I don't get the blame game either. Indeed prayers always help.

I prayed several times a day for Thomas Duncan until he died, his family and his caregivers still. You can care for the well-being and future of the people in a frightening and tragic situation and still be furious with some of their behavior, especially when it puts others at risk or accuses them of horribly inhuman behavior. They don't have to blame everyone else but Duncan.

I care that the family is publicly blaming his American doctors for his sickness and death. When he first got sick, a relative said he got Ebola from the American hospital! Now relatives are, even in the midst of their fresh grieving, taking the time to point fingers at American doctors for treating Duncan differently and unfairly because he is a black man and complaining that the medical staff didn't do enough for him. Right after the poor guy died, his family was already readily accusing American medical personnel of something absolutely dreadful.

Early misdiagnosis happens every day in emergency rooms the world over to every color patient and the hospital bears full moral and legal responsibility for that and any part it played in Duncan's death.

If the relatives really believe that accusation of racial bias in his treatment, why announce such vile accusations to the whole world? File complaints to the Texas Medical Board and any federal authority who oversee foreign travelers' safety/rights in America, letting the investigation of the case prove whether one or more of his treating physicians, the consultants at Presby, Emory University Hospital and CDC plus hospital administrators, solely or conspiratorially, withheld better treatment because they are racists. The ER physician made a grave medical mistake but no way I believe that epidemiology team that worked around the clock on him in strict isolation and wearing PPE suits, more than willing to risk their own lives to treat him, showed any racial bias in treating their gravely ill patient.

Haven't that family once wondered why Duncan or they didn't take on the responsibility of deciding he should stay put in Liberia until at least the epidemic had passed so as not to take the chance of infecting innocent kids? They all knew he was coming from a country where over half of the sick have died, where dying people still lie outside treatment centers, along the street curbs and that Ebola hasn't skipped any of the poor neighborhoods? And now they know he carried an unconscious woman in the midst of all of that misery, dying and death, yet he never ever thought she could possibly have it, too, and possibly have infected him? Seriously?!?!

I'm truly sorry for their fear and loss, wish them good health and heart peace, but how about taking some personal responsibility besides just pointing fingers at his dedicated, brave American medical team and making dreadful, public accusations about them?

To cast blame on Mr. Duncan or any member of his family for the death and/or exposure and possible deadly sufferance of additional family/friends/acquaintances incidental or personal, is to say that Mr. Duncan purposely and knowingly assisted "someone" by placing them in a wheel barrow and desperately seeking medical care for them because he knew they were dying from Ebola and that Mr. Duncan then purposely and with full comprehension of the totality of the circumstances, hopped upon an airplane, came to the United States and still knowing the totality of the circumstances completely threw caution to the wind and with malice aforethought sought to infect all those he cherished and loved most and with malice towards those he didn't know, infect them too?


Ignorance is bliss and the totality of these circumstances is not known to any of us but those of us who are able to even a tiny bit comprehend, empathize or educate ourselves know that that just doesn't stand to reason, even slightly, if you believe for a second that a man with such compassion as to assist a pregnant woman by placing her in a wheelbarrow and seeking medical care knew and fully understood, a man who lives in country where Diahrrhoeal disease is rampant and the number one cause of death in children under 5 and the number one cause of death for all others is Malaria, a country where (Ebola like) disease is a part of their everyday life/death....


One would have to educate themselves and realize that the suffering that Mr. Duncan saw in Liberia is as common in his life as opening our eyes in the morning to the roof over our heads...Believe it or not the Ebola outbreak in Liberia is minimal in their day to day stuggle to survive they see people dying like this everyday in their third world, infact; Liberians are more likely to die from Malaria then they are Ebola.


Read this article:
Ebola, Malaria and Our Empathy Deficit|Cameron Conaway

One other thing, I do NOT blame anyone, Liberian or American for his death....I do know that HUMAN ERROR in the initial dx and him leaving that ER on the first visit was CRUCIAL and forever left open a window of WHAT IF?????


