Latest news with #DoNotResuscitate
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Family's outrage after nurse missed motor neurone victim mouthing 'help me!' at video monitor as he choked to death in his bed
Struggling to breathe and mouthing 'help me' at a video camera in front of his bed, the deeply distressing footage of Steve Carr's agonising final moments haunt his family. Upstairs, a nurse, who was meant to be monitoring the video feed in case his breathing tube became blocked during the night, failed to respond – even though it is understood that an emergency alarm sounded loudly for more than 40 minutes. By the time she finally came to his aid, it was too late. Steve, 67, who had motor neurone disease (MND), had passed away in the most appalling of circumstances. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Steve's horrifying ordeal has been investigated by the police for more than two years but there have been no charges. Shockingly, it is claimed the nurse is seen on the video apparently attempting to unblock his airway around 20 minutes after telling his wife that she believed he had passed away, which his family fear may have been an attempt to cover up how he died. Now his wife Maggie, 69, and sister Tracy, 63, want to highlight what they see as a shocking failure in Steve's care and prevent such a tragedy from happening again. 'I watched my husband die in the most terrible way, distressed and alone, and this is something which will stay with me forever,' Maggie said. 'This should not have happened with everything that was put in place to keep him safe. Our experience shows the unimaginable vulnerability of people in the 'care system'.' MND is a progressive neurological condition that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Public awareness of the disease has increased in recent years after Scottish rugby union player Doddie Weir and rugby league legend Rob Burrow, both MND sufferers, raised millions to find a cure. Weir died in 2022, aged 52, and Burrow died last year, aged 41. Steve, a former delivery driver from Witham, Essex, was diagnosed with MND in 2021. After seven months at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, he was discharged in March 2022 and, a popular figure on his ward, was clapped out by medical staff. Despite his terminal condition, his family said he had a 'zest for life'. He refused to sign a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order because he wanted to spend as much time as possible with his grandchildren. Steve had undergone a tracheostomy to insert a tube into his windpipe, which was then connected to a portable ventilator. An agency was commissioned to provide 24-hour care, with carers and nurses working two 12-hour shifts. A key task for them was to keep his airway clear with a suction machine. The person working the night shift, from 8pm to 8am, was meant to stay awake in an upstairs room and monitor Steve's condition via a camera, which Maggie had installed in his downstairs bedroom, linked to a baby monitor. At around 3.20am on May 22, 2023, a nurse woke Maggie and told her that she believed Steve had passed away. Maggie, who was married to Steve for 18 years, was shocked as he had just enjoyed 'a good day' and had not appeared to be deteriorating. She later viewed the video footage recorded by the camera and was 'devastated' by what she saw. She said: 'It showed my husband in severe distress, struggling to breathe, obviously needing a suction to clear his airway and mouthing 'help me'. The alarm carried on for more than 40 minutes and the nurse did not come to him.' The MoS understands the nurse was employed by an agency subcontracted by the primary agency responsible for Steve's care. The woman, who this paper is not naming, also worked as an NHS midwife at a London hospital. It is claimed the video shows how, after Steve's death, the nurse made a phone call to a colleague. She is then allegedly seen undertaking a suction procedure, which involves inserting a tube into the patient's airway and then turning on a machine to remove mucus. Maggie last night raised questions about why the nurse would carry out this procedure despite apparently believing Steve had died. His sister Tracy added: 'It was strange that she did that after the phone call.' Steve's family believe the nurse failed to respond because she had fallen asleep while possibly wearing earphones. She is understood to have denied this. This paper understands that the nurse is suspended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and that an allegation of neglect was upheld after a safeguarding enquiry by Essex Council in 2024. Maggie said: 'If I hadn't had a camera in my husband's room, we would never have truly known what had happened. I would encourage people in our situation to have a camera put in place.' The primary agency responsible for Steve's care, which subcontracted another agency to look after him on the night he died, refused to respond.
