Anna Nicole Smith ~ DIED OF UNKNOWN CAUSE ~ will the real father please stand up

[Lisa loves Pooh]

You beat me to it. This was a BIG no-no!!

See...I wasn't even going that route. I thought it was a BIG no-no for docs to diagnose without all the facts. Until the bloodwork/tox screen is complete---a Radiologist can't pronounce a Cause of death no matter how convinced the staff is.

Since none of that was done on site at the hospital and that part was given to the Medical Examiner...I would imagine that the director is guilty of spreading gossip and rumors more than HIPAA (or actually BOTH). Still a big no no for someone with such a position to partake.

Somehow I can't picture the ER getting her a stat X-ray/CT/MRI when they can't even get through the ABC part to revive her.

In any case--they interviewed a medical correspondent and ANS was given a drug typically given in unknown situations by medics on a daily basis...something that can attempt to reverse the effects of an OD or low BP. I can't recall the name--but essentially it was stated that just b/c that drug was administered means very little as it is pretty much always administered in an unknown situation of finding someone collapsed for some unknown reason.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

See...I wasn't even going that route. I thought it was a BIG no-no for docs to diagnose without all the facts. Until the bloodwork/tox screen is complete---a Radiologist can't pronounce a Cause of death no matter how convinced the staff is.

Also very true. I wondered that as well.

Still, the poster who said what their mother/MIL reported was a big mistake. And a nurse knows better than to do that.

 

[mickeyboat]

I was thinking the poster was reporting gossip that had gone through the hospital, and not actually reporting first hand knowledge as someone who actually treated her.

However, she might have had x-rays since I have heard some speculation that her sudden death might have been caused by a pulmonary embolism caused by a blood clot formed after her C-section, or some sort of acute pneumonia - after all she had been experiencing flu-like symptoms for several days.

I heard it was less than an hour between the time she was found in her room and the time she was pronounced dead at the hospital.

If it was an suicidal OD, I can't even imagine the pain and depression she might have been feeling after all she had been going through, maybe a touch of PPD, too.

Still so sad, no matter how it happened.

Denae

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I was thinking the poster was reporting gossip that had gone through the hospital, and not actually reporting first hand knowledge as someone who actually treated her.

Still....

I used to work for a 24 hour crisis agency. People who were suicidal/homicidal/psychotic would come in for help. What if a friend of the family, we will call her Jane Smith, came in for an evaluation. I heard from another coworker than Jane was thinking of suicide and had been placed in a hospital.

I then go home and tell my mom that I'd heard Jane had been put in the hospital because of suicidal thoughts.

Still wrong. Still a breach of confidentiality. I could be fired and fined.

I don't see how this situation is any different.

 

[Mono~rail]

Even if it it is just gossip, it is a HIPPA violation to talk about a patient to those who are not responsible for their care. I know I've heard rumors around my hospital, and the rumors can be some doozies - stuff that doesn't even make sense, but *allegedly* educated medical professionals will be spreading the nonsense like wild fire.

 

[Mono~rail]

I was thinking the poster was reporting gossip that had gone through the hospital, and not actually reporting first hand knowledge as someone who actually treated her.

Denae

You can't do that either. I'm a nurse, but I don't work at the hospital that ANS was taken to (or anywhere near it). I watch the news so I can come here and discuss freely what I hear on the news. If I worked as a nurse at the hospital she was taken to (even if I work in a dept that didn't see her or touch anything to do with her - x-rays, labs, etc.) I had better keep my lips zipped about the whole thing.

I could repeat things that were being said on the news, but I can't repeat things that I hear around the hospital from those who did care for her.

 

[mickeyboat]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I wasn't really addressing whether or not there was a HIPPA violation. I would think most medical personnel are trained on what is and what is not a HIPPA violation, and also have been told that when in doubt, keep your mouth shut.

I was really just addressing the question of where the woman might have gotten the information in light of people feeling there was no indication that ANS would have gotten an X-Ray.