Additionally, I am totally understanding that those grieving the loss of one they love so much are acting out etc., and are outraged.....because they are the one's who will forever be looking through that window of WHAT IF????


Finally, I am glad for the publicity (whether I agree with everything they say or not) often this type of PUSH leads to positive results and if it helps in anyway to bring the errors to the front so that they aren't repeated and the loss of life by ANYONE is prevented.....SO BE IT....

There have been multiple TV new reports both early on and since, that the woman he helped to an Ebola ward and other facilities - care centers so full of the sick and dying that she was turned away - even though she was vomiting blood some of the time and her fever so high she was seizing, with so little bodily resources left, she was unconscious at times. This in a neighborhood who had lost 3 people recently to Ebola and in a city rife with death from it.

He had to, at the very least, strongly suspect he might have been exposed and he still chose to fill out the travel forms the way he did despite the neighborhood Ebola deaths, coming here, in some state of denial or depraved indifference. Since he was a capable, functioning adult fully aware of his surroundings, I suspect the latter. Many people treat their own family members wonderfully and terribly at other times, loving, then abusing, abandoning or even killing them, etc., while kindly helping and showing great devotion to others. Humans are complex individuals who don't follow predictable, logical pathways of behavior in their interpersonal relationships, especially when their own question of survival is involved.

We won't ever know what sensibilities allowed him to help one gravely ill woman to the point that he was exposed to a deadly disease and then come to America and expose children, but as Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol had lived once they made it here, he probably thought that was his only chance to live. He probably figured if he told what had happened to him or didn't behave normally around family, tried to withhold his hugs and kisses, his family might ask what was wrong, ask questions and he might begin to be feared sick, ostracized, reported and deported - who knows? Sadly, he lost his battle with Ebola. But his family and others, denying that he has culpability in his actions filing out those forms and coming here or blaming that dedicated medical team who willingly risked their lives to care for him, won't change anything about it.

Link to just one of the stories about the vomiting, seizing patient:

Texas Ebola Patient Was Good Neighbor Who Helped Dying Woman - ABC News

As the family looks thru that window of "What If", hopefully they can appreciate how different the outcome may have been if, in spite of the ER "computer glich", ER nurse not passing along the information, etc, "what if" the patient or the family that brought him to the ER would have only REITERATED again, as he was being told he could go home with the meds they were prescribing, that he had ABSOLUTELY been in close contact with a woman that died from ebola, and he was fearful he too may have the disease now. He was aware of what the disease is, how it progresses and the eventual outcome of the disease if left untreated. He knew that because that area and the people living there are living daily in the very midst of the disease. He knew enough to falsify travel documents so he would be allowed to leave the country. "What if" he would have only said, "I believe I have caught ebola from a hemorrhaging dying woman I helped back in Liberia, and I can not leave this hospital."
It seems to me it has become "politically incorrect" or "politically incompassionate" for anyone to even suggest that outcomes in any given situation could be greatly improved "if only" people would accept responsibility or accountability for their OWN actions. When you point a gun at a police officer, chances are you will be shot. If it turns out it was just a BB gun, you still must assume responsibility for your own questionable judgement by pointing the gun at the police. If you can not swim, and you jump into deep water, that is again questionable judgement. If you live in squallow, ridden with hemorrhagic disease, people dying all around you, and you carry a dying neighbor to three different ebola hospitals/clinics and then to her home to die vomiting blood, bloody diarrhea, bleeding from eyes and ears, you know what you are doing. The compassionate, generous, kind hearted, sympathetic, loving, giving soul, KNEW what he was exposing himself to and he must assume accountability for accepting the risks of his compassion. All the doctors and nurses that go into the midst of that disease, to help these people, know the risk and they accept that risk without displacing blame on anyone else. People have to be accountable for their own actions, without displacing blame on everyone else. The hospital should have never sent him home after seeing him that evening....but THEY certainly did not deliberately and "with malice aforethought sought to infect all those he cherished and loved most and with malice towards those