

November 19, 2010 10:00 PM

Stacy Galette, with attorneys demonstrating how she has to put on her prosthesis/Terry Sheridan

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MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBS 2/1010 WINS) — A simple surgery has turned into a living nightmare for a Brooklyn mom.

She was supposed to be in and out of the hospital on the same day. Instead, both her legs had to be amputated because of an alleged medical mishap and now she wants justice.

“It’s hard. Knowing before this happened, I was normal. I didn’t have anything — but, now, I won’t be able to walk unless I have prostheses,” Stacy Galette told CBS 2’s Pablo Guzman.

Galette went to Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola one year ago for what she said was supposed to be a minor gynecological procedure. However, something went wrong and both of her legs were amputated.

Galette said she’s been left with unimaginable anger.

“Knowing that I’m not the same person that I used to be. I’m not walking,” Galette said.

Mother and 10-year-old daughter are still close, in spite of everything. Galette claims that during surgery at Winthrop Hospital, her intestine was punctured, which ultimately led to gangrene and the amputation of both legs below the knees. On Thursday she and her lawyer filed suit against the hospital.

“It’s horrifying. She will have to use prostheses for the rest of her life, for a double below the knee amputation — because of medical malpractice!” attorney Sanford Rubinstein said.

Over the phone, a spokesman for the hospital told Guzman: “As a matter of policy, we don’t comment on pending litigation.”

Dr. Tracey Zivin-Tutela, from St Luke’s Hospital’s infectious disease unit explained what might prompt an emergency amputation.

“In a routine operation something would have gone wrong to cause a blood infection. A blood infection can cause an inflammatory response and cause damage to any organ,” Zivin-Tutela said.

Guzman asked Galette what she can’t do with her daughter now that she misses.

“Walking … doing her hair,” she said.

Since losing her feet, Galette has not been able to work. She had been a medical technician.

Since the double amputation, Galette has lost more. She is also going through a divorce.

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Minor Procedure Turns Into Double Amputation For NYC Woman

Kevin

If we just had more special rights laws for women this would never happen….
harryobrian

Better she sue now than before Husseincare puts a 50 dollar cap on litigation and before that hospital becomes property of the government, at which point she couldn’t sue.

TT

Tort/malpractice reform is the one thing left out of Obamacare. Three guesses as to why…

Joy

Because the Democrats offered it in return for Republican cooperation, but when they didn’t get any R’s signing on, they took it back out of the bill. There’s plenty enough blame to go around on that one, actually.

David Shampo

I am pretty sure your “procedure” was a lobotomy. One of the risk factors ( besides 100% death to the affected frontal lobe) is losing personality and talking like a complete and utter imbicile and looked at as a cretin for the rest of your pathetic existance. And I do not feel one bit sorry for your idiotic tendencies.
harold

its not your place to speculate on what type of surgery she had nor does she need your sympathy. learn to look at the situation objectively. she deserves compensation for medical malpractice, just like you would if this happened to you, even though you sound like a horrible human being and don’t deserve anything. you are not God nor are you in a position to judge another persons actions or decisions. if you want to get all holy moly, you should remember that the bible says, “judge not for you shall be judged.”

Beauxdog

I think the Bible also said… “you reap what you sow”.
Rob

The Bible also says that we should own slaves and stone kids to death. Who the hell cares what the Bible says?
Kurt

Sorry to break it to you, but to leave decisions of any sort to an invisible space wizard is a pretty stupid idea.

Matthew

Sounds like an opportunity for an entrepreneur. Isn’t there any way to filter blood or something to prevent this from happening? I have heard a few times about blood infections and they are always a very bad thing. My uncle died from a blood infection maybe 8 years ago. Similar deal bacteria from his intestine got into blood stream. Coma then a few days later he passed.
Rob

Details about how it happened are obnoxiously absent. Till we know more, we can only give condolences. I would really like to know how your feet have anything to do with such a procedure.
Jon B

I love the internet tough guys. “Deal with it!” Really? Deal with losing both your legs? Morons.

We have malpractice laws for a reason, and not every lawsuit is frivolous. If you can’t tell the difference, then you are part of the problem.
max

MR Wheezer. Soldiers put themselves in harms way by choice. This lady did not.

Rob

No actually she did put herself in harms way by choice. Nobody forced her onto the operating table, and she knew that there would be risks.

ALL SURGERY HAS RISKS PEOPLE. We can do amazing things, and it’s a lot
safer now, but sometimes things happen that are out of anyones control.