Denae

 

[SillyMe]

A few posters might want to go back and edit their quotes. Several people quoted that poster.

 

[jann1033]

ans really looked like she was depressed to me( that lack of sparkle) so i feel sorry she had so much pain in her life..even if it was drugs sometimes that's due to depression

and as far as the "hospital gossip", that is so wrong...i had a friend who would call me every time i had to go for a test or something ...she looked up my records somehow( she worked in admitting) on a regular basis evidently and even though she appeared to be doing it out of concern it really annoyed me...if she hadn't known me i would have reported her as it's nobody else's business and sure not their right to spread it around..

 

[DreaminDisney]

Very tragic all around.

I hope that baby is taken care of and brought up with much unconditional love. Seems from interviews that's what Anna lacked in her life. RIP Anna.

 

[Desnik]

Anyone else see I think it was Entertainment Tonight on CBS yesterday? They had footage of ANS just a week ago. She was showing her new house she was building and talking about how she wants to get a fresh start and be stress free. She looked so beautiful and she was talking pretty normally, not slurring. It was so sad to see her showing her garden, talking about her daughter growing up in the house. It really looked like she was trying to make a change in her life. They did a really nice job talking about her and showing past interviews with her. Not like the other news channels that were really heartless in their reporting of her death.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

i had a friend who would call me every time i had to go for a test or something ...she looked up my records somehow( she worked in admitting) on a regular basis evidently and even though she appeared to be doing it out of concern it really annoyed me...if she hadn't known me i would have reported her as it's nobody else's business and sure not their right to spread it around..

I had a friend who worked in a video store and looked up what I rented, and THAT pissed me off.

Another poster said (paraphrasing) that they were surprised she would use drugs, especially after her own son died of an overdose. But a drug addict wouldn't necessarily think like that...if it were that easy to get off drugs, they wouldn't be addicts. Especially if she's been medicating herself for many years, I can't imagine a bigger "need" to medicate oneself than after the death of a child, and in her case, it seems, one of the few people ever in her life that gave her that unconditional love she craved.

 

[alldiz]

I feel so sorry for her...and her daughter...

To lose a son....the pain must be so intense....
I cant say that I would not descend into
a drugged out life..I'm sure I would...much too much pain...

I was hoping her daughter would give her a reason to live...
Unfortunately...i think her demons could not be put to rest...

God Bless
Kerri

 

[lovemygoofy]

You know I just keep thinking about Anna and feeling horrible. Can you imagine essentially having no one in your life that you could turn to? People coming out of the woods to be her friend but just wants her money or to just be able to sell their story. I keep thinking about the despair of pretty much alone. That alone without the constant crap on the news or the death of her son or whatever else she was tangle up in is enough to be depressed about.

It really is remarkable to think about the similiarties between her and Marilyn Monroe. My mom was talking about that lastnight because I just don't know enough about Monroe to be able to compare.

 

[Mono~rail]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I wasn't really addressing whether or not there was a HIPPA violation. I would think most medical personnel are trained on what is and what is not a HIPPA violation, and also have been told that when in doubt, keep your mouth shut.

I was really just addressing the question of where the woman might have gotten the information in light of people feeling there was no indication that ANS would have gotten an X-Ray.

Denae

I quoted you because it was a good example of not being able to talk about patients in the hospital you work at. Even if it is just rumor that a hospital worker hears, they still can't talk about it. I wasn't picking on you, and I apologize.

Personally, I wouldn't talk about a patient in my hospital even if there was information in the news. There's such a fine line in what violates HIPPA and what doesn't so I just keep quiet to be on the safe side.

The only cases I've read about where someone was actually prosecuted and fined for HIPPA violations are cases when the information was taken to steal from someone. That being said, a healthcare worker can still be fired for violating HIPPA.

I'm betting that post has already gotten back to the hospital administration and the MIL/radiology director is already being dealt with. The name of the hospital is all over the news so anyone could call the hospital and direct them to this thread and that exact post.

