O/T SenselessTragedy

ADK

I am so upset.  I had radiation treatments last May to June.  The folks at the hospital were so kind to me during one of the darkest times of my life.  Yesterday, a 76 year old woman who is in chemo accidentally drove her car through the doors of the radiation treatment center.  The chief radiologist was killed and the receptionist is in critical condition.  There were other injuries to three other folks who work there, but none life threatening.  The woman who drove the car was treated and released.  I know she feels horrible about what happened - it truly was a senseless tragedy.  Although the chief radiologist was not my doctor, I saw him every day during those six weeks I went for treatment and he seemed like such a nice guy.  I would see him talking to the folks sitting behind the receptionist desk and he spread warmth and humor.  I believe he was responsible for the conviviality and support I received while going to this center.  I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around this.  It is such a sad situation.

Thanks for listening.  I feel better writing it down. 

Anonymous

That is so sad, ADK.  Big hugs.  I wonder why the lady was having to drive herself around at that age while going through treatment.

Anonymous

I'm sorry, Anne. I know I'd feel just as you do and really find it hard to make sense of what appears senseless. The people who were part of our support during our biggest trauma seem to be frozen in our memory as being so very special and, so, they hold so much meaning to us. It might make you feel better to do something small like bake cookies or whatever for the rest of the staff..? Or contribute for flowers or a foundation as a memorial?

~Marin

ADK

Thank you AlwaysHope and Marin - I knew you guys would get it.  I think the reason why the woman was driving herself is that her husband is 81.  He said he just had the brakes repaired on the car.  They are not clear at all how it happened, she is in shock and really can't tell them.  I agree that she should not have been driving herself, but what else could she do?  She hadn't started radiation treatment yet.  I heard that she was there to deliver her records to them in preparation for treatment.

Marin, I am keeping my eyes open for some sort of memorial for him and I will definitely make a contribution.  Right now, they are reeling - the center is closed until tomorrow because the entryway has been destroyed.  I know there is another way in through the ER, so they will probably use that until they get it repaired.

I just checked the local news - the receptionist passed away today.  It just gets worse and worse.

I appreciate so much that you sympathize!!! 

pconn03

Anne:

So sorry to hear this news.  I totally understand how devastating it must be for you.    We definitely "get attached" to those folks who were there with us through all of those stressful days and they truly are special to us!!   I pray for the victims, their families and the lady who was driving.  May God bless them all and give them peace and may you find some peace as well in the days to come.

Hugs,

Pat

Anonymous

Oh, my gosh!  This is just horrible!  We hear about things like this but we don't think it can happen to us.  I KNOW you must feel just horrible.  What a shock!

Just goes to show...one never knows.  Praying for you and the many people effected by this tragedy. 

Shirley

NoH8

OMG how awful-- just tragic.

newter

Anne,

That is truly a disturbing story.  The destruction of the facility, the death, the poor old lady in shock needing chemo and radiation.  Very upsetting.

tawyna1

hi

this is so sad. it makes me realize how fast things can happen. 

junie

I caught a brief CNN blurb on this incident.   How sad for all involved.  I am sorry that you had to be so close to what happened, but glad you posted.   CNN left their report hanging, in that further investigation was ongoing, yada, yada, trying to make it sound more like a terrorist attack on a hospital facility than just a tragic happening.

ADK

Just an update - I checked the obituary for the doctor this morning and they are asking for donations to Susan B. Komen race for the cure.  Just goes to show what a good guy he was.

Junie,

I didn't see the CNN report.  It amazes me how things get skewed.  The investigation that is going on is checking out the car because the woman really can't answer any questions about it - it happened so fast that she doesn't remember anything or frankly, she may be suffering the effects of chemobrain.  One thing they did do was revoke her driver's license for medical reasons.

Thank you all for the support.

Fitztwins

What a horrible freak tragedy.  There was a breast surgeon, from Dana Farber I think that was killed by a car right on the Hospital Grounds a few years ago.  Tragic, in so many ways.

We had a plane go down early this year that was carrying a organ donor team of doctors and heart. So tragic.

Janis

lvtwoqlt

One of the doctors at the radiation center in the next town passed away in his sleep last week from brain aneursium. He was perfectly healthy otherwise. It also came as a shock to all who worked with him. One of the other doctors came to our support group Monday and the topic of sudden death came up. We are struggling with cancer and 'BAM' someone who does not have cancer suddenly dies. It is shocking.

