Husband Of Obese Woman Blames Airlines For Her Death

[Out of Order]

I'm not sure it was wise for her to be traveling to begin with if she had health problems.........



http://abcnews.go.com/International/husband-obese-woman-blames-airlines-death-european-vacation/story?id=17812883#.ULY9T-TWI2Y (http://www.stephenking.com/forums/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FI nternational%2Fhusband-obese-woman-blames-airlines-death-european-vacation%2Fstory%3Fid%3D17812883%23.ULY9T-TWI2Y)

[Neesy]

I think the airline had a valid concern for the safety of the passenger as well as the other 140 passengers on board. This is a terrible thing to happen, but the airline had to follow safety rules. It is a shame and I feel sorry for the husband as well.

[Dana Jean]

This is sad. You know, there should be some type of airline for people with sickness. Equipped with doctors and nurses and equipment so that sick people can take those last trips. Think how many people you know who wish they could go visit someplace "one last time." Or a bucket list destination. But, they are fragile.

Now, as far as regular airlines, those damn seats are too small. I fit in them just fine with plenty of space in my seat, but I've sat next to people who don't fit in theirs. This cramming people into airplanes with tiny seats sucks. I remember when there was lots of room and we got fed really good food. With real silverware. And I swear the seats reclined more.

Has anybody here ever ridden Amtrak? I took a trip through Washington and Oregon on Amtrak and it was absolutely gorgeous! Yes, much slower, but the seats were big huge comfortable seats that reclined and the windows were big windows so you could watch the glorious landscape go by. I recommend an Amtrak trip to all of you.

[Out of Order]

This is sad. You know, there should be some type of airline for people with sickness. Equipped with doctors and nurses and equipment so that sick people can take those last trips. Think how many people you know who wish they could go visit someplace "one last time." Or a bucket list destination. But, they are fragile.

Now THAT is a great idea!!

[Todash]

I was prepared to say this was simply a grieving husband wanting to blame someone ... but then I read the article. She was already ON THE PLANE. Yes, if it crashed, she would die. *cough* like everyone else on board *cough*. Yes, she could get hurt in turbulence. But the chances of that are much smaller than not getting a critically ill patient timely treatment. Risk assessment FAILURE. For shame. :(

[Spideyman]

love your idea DanaJane-

If the airline flew her there, why could not they fly her back. They knew what was needed and arrangements had been made. What changed?

[kingricefan]

I don't know, from reading the article seems like they did try their best to accommadate her in this situation.

[GNTLGNT]

She said Janos Soltesz plans to pursue a lawsuit against the three airlines that denied his wife passage home, where she desperately needed medical treatment.

...if her condition was that unstable, she should never have been traveling-period...her death is tragic, please don't misunderstand me, but the husband suing the airlines is ridiculous and to me, is an attempt to deflect criticism for lack of common sense on both their parts...medical treatment had to have been available in some way, shape or form where they were, this death did not have to happen...

[Out of Order]

...if her condition was that unstable, she should never have been traveling-period...her death is tragic, please don't misunderstand me, but the husband suing the airlines is ridiculous and to me, is an attempt to deflect criticism for lack of common sense on both their parts...medical treatment had to have been available in some way, shape or form where they were, this death did not have to happen...

:y::y:

[Todash]

...if her condition was that unstable, she should never have been traveling-period...her death is tragic, please don't misunderstand me, but the husband suing the airlines is ridiculous and to me, is an attempt to deflect criticism for lack of common sense on both their parts...medical treatment had to have been available in some way, shape or form where they were, this death did not have to happen...

I see what you are saying, although I don't know what medical treatment they had available to them. Surely they would have sought it? I read some more about this, and several sites say she "gained weight due to her disease," presumably in the last three weeks. To me, that sounds like maybe her kidney failure worsened, causing her to begin retaining a lot of fluid (people can live with even advanced kidney failure for years but you have to keep that water weight off--which I know you know, but in case anyone reading this isn't familiar with kidney failure, I'm mentioning it). My guess is that she had so much fluid that it began overwhelming her organ systems; that is how people die when their kidneys cease to properly function. Sometimes it happens really fast. My mom has kidney failure; she weighs herself every single day so that she can be on top of any excess fluid retention. But when she was in rehab after a fall last year, they screwed up her diuretics and nearly killed her in a very short time.

These people were traveling to and from a vacation home they owned in their native country. They'd probably made the trip dozens of times with no incidents, and that made them complacent. I do believe that after she was ejected from the first flight the airline tried to accommodate her. I just think they made a mistake by ejecting her from the first one. She was already on the plane. Perhaps she was still mobile? Sounds like it. But by the time they got done with all the airline waiting, it sounds like she was no longer mobile.

I definitely agree with you, after reading all that (and reading INTO it), that she should have been in a hospital at that point, not trying to board another plane. I wish a nurse or doctor had been around to assess the situation and tell her husband, "Sir, we need to get your wife help NOW. This is emergent." Just tragic all around. :sad:

[Out of Order]

Thanks for that great post Todash!

[GNTLGNT]

I see what you are saying, although I don't know what medical treatment they had available to them. Surely they would have sought it? I read some more about this, and several sites say she "gained weight due to her disease," presumably in the last three weeks. To me, that sounds like maybe her kidney failure worsened, causing her to begin retaining a lot of fluid (people can live with even advanced kidney failure for years but you have to keep that water weight off--which I know you know, but in case anyone reading this isn't familiar with kidney failure, I'm mentioning it). My guess is that she had so much fluid that it began overwhelming her organ systems; that is how people die when their kidneys cease to properly function. Sometimes it happens really fast. My mom has kidney failure; she weighs herself every single day so that she can be on top of any excess fluid retention. But when she was in rehab after a fall last year, they screwed up her diuretics and nearly killed her in a very short time.

These people were traveling to and from a vacation home they owned in their native country. They'd probably made the trip dozens of times with no incidents, and that made them complacent. I do believe that after she was ejected from the first flight the airline tried to accommodate her. I just think they made a mistake by ejecting her from the first one. She was already on the plane. Perhaps she was still mobile? Sounds like it. But by the time they got done with all the airline waiting, it sounds like she was no longer mobile.

I definitely agree with you, after reading all that (and reading INTO it), that she should have been in a hospital at that point, not trying to board another plane. I wish a nurse or doctor had been around to assess the situation and tell her husband, "Sir, we need to get your wife help NOW. This is emergent." Just tragic all around. :sad:

...fluid gain due to needing dialysis I imagine...and that type of facility should have been available to them...

[Damaris]

A couple of articles said they did not trust the medical care offered in Hungary (where they were stranded) and were particularly concerned due to her complicated and lengthy history. She was apparently treated only in the US and had had no previous care abroad. I don't think the airlines actually did anything wrong, it was just a very unfortunate and difficult situation for all parties. I do wonder about the last attempt with Lufthansa, when they said they couldn't get her into the intended seats. People were able to get her from her wheelchair into a car, and vice versa, but not onto airline seats, even with the help of a local fire department? That was the only part I found questionable. (A DailyMail article had photos of the car, which looked very average.) But I don't think there is a basis for a lawsuit. It's a shame they couldn't have made it work the first time, when she was already seated, but if they were concerned about the seat integrity or could not make do with the seatbelt extenders... I mean, it's hard to fault a flight crew worrying about a seatback collapsing onto other fliers, or the danger of a 400+ pound unsecured object in case of turbulence. It's all just ... very sad.