Comatose woman abandoned in hospital

Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

This really shocked me today. How can a husband and a son abandon somebody like this? Husband obviously found a way to conveniently dump a wife, but what's the son's excuse? Apparently, they've been ignoring both the hospital's and the Finnish authorities' letters since the start.

Comatose woman in hospital for five years

By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
Published: August 05, 2008, 23:23

Dubai: A 61-year-old Finnish woman has been at Dubai Hospital in a semi-vegetative state for almost five years, abandoned by her family who say they cannot afford to care for her.

Anna Lee Mirjami Agnew, from Finland, was in Dubai with her English husband for the Dubai Shopping Festival in January 2004 when she suffered a heart attack and collapsed. She was brought to Dubai Hospital where doctors resuscitated her.

But as her brain had gone too long without oxygen, she slipped into a coma. She has been at the hospital ever since.

Jansi Rajarathan, the ward nurse in charge of the medical unit, told Gulf News that Agnew has been alone for much of the four and a half years she has been there.

"Initially, her husband was here. He promised us he would go back to Saudi Arabia [where they had been living] and make arrangements to bring her back. But he didn't come back," she said.

She said a family friend then visited Agnew a few months later on her son's behalf, saying he would inform Agnew's son of his mother's condition. But nothing happened.

"After that, there were no more visits," she added.

Dr Abdul Razzaq Al Madani, director of Dubai Hospital, told Gulf News they tried to contact the husband and Finnish Embassy in Abu Dhabi repeatedly but did not receive a response.

"We want her relatives and government to take care of her. We sent them many letters [but] no one showed an interest in her," he said, describing Agnew's condition as stable. Agnew is awake but unaware of her surroundings. She can open her eyes but cannot communicate. She cannot breathe on her own and needs a breathing and feeding tube to carry out those functions for her.

She is also unable to move on her own. Nurses have to shift her position in bed, move her limbs to prevent muscle atrophy, and clean her when she soils herself. Dr Madani added that depending on the level of care, Agnew could live for years. The hospital cost for her stay alone, without adding the cost of medical care and medicines, is more than Dh146,000. The hospital has been bearing the cost of her care.

"[But] the cost is not an issue. She just needs to go home," he said.

Three Finnish families residing in Dubai have also tried to get their government to help Agnew. Matti Mikola, who is leading the group's efforts, said he has made many calls and sent many e-mails to authorities to get Agnew home.

"The Prime Minister's Office replied. They said the government was not responsible for her because she has moved permanently overseas," he said.

"They just keep saying the same thing; every office I contacted," he added.

The response from the Prime Minister's Office also stated they had contacted Agnew's husband and son in the UK, as well as her relatives in Finland about her case. Her Finnish relatives said they could not afford to repatriate or care for her. There was no response from her husband and son.

Paivi Palmumen, First Secretary at the Finnish Embassy in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News the Finnish authorities were doing all they could. "The Finnish authorities are trying to find the best solution for her," she said. However, she declined to detail what "the best solution" was when asked.

Gulf News could not trace her husband.
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colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

I'm shocked by the indifference of her husband and son, how they've just left here there for five years without any contact.

The husband, a Brit, was working in Saudi, so presumably he had some kind of insurance to take care of him and his family, so why didn't he repatriate the wife, instead of abandoning here there.

There's a lot of discussion on Finnish forums about this, and the govt is in a difficult position. As far as they're concerned, the only person allowed to determine what to do with her is her next of kin, i.e., the husband who refuses to be in contact.
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Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

Expect this kind of thing to be more common,
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colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

If she is not aware of her surroundings, what does it matter ?

If anything, I think he's doing the decent thing by not trying to move her, as if anything, that might be traumatic.

You cant assume that she had medical cover when she went out there, or that he had medical cover that would cover his wife.

I know u have bupa, but not everyone does, and not everyone takes out medical travel insurance.
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Dragonfly · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Karma :

I seen it happening and dosnt shock me. I read some records of patients that there familes didnt want nothing to do with them. They where in a similar way. One said outright it brought shame to the family having this person there as they where seen as unfit to be humans. Its dugusting but she is in a far better place to be cared for if thats the attidude from her family. To them she died 5 years ago. Its sad.
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Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

Colin, my problem with that scumbag and his scumbag of a son is that they have abandoned the woman there. They have not been to see her since it happened five years ago and are refusing all contact, as well as payment of bills. Both have now apparently returned to the UK.

Most people who are sent abroad and take their family with them have medical cover, especially outside the EU.

I doubt the husband is concerned about her well being... Rolling Eyes

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colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

i think you may have it the wrong way round.

Most relatives would have them pull the plug, but maybe he cant bring himself to do it.

If she isnt aware of her surroundings, how is visiting going to help anything except make him upset at seeing her that way ?
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Skudd · Super Spammer Joined: 01 Oct 2006 Karma :

what do you think happens in Nursing Homes in this country. Family visit the cabbage at Xmas and B'days and that is it.he

The problem with technology is that we use it all to often in the wrong place. Spend millions to keep the near dead alive but not the living ie cancer drugs and the like.
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powelly · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 May 2007 Karma :

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

yeah what they said

The other issue, is the people who are kept in a cabbage state as they are easier to manage, but most relatives arent going to question matters of medication.
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Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

pa_broon74 · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Karma :

I don't think its the right thing, however, right. wrong and necessary are relative things and my idea of the three options may differ from someone elses.

If recovery is impossible I would fly out and pull the plug myself, because that is my duty and responsibility to my family.

Even if I didn't like them, I think I'd still go out and yank the cable, good excuse for a holiday. Wink

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colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

Oh, Colin, you really cannot read, can you?

The problem is not about letting her die or not. It's about her husband and son refusing to have anything to do with her since she fell ill. Not once in the five years have they asked after her. They're not replying to any calls or letters from the hospital or the Finnish authorities, even those offering help.

Incidentally, this also means they're refusing to pay the hospital bills and maybe eventually the hospital will pull the plug. If the husband cared about her and didn't want to pull the plug, he would (a) be asking after her health and (b) pay for the care so they wouldn't do that. Not walk away once he realised that either he had no repatriation cover or that it wouldn't cover the spouse.
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colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

They're not going to come forward now all this has been in the papers making the father and son out to be the worst people on earth. The only reason this has come to be in the press is because the Dubai Hospital want their money for the years spent keeping Agnew in a state similar to that of an inanimate object.

It says she's unaware of her surroundings, cannot communicate, cannot breathe on her own, cannot feed on her own, unable to move on her own and needs cleaning when she soils herself. Then as some type of positive they say she could be kept alive for years. What type of life is that for anyone? Confused

Dragonfly · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Karma :

powelly · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 May 2007 Karma :

powelly · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 May 2007 Karma :

Just a thought but do you pay for treatment in Finland? if this guy isnt insured leaving her in the Dubai Hospital maybe the only was she can get the care she needs.
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Paivi · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Karma :

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

ncrn · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 May 2006 Karma :

I'm surprised that the family haven't made any contact to her at all, but I can see colins points.

To be honest if I were her, I'd me more upset that no one had put me out of my misery yet. I would hate more than anything to be in a vegetative state. I think I'm a bit young to have a will (maybe not) but when I get round to it that's going to be a point in it that I do not wish to be left alive when I am brain dead.
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