SJ

surgeries have risks, but I don’t think anyone is signing up for thinking the doctor will a mistake. Some procedures are less dangerous than others. It a statistical fact. You go for heart surgery and the heart can’t take the stress. That’s expected. No one is expecting to loose their legs because of a routine procedure. If the doctors had no business in her intestine, then they are at fault for going there.
Heywood Jablome

So, you think she should accept it as an accident and just forget about it? Is that what you would do?
Dorie

Rob … you are mean cold and heartless…. Please put on a garment of compassion, understanding…. and care

Contessa61

This will be obamacare.

We will be taken care of by people who received their medical degree in some other country. They will not be board certified and will speak poor english.

No one will want to go to school for 12-16 years after high school, have 100k debt and make less than a vet or a plumber. Our country will import doctors and nurses and this is the type of care we will get.

OptmiAge

Board certification is like the “medal” you get in a Cracker Jack box. It has NO bearing on the quality of any particular physician.

Joe

You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking talking about. Board certification means a physician has trained in a residency for years to hone the skills required for the specialty he is board certified in. I hope you have some type of abdominal procedure done by a non-board certified “surgeon” since it makes no difference to you. You deserve the results.
MARY

UC Irvine has a “special” minority program for people who get 20% on the MCATS! But they habla espanol so it’s all GOOD!

Wheezer

Poor dear. I don’t hear that kind of whining from soldiers who lost limbs and more in battle. You can either wallow in self-pity or pull yourself together, go back to work, and do the kid’s hair. Unlike the soldiers who have to accept whatever the VA gives them, she’s hit the lottery.

Michelle Souza

They know that’s a risk, She didn’t volunteer for that, so your post is beyond stupid ridiculous and @ssholic. She was totally wronged, you cold rotten pig. Totally apples and oranges. No enemy did this , her DOCTOR did.

Lester Figgler

Allopathic quack doctors are your enemy. They profit quite handomely from disease, never from health. They cause disease and mayhem. Allopathy is pure, unadulterated quackery. Their hospitals are full of staph infections, nosicomial infections caused by quacks.
Aaron

She most likely signed a waiver. That’s a legal assumption of risk. Therefore she knew there was risk involved. During surgery, anything can go wrong. They wouldn’t just remove her legs for the hell of it. Anyway, it is apples to apples, so the post isn’t that ridiculous. Question. Are you a fat hispanic lady? Just asking ’cause the “pig” comment.
Allopath

“Lester Figgler”; now that sounds like the name of a guy with alot of medical knowledge. You must be a DO, DC, or acupuncturist. People who didn’t make the cut into regular medical school often go that route and then “sour grapes” whine about the field. Popping a back or sticking a needle in an ear doesn’t cure cancer, bowel obstruction, pnumonia or anything else for that matter. Talk about quackery; go play with your “chi”.

Sam The Man

You’re a complete moron. Simply put, this woman is a legitimiate victim of medical malpractice. And when Obamacare hits, she’ll have no redress whatsoever.

Aaron

Please tell us every detail of the surgery and why they were wrong for removing her legs. What’s that? You have no idea? Well then stop typing your nonsense Dr. Dochebag.

MZStitch

She wasn’t going to war, she was going in for a gynecological operation. There is no comparison here to a soldier.

Your Conscience Dr.

You’re a cold hearted fellow. I doubt surgery or $$$ could fix you. Heartfelt prayers will though. Good luck.

Aaron

Why is he/she cold hearted? It’s the truth you bleeding-heart crybaby. My prayers go to you to survive in the real world.

Matthew

First off I have to say what a raw deal in life. But brings up a good discussion really, is any “surgery” with out risk? Not that I think Doctors should have immunity but there should be some balance to retaliation from surgeries. There are just so many risks. We have had it so good for so long that we expect everything and everyone to be perfect. Take away all doctors and people would be dieing left and right from infected teeth or sinus infections, colds, rusty nails all kinds of stupid things. We go in to have our flesh cut open and tools inside of us and things removed or stitched together and believe that nothing could go wrong. I hope she gets a reasonable settlement and finds a way to support her daughter. But more could be said about settlement caps and wavers for risky surgeries. It is just not possible to be perfect.

SJ

Your comment is foolish. Give doctors immunity and they lose insentive to be careful and responsible. You would not be saying that if someone made a mistake that permanently changes your life. Your comment is an insult to doctors who actually do their job well.