Sheila

Anonymous

ADK...I read a news report of the incident and it said that the woman was a patient of his. Is that true? If it is, can you imagine killing your own rad onc? She must be devaststed! Poor woman....

~Marin

ADK

Hi Marin,

She was about to become a patient of his.  She is currently undergoing chemo (saw a photo of her - no hair).  I first heard that she was there to deliver her records to him and scope out the place because she was going to start radiation therapy.  She does seem to be devastated and very confused about the whole thing.  She's been driving for 40 years with only one accident in the early 90's.  It will be very difficult for the folks there to treat her, I'm sure. 

Anonymous

Oh, Anne, that is so horrible.  I am so sorry.  It is so hard to deal with death on it's own, but when there is such an accident surrounding it that can be nearly impossible to grasp.  Keeping you in my prayers.  Love and prayers, Deb

ADK

 Update - the poor woman is being charged.

BOSTON -- A 76-year-old woman whose car crashed into a hospital entrance, killing two staff members, is now facing criminal charges.

Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz has charged Jane Berghold with two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of operating a vehicle to endanger. Berghold was at the wheel when her car plowed through the entrance of Brockton Hospital's radiation treatment unit on Monday.

Dr. Mark Vasa, chief of radiation therapy, was struck and killed. A second hospital worker, Susan Plante of East Bridgewater, died late that night. Two others were injured. Berghold has said the car's brakes had recently been worked on, and apparently failed. She said she was diagnosed in April with breast cancer and had been headed to the hospital's radiation therapy center for a consultation.

ADK

I agree with you 100%, Madalyn.  The only thing I can think of is that they are following precedent - a couple of years ago, we had an older man who lost control of his car at a school and killed a woman and injured a couple of people.  He was charged and found guilty.  I think it's so wrong that they charged either one of them.

Anonymous

I'm not trying to stir up a controversy here but maybe its time to make people past a certain age be road tested before renewing their drivers license to make sure they are still capable of controlling a car and making good driving judgments.

ADK

Funny you should say that - there is legislation being proposed to do just that in MA.  They want to apply it to folks over 85, so this woman would not have been tested.  Honestly, I think she had her foot on the gas and thought it was on the brake so, as she got closer to the building, she sped up thinking she should be slowing down.  I would tend to blame chemo brain for that and not her age.  Don't get me wrong, she definitely made a poor choice in driving at all, she should not have been operating a car.  I do think it is strange that the charge is homicide and not manslaughter.  I don't know what they found out in their investigation, but it couldn't have been good. 

Anonymous

That's awful, assuming of course, that it was truly an accident. You'd think, though, that the investigation must have come up with something substantial enough to get the indictment. It's almost like the woman had intent or maybe flipped out and purposely drove into the building. If not, this is a real travesty and just plain pathetic.

~Marin

Anonymous

Maybe they found something in her blood like maybe pain meds that would impair judgment?  I don't know, I'm just trying to find a reason the charge would be so severe instead of manslaughter which would classify it as an accident.

ADK

Just want to update this - the woman plead guilty yesterday and was given 18 months probation and her license to drive has been revoked for 15 years.  Considering that she is 77, it's safe to say she will never drive again.  On the day of the accident, by the way, it came out that she had just come from getting a drug to help with her anemia.  There is a question as to whether or not that affected her ability to drive.  There is now legislation being proposed in MA to test older drivers more frequently.

nosurrender

That is a really sad story. I am so sorry for everyone all around.

Sometimes things happen in life and you just can't wrap your head around them they are so awful.

I don't know if those drugs cause impairment, but I think they can make you dizzy. Maybe that is what happened to her? 

Hugs,

g 

Anonymous

I don't want to hijack this thread, but this seems like a good place for it.  

My "sister" (we are like family to each other) has a friend who was struck by a car while riding her bike in Chicago.  She was instantly killed. 

It's this horrible senseless death, my sister is totally struggling with it, and it is appearing all over the Internet (Amanda Annis was the girl's name if you google her). 

People are in hot debate over bicyclist rights vs. motorist rights.  They are forgetting that what they are talking about is the death of a young woman who had a marriage proposal in the future, friends who loved her,  and a woman who professed her love for the Lord. 

I don't feel like she should be used as a hot topic for debate at the moment. 

I just pray for peace for the family of Mandy, as well as her friends. 

ADK

You are right, some one who dies a senseless death should not be politicized.  I don't have any great words of wisdom to help your sister cope and I feel bad about that except to say I truly believe that each one of us dies only when we are meant to and sadly, for some, that is way too soon.