Spectator
12-06-2025
- Health
- Spectator
Letters: How ‘Nick' could save the Tories
Dying wish Sir: As a 99-year-old with, presently, no intention of requesting assistance to die, I am struck by the articles of Dan Hitchens and Tom Tugendhat ('Bitter end' and 'Killing me softly', 7 June), which base their strong opposition on the opinions of everyone other than the person supposed to be requesting such assistance. He or she, poor soul, is expected to just lie there and listen to whether they are to be allowed to have any opinion at all on the matter. It's my life they are writing about. At present I have the ability to end it whenever I might wish. What Messers Hitchens and Tugendhat are arguing is that, if I change my mind, no one is to be allowed to help me at a moment of my choosing. That's wrong. Alan Hall Westerham, Kent Life lessons Sir: In response to Tom Tugendhat, having seen a friend suffering with severe agitation because of uncontrolled pain, my concern is that there is a strong disincentive for medical practitioners to provide adequate pain control, as adequate doses can exceed the upper limit of the 'normal' recommended range, leaving the doctor liable to litigation. My proposal is to introduce a form of advance instruction from patients: Pain-relief Over Prolongation Of Life (POPOL). Similar to the Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) for life-threatening medical emergency advance instructions at the front of the medical record, this would make it clear that the patient and relatives stipulate giving enough analgesia to control pain, despite the likelihood of it shortening life. It would have similar status to the DNR. This could be relatively easily adopted and would provide a much less controversial way than 'assisted dying' of achieving what many people want – a pain-free death. Having advanced cancer myself, I can strongly empathise with a wish for this path to be followed, which indeed it often was when I first qualified 45 years ago. Dr Ros Furlong MBBS FRCPsych scientific adviser to SANE London N6 Saving Nick Sir: Your recent leading article rightly identifies Nick, the archetypal 30-year-old, as at the thin end of the wedge (31 May). Traditionally the Conservatives stood for him, empowering Nick to acquire capital, a home and a family. Shifting to side with those who already have something, and against those striving to acquire it, is what made the party lose its compass. I founded the group Next Gen Tories (NGT) to put Nick back on the radar. Tackling Nick's challenges is the key to reversing both the UK's economic decline and the party's. We must return to the popular capitalist vision which has been a hallmark of every other postwar Conservative government. If Nick wants to save himself and arrest the country's decline, he should join the Conservatives to force this change of pace. James Cowling London SE10 Brought to book Sir: Having taught A-level English literature for nearly 30 years, I can't agree with Philip Womack's assertion ('Literal disaster', 31 May) that some students' difficulty in interpreting older texts is a sign that 'the foundations of western culture are teetering into collapse'. Part of the joy of teaching literature is to guide students sensitively through the social and historical contexts of a text and build a bank of cultural capital for their future reading. I still blush when I recall my inability to 'elicit a scintilla of sense' from 'The Convergence of the Twain', Hardy's poem about the sinking of the Titanic. 'How could it be an august night,' I asked my teacher, 'when the ship sank in April?' Andy Simpson Sandbach, Cheshire Sir: Christian Wolmar's advice on Chinese banquets (Notes on, 31 May) is sound but incomplete. While it is important to pace yourself and to avoid the host, who is duty bound to press every dish upon you, there are other factors to remember. A refusal always offends, as does slow, reluctant consumption. My friend, a notoriously picky eater, recognised he must take part in the banquet for the good of his business, and managed to conceal a shudder as he accepted the proffered entire chicken foot. He coped by eating it quickly. His speed was taken as enthusiasm and his delighted host immediately offered him another. Joanne Aston Norby, Thirsk Period pains Sir: Madeline Grant is quite right to decry the distortion of history in recent shows ('The sad decline of period dramas', 7 June). The worst offender in this respect, of course, is one William Shakespeare (1564–1616). How much does his Richard III owe to the historical king? Not a lot, but he owes a mountain to Holinshed or, worse, to Thomas More. So much for character but, as for gender, don't get me started. His Joan of Arc was played by a boy, as was his Ophelia. For convenience naturally, and misrepresentation if you will. In the eyes of our national Bard, so it would appear, history is not in the past. It is in the present, and so are we. Robert Fraser Emeritus Professor, English and Creative Writing, Open University Tapioca heaven Sir: Olivia Potts rightly celebrates tapioca (The Vintage Chef, 31 May) but fails to mention the sublime payasam served in Tamil Nadu. This milky sweet cardamom-scented tapioca pudding has only one drawback: it is very difficult to eat with your fingers. But delicious nevertheless. Caroline Walker Beaminster, Dorset Write to us letters@
Express Tribune
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Steve ‘Mongo' McMichael dies at 67 after battle with ALS
Steve 'Mongo' McMichael, a former NFL star and professional wrestler, has died at the age of 67 due to complications from ALS, according to his family. Diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in 2021, McMichael had been bedridden in his final years. He passed away surrounded by loved ones, including his wife Misty and daughter Macy. McMichael spent 13 of his 15 NFL seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he earned two All-Pro selections and was a key member of the team's 1985 Super Bowl-winning defense. He played a franchise-record 191 consecutive games and recorded 92.5 career sacks. After years of being overlooked, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. His wife noted that he revoked a previously signed Do Not Resuscitate order after learning he was a Hall of Fame finalist—an act that reflected his enduring passion for the game. Following his football career, McMichael transitioned into professional wrestling. He joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the 1990s, where he became part of the iconic Four Horsemen faction and won the U.S. Heavyweight title. He also appeared as a commentator and was featured at WWE's WrestleMania XI. After retirement, he stayed active in sports as a media host and coach. He hosted a Bears pre-game show on ESPN 1000 and later led the Chicago Slaughter in the Indoor Football League. In 2013, he made a run for mayor of Romeoville, Illinois. At the time of his passing, McMichael's estimated net worth was $3 million, built from his multifaceted career in sports and media. Born in Houston and raised in Freer, Texas, he was a standout at the University of Texas, earning unanimous All-American honors. McMichael leaves behind a legacy defined by athletic excellence, showmanship, and an unwavering will to fight.