Tim

Sj, hmmmm where to start? maybe you should try and reread the paragraph by Matthew

It seems you want to make issue with “immunity”.
I will try to explain what Mathew said, he said “Not that I think Doctors should have immunity” You see this means that he does NOT believe that doctors should have it.

There for making YOUR comment the foolish one, and also and insult to people who actually read before posting.

ItsGoingToBeHotDownThere

Middle name – Ilene.

YeahI

Or as the call her in Chinatown “Irene”.

http://bellinghammma.wordpress.com Jeremy

Wow, that is one of the most poorly written articles I have read in a long time.

Franklin

Indeed!

Dutra

Something doesn’t sound kosher. There is more to this story than the author is telling.
Jon

I would bet there’s more to this story than what’s reported, otherwise her husband wouldn’t leave her at this moment in time.

http://mssc54.wordpress.com/ mssc54

“Well we couldn’t afford any more children with the economy the way it is. So when I found out I was pregnant I decided (without telling my husband) that I would just go and have an abortion.”

Now I’ll never put me feet in a stirup again.

Aaron

Why didn’t you just use common sense and practice safe sex you lazy jackbag.
Dutra

And her husband had a vasectomy a few years earlier.

Joe

Her husband is a leg man.

Huh

Did she do her daughters hair with her feet?? Not getting that?

U.S. Common Sense

I commented on the same thing. Poor writing in this article.

Anon

Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola is a hell hole – Go there to die.
former ACLU member

Winthrop is said to be a good hospital.

The problem is that there are no good hospitals anymore. You take your chances these days.

This is clearly medical malpractice, even after any form of tort reform.
Erp

Trigger finger still works.
DR

Welcome to Obama care

Gman24

Actually this happened 1 year ago…before Obama care.

Aaron

Actually it was 386 days ago exactly you toolbox. It was an Obama joke you sad sack.

Mary travers

Hmmm—can’t help but wonder how many affirmative action “doctors” were involved. UC Irvine has such a program for Hispanics. One in particular failed organic chem and got 20% on MCAT! She travels shops and parties like there is no tomorrow–best at taking credit for others’ work. Will probably kill someone when IRVINE gives her an “MD” degree.

Rob

You can’t get a “20%” on the mcat, you moron. It is scored out of 45 points. And nobody with a 20/45 gets in to medical school, regardless of their race. Fact. Look it up at aamc.org.

But thanks for your unrelated racist diatribe against Hispanic people for no reason.

Also, bowel perforation can be a complication of surgery, especially where the uterus is located. She had the risks of the procedure explained to her and she signed a consent form. Mistakes happen, and this does not sound like it
was due to negligence whatsoever.

She should get nothing, and her disgusting malpractice attorney should be thrown off a cliff for helping turn medicine into the impersonal mess it can be today.

Also, what the heck is this “obamacare” nonsense? You realize that all that health bill did was increase Medicare funding and stop insurance companies from denying you coverage because you got sick, right? The bill doesn’t actually take anything away…

DK

Actually, it will take away your right to sue as you can’t sue the government

Kurt

A citizen can sue the government. I assume you get your information from the Drudgereport.

Jes Beard

Kurt, because government makes the rules about who it will allow to file suit and for what, and also routinely will set limits to the damages that can be awarded when it does allow itself to be sued, simply saying “a citizen can sue the government” is a gross oversimplification.

Sometimes then can. Often they can not.

JuJu

There is nothing in the bill that says the government provides your health insurance or your health plan, or your medical care. The bill assists in setting up state-based private insurance exchanges where people can buy private insurance plans in a competitive market, and it also puts a number of restrictions on private plans so they cannot rescind your coverage when you get sick, cannot deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, etc. Your comment about not being able to sue the government is a complete nonsequiter.

gaymedia

You might want to wait il the dam breaks on Obamacare before deciding what it was designed to do. The water pressure is several months away from cacking the facade. But standby, massive destruction is coming. Unless, by the grace of God, we can roll it all back. Look up what AARP did this week and ask yourself why they might be motivated to support Obamacare? Things thatmake you go “Hmmmm”

Fred p

I would recommend suing. Too bad she doesn’t have a leg to stand on
RickOShea

My rule of thumb is never go to a hospital unless I’d rather be dead with whatever malady I mught get.
Curly

Calling Dr. Howard Dr. Fine Dr. Howard

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Minor Procedure Turns Into Double Amputation For NYC Woman

Stacy Galette Now Suing Winthrop University Hospital

November 19, 2010 10:00 PM

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