 

[Robinrs]

Anyone else see I think it was Entertainment Tonight on CBS yesterday? They had footage of ANS just a week ago. She was showing her new house she was building and talking about how she wants to get a fresh start and be stress free. She looked so beautiful and she was talking pretty normally, not slurring. It was so sad to see her showing her garden, talking about her daughter growing up in the house. It really looked like she was trying to make a change in her life. They did a really nice job talking about her and showing past interviews with her. Not like the other news channels that were really heartless in their reporting of her death.

I did see that interview. She wasn't slurring or acting silly but she did seem a bit robotic, as if under the influence of antidepressants.

Whatever her problems, Vickie Hogan or ANS, was a sad sad case. In 39 years she managed to cause more controversy and live through more pain than most of us will ever experience. I cannot help but think it was because of her upbringing, which makes me question whether or not Danielle should be raised by her family.

As for Howard K Stern, I think he is basically the core of this entire mess and whether it takes a week or ends up in a Cold Case file, we will find out what his involvement was. If it walks like a duck... you know the rest.

That DNA test should've BEEN done. There is a serious reason why it was not. Anna's depression after Daniel's death is a user's dream. Whoever is in charge of Danielle should not let him near her until everything is investigated. That child should be protected from whatever lifestyle killed off half of her immediate family.

This is truly a nightmare.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

One thing that someone said on the news today was...if she had only a few close friends, where were they? And not just yesterday, but over the years. Why did HKS let her put herself out there (her TV show) like that to be ridiculed? And all the interviews since her son's death? Where were the people who should have been saying to her "Step back and take care of yourself"?

I think HKS is creepy, and a user and an enabler.

Oh, and it really annoyed me watching some of the news people yesterday. One legal "expert" was claiming that even if Larry is determined to be the bio father, would a judge take the baby away from the only father she's ever known (HKS)? Oh, please. She's 5 months old, and I doubt HKS was "the one" primarily taking care of her anyway. And with all these questions out there about HKS involvement in providing drugs to the ANS's son, and whatever questions arise from ANS's death, I think keeping him away from that baby would be a very good thing.

 

[hemispheredancer]

It is reported that medical personnel administered Narcan to reverse a possible drug overdose. But by then I am sure it was too late. I have wondered why she was even there in the first place. Why wasn't she at home taking care of her daughter? As a parent I realize we need an evening out or perhaps a night away. But come on, 4 days without your daughter? To me that speaks volumes. I also think HKS is nothing but a sneaky snake. I am sure he will have blood on his hands when all is said and done. For that baby's sake I hope Larry Birkhead is the father and can hopefully raise her in good way.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

What robinrs said.

Some guy who interviewed her back in October and then again last week said that last week, she seemed more "distant" from the baby. I think she was just sinking deeper and deeper into depression and possibly drugs.

She was in Florida to buy a boat. Mybe SHE needed to be there, since SHE has the money, not HKS, or maybe HE wouldn't go alone to buy the boat since he wouldn't leave her alone...and I'm thinking not out of concern, so much as him keeping control of her. She probably didn't want to bring the baby, as that might force the paternity test if the baby was back in the US.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I had a conversation with my daughter about this last night. I am actually very sad over her death....how misguided was she? She lost her son to drugs, really who was watching her after the birth of her sweet little girl, how about losing your son and post partum, we are talking serious depression here no matter what front she put on in front of the camera.. It kind of reminded me of Elvis, the drug behavior was tolerated by all around him, seems that is the case with AN...I am so sad, she was so young, why couldn't she get the help she needed.

I agree with Robinrs if it walks like a duck etc....they need to do the paternity testing and fast. If he is not the father, and I wonder about that, then give the baby to the real father and hopefully let her be raised away from all this sensationalism. Also, do the autopsy as well to find out exactly what caused her death. Two deaths in the same family, same causes, maybe...my detective mind says something is seriously wrong when one guy is around for both of them...