Danny Bazan is a vibrant soul, full of life and energy, who cherished every moment spent with his family. He relished the thrill of riding his bike and enjoyed the friendly competition of playing horseshoes. A dedicated worker in the construction industry, he prided himself on his independence and active lifestyle. However, everything changed dramatically when he sought medical attention at a local hospital. An emergency room visit turned into a heartbreaking ordeal, as he entered the hospital walking but emerged paralyzed from the neck down, forever altering the course of his life.
For two decades, Danny had lived with an abscess on the back of his neck, roughly the size of half a golf ball. Despite his repeated reports to his doctors about the lump on his cervical spine, they simply monitored it, offering little more than reassurance. Throughout the years, the abscess was mostly harmless, a quiet presence on the periphery of his life. However, everything changed one fateful day when the pain escalated to an unbearable level. Danny found himself in a desperate situation, unable to endure the agony any longer.
He desperately sought help during four emergency visits at two different hospitals. During his first visit, while waiting to be called for triage, he was found on the emergency room floor, lying in agony. Instead of receiving the care he so urgently needed, he was accused of being homeless and unceremoniously escorted out of the hospital. His experience at the second hospital was no better, as he received no assistance there either. With nowhere else to turn he returned to the first hospital where, after much struggle, he was finally admitted as an inpatient.
Danny was prescribed antibiotics and was expected to remain in the hospital for several days, as the doctors believed he was battling a stubborn infection. Three days passed, and he struggled to form coherent sentences, repeatedly asking his wife Lena, “What am I doing here?” His words came out slurred and nonsensical. Eventually, Lena decided to go home for a much-needed break. But her fleeting moment of respite was abruptly cut short by a call from a nurse, urgently asking how quickly she could return to the hospital. With her heart racing, Lena ran the three miles back to the hospital in sandals, fueled by a wave of desperation and fear. When she reached Danny’s room, the sight that greeted her was harrowing—he was encircled by eight providers, all working in a fervor to prepare him for surgery. A sudden fall in his hospital room had led to a spinal cord stroke, and it was only after this critical event that the medical team sprang into action, rushing him into the operating room for an emergency surgery. Danny met his wife’s gaze, his eyes brimming with uncertainty, and said, “Babe, guess what? I’m going into surgery; they’re removing the abscess.” The weight of the situation pressed down heavily on both Danny and Lena. As he lay in bed awaiting his transfer to surgery, he felt the alarming loss of sensation creeping through his hands and legs, amplifying the gravity of what lay ahead.
Once Danny was transferred to the operating room, Lena met with one of the doctors. The provider revealed that the neck abscess had shifted and expanded, leading to a debilitating spinal cord stroke. If the medical team had acted earlier, the bacteria from the abscess may not have spilled into his throat, creating a life-threatening situation. A ruptured neck abscess that drains pus into the throat or esophagus is a medical emergency, demanding immediate assessment for serious complications like sepsis, airway obstruction, or mediastinitis. Unfortunately, during the surgery, bacteria did seep into his throat. If only the procedure had been performed earlier, if only his condition had been detected sooner—he might have escaped this harrowing ordeal. Had the medical team waited one more day, Danny would have succumbed to his illness. Thankfully, he did survive, but Danny came out of the surgery paralyzed from the neck down.
While in the hospital, he also contracted MRSA and became septic. Again, had Danny’s condition been caught sooner, he would not have had to endure his condition and all of the complications that came with it.
Two weeks after Danny’s surgery, his healthcare providers transferred him to a rehabilitation center. He was not sent to the rehab center he had requested, but a facility a daunting 45 minutes outside of town. During the ride, a paramedic turned to his wife, Lena, and asked if she loved her husband. When she affirmed her love, he frowned and warned her, “Then why are you sending him to this rehab? That place is where they send people to die.” Upon arriving and witnessing the appalling conditions of the facility, Lena wasted no time. She quickly called for another ambulance to take them back to the hospital, determined to protect her husband from more danger.
Since Danny’s release from rehab, he has been rushed to the hospital twice grappling with serious complications stemming from the negligence he faced during his previous treatment. Tragically, both hospital stays were marked by further medical oversights, compounding his struggles and deepening the urgency of his situation.
He has made remarkable strides through his physical and occupational therapy, bolstered by the unwavering support of his devoted wife, who cares for him around the clock. He can now walk with the aid of mobility devices. Yet, he will undoubtedly continue to confront challenges along the way. Regrettably, Danny will never be able to return to work, and he must learn to navigate the profound changes brought about by his condition. Despite these obstacles, his resilience shines through as he adjusts to this new chapter in his life.
Danny has joined the Consumer Watchdog advocacy team to champion accountability and transparency in the healthcare sector, ensuring that physicians uphold their responsibilities to patients and the community.