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Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson passed away “extremely and painfully” from an infection caused by negligence at a Dallas recovery facility after undergoing back surgery in September, according to a statement released Thursday by Johnson's family. It is said that
“She had no reason not to be here,” Kirk Johnson, the lawmaker's son, told reporters at a news conference Thursday afternoon. “If she had received proper treatment, she would have been here today.”
The family has notified Baylor Scott & White Health System and Baylor Scott & White Rehabilitation Institute of their intention to sue for medical negligence. State's Attorney Les Weisbrod said the lawmaker was left lying on a bed in his own feces for about an hour while repeatedly asking for help at a rehabilitation center and suffering from back surgery in September. The wound became infected. family. If a settlement is not reached within the next 60 days, a lawsuit will be filed.
After undergoing further surgery to treat the infection, Johnson, 89, died of a spinal cord infection on New Year's Eve while receiving hospice care at home.
Kirk Johnson said the last time he spoke to his mother was Christmas Day. She knew she was about to die, he told reporters.
“I thought she had three more weeks to live,” she said, her voice breaking. “But she didn't.”
Baylor Scott & White officials said Thursday they could not comment in detail on the allegations.
“Congresswoman Johnson has been a long-time friend and champion of the communities we serve. She is an inspiration to all. We stand with Congresswoman Johnson’s family and her attorneys. We are committed to working directly with you,” said Matt Olivolo, a spokesperson for Baylor Scott & White Health. said in his emailed statement. “To respect patient privacy, comments must be limited.”
Weisbrod said he has been in contact with attorneys for the hospital system and rehabilitation center and is “hopeful that this will be resolved.” Texas law limits damages in medical malpractice suits to $250,000. Punitive damages may be even higher, but are subject to limitations, including a unanimous favorable jury decision.
“They assured me they wanted to work towards a resolution,” he said. “And I've been involved with these people many times over the years in many cases. I think they're reputable people. They have sympathy for what happened. I have declared it.”
Johnson, a Dallas political powerhouse and former nurse, state representative and congressman, served as head of Texas's congressional delegation until she retires in 2023. She has proven competent at her job due to her long tenure as a member of Congress, nearly 30 years old. She was many years old when she died. And because of her pragmatic tendencies, she was willing to work with Republicans.
Mr. Johnson, a Waco native, became one of the most powerful Texas Democrats to serve in Congress in recent memory. When she became chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, she was the only Texas-based chair in both chambers.
She was the first Black woman elected to a Dallas seat, the first nurse and Black Dallasite to serve in Congress, and the third Texas woman to represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives.
She retired last year after serving 15 terms representing a district that includes Dallas County and surrounding areas.
On Sept. 7, Johnson went to an orthopedic surgeon for a complex back surgery in the lower back of her spine to repair damage caused by scoliosis and other conditions so she can continue walking, Weisbrod said Thursday. he told reporters. Surgeon Dr. Andrew Park installed hardware in several areas of her lower spine to stabilize it, he said.
Weisbrod, who also underwent surgery on Park's hip earlier this year, said the surgery went well and Johnson's recovery is expected to take several weeks. Johnson was already able to walk a few days after the surgery. Her surgeon referred her to Baylor Scott & White Rehabilitation Center, where staff were to care for her wounds and help her regain her strength before going home. he stated.
But on Sept. 21, her son Kirk Johnson was on his way to the center for a routine care meeting when his mother called and asked for help, at least for a while, to change the sheets. He said no one answered his voice. Fifteen minutes, my son said. When he arrived at the scene 15 minutes later, he found no one there but his mother. She was left on the bed in her own feces and urine, the statement said. There was no nurse at the nursing station when he went to seek her help, the statement said.
“She was screaming in pain and screaming for help,” Kirk Johnson told reporters.
He found a manager and his mother was sorted out and assigned another manager. Her family estimates she was left in her own feces for at least an hour.
“[CEO] Mr. [David] “Mr. Smith had witnessed and smelled a distressing situation and appeared concerned,” the statement said. “Mr Johnson said Mr Smith's reaction was 'this shouldn't have happened'.”
Weisbrod said the family was told at the time that the nurse who was scheduled to monitor calls at the station that day was in training. Days later, in a voicemail from the case manager (a recording of which was played to reporters Thursday), the technician who was caring for the deputy that day said that when Johnson needed help, another My son was told that he had been checking on a patient.
The orthopedic surgeon who performed the lawmaker's lower back surgery noted that she experienced complications directly related to the incident three days later., According to Weisbrod.
Medical records released to reporters showed Johnson had severe pain and a fever, as well as signs of infection in the wound. Tests confirmed it was an infection and found bacteria directly related to fecal exposure.
Doctors performed the surgery again on September 25, Weisbrod said. In addition to removing the infected part of the wound, treatment for the infection required removing all the hardware from the previous surgery to ensure it was not infected and then reinserting it into the spine, he said. Stated. Her attorney said she started her antibiotics intravenously and continued to take them until the day she died. After her second surgery, Ms. Johnson was transferred to a skilled nursing facility to recover, but she returned to her home in mid-December for hospice care.
She died shortly thereafter.
But before she died, Weisbrod said, she pressed her lawyers to “pursue this case in the weeks leading up to her death.”
“She knew what happened to her, we talked about it, and she asked me to file a lawsuit on her behalf,” he said. “And of course I thought she would recover, considering the pain she went through, the additional procedures she went through and her medical costs. It was very important to me that she died. This is sad.” “
