Dennis Quaid's twins given 'accidental overdose'
Dennis Quaid's newborn babies are reportedly fighting for their lives after being given an accidental overdose at a US hospital.
Twins Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace were allegedly given a massive dose of Heparin - an anti-coagulant - at the Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
A technician apparently stored the drug in the wrong place, and when a nurse grabbed the medicine without looking, it was the wrong dosage.
As many as 13 patients at Cedars Sinai are believed to have been given the accidental overdose.
The twins were born to Quaid and wife Kimberly Buffington via a surrogate mother on November 8 this year.
According to celebrity news website TMZ, each baby was given a Heparin dose of 10,000 units - babies typically get just 10 units.
One dose was apparently given on Sunday morning, and the other on Sunday evening. The drug is normally used to flush out IV lines and prevent blood clots.
Thomas and Zoe reportedly started to "bleed out" late on Sunday night, and were rushed into intensive care. A source told TMZ they are now stable and being given the drug Protamine - which reverses the effects of Heparin.
Around 13 patients are understood to have been given the accidental Heparin overdose. But the effects on Quaid's babies are more critical because of the age and weight of the twins.
Quaid, 53, rose to fame in the 1980s, with roles in movies such as Great Balls of Fire, Enemy Mine and Innerspace.
His career lost steam in the early 1990s after he fought and beat a painful cocaine addiction. But since the late 90s he has experienced a resurgence in popularity, with film credits including Traffic, In Good Company and The Day After Tomorrow.
The actor married real estate Buffington on July 2, 2004, and a surrogate mother gave birth to their twins on November 8 this year.
Son Thomas Boone was born first at six pounds and 12 ounces. Daughter Zoe Grace arrived two minutes later at five pounds and nine ounces.
Quaid has a 15-year-old son, Jack Henry, from his 10-year marriage to actress Meg Ryan. He works with the charity 'International Hospital for Children in New Orleans'. He makes trips to Central America to help build medical clinics and transport sick children back to the United States for treatment they cannot get locally.
A spokeswoman for the Cedars Sinai Medical Center said the hospital had "no information" on the alleged accidental overdoses.
She refused to comment further and said she did not know whether any information would become available later.
A representative for Quaid did not immediately return a call for a comment.
Comments
My heart goes out to Dennis
My heart goes out to Dennis Quaid and his family. And to Kanye West and his family. These are two unfortunate examples of why it is so important to end the Cancer of private for profit health care delivery in America. HR 676 Single Payer Universal Health Care (Medicare For All) is The Way to go. Like all other developed countries did years ago. See sickocure.org
You see, It's not just about the 47 million Americans that have no insurance. Or the 89 million who went without insurance part of the time from 2006-2007. It's about everyone. Private for profit health care delivery is not only highly immoral, and unethical. It is just down right dangerous, and bad medicine. That injures, and kills millions of Americans needlessly. Disgracefully. Shamefully.
These injuries, and deaths should not have happened. We only heard about them because it happened to celebrities. But these tragedies are happening to thousands of Americans every day in this country. But you don't hear about it. These thousands of needless deaths, and injuries of your loved ones are covered up. Under so-called patient confidentiality. Which is just health care industry speak for "don't tell anybody we injured, or killed another one".
See, no one is immune from the Cancer of private for profit health care delivery. Mr. Quaid's children were being cared for at a very renowned hospital. And I am sure Mr. Quaid probably has excellent insurance. And can afford the finest medical care available. But as it turned out. None of that mattered. Hospitals have always been potentially very dangerous places. But under the pressures of greed, and a rush to profit. All US hospitals have become extremely dangerous, deadly places. Like they were in the 18th century. When hospitals were primarily the place you went to DIE!
I don't know exactly how this tragedy to Mr. Quaid's babies happened. But I imagine it was the same scenario that plays out thousands of times every day across America. Driven by greed, and the profit motive hospitals cut corners as much as they can get away with. This means staff that is over worked. And under staffed. It means hiring the least experienced, and cheapest hospital staff you can get. And pushing out the more experienced safer higher paid staff.
They say the pharmacist stocked the wrong meds. And that the hospitals were warned about this problem months ago. After many other perfectly healthy new born babies were killed by this mistake. I wonder how many thousands of perfectly healthy babies were killed this way across America. And how many thousands are still being killed this way across America.
It should not have mattered what concentration of heparin the pharmacist stocked the medicine cabinets with. Because every one who administers drugs is supposed to have been taught to follow the (7 R's).
a. Right drug,
b. Right patient,
c. Right dose,
d. Right time,
e. Right route,
f. Right reason,
g. Right documentation,
This is just basic practice. A experienced person will check additional things. Before giving a patient a potentially deadly drug.
In anticipation of coming changes in our health care system. Thousands of patients are being killed at a fevered pitch. And millions injured, and poisoned with unnecessary medications, medical procedures, and surgery's. In an orgy of greed, and profiteering a head of proposed changes to our current disgraceful health care system.
HR. 676 Single Payer Universal National Health Care For All (Medicare For All) can fix this disgrace. Until then, I advise you to be careful of taking any recommended medical care at this time without doing your home work. And getting a good independent 2nd, or 3rd opinion. Especially if you have so-called good insurance coverage.
And If you have to receive medical care in, or out of a hospital. Try to have a knowledgeable family member or friend to keep an eye on what they are doing to you.
Good Luck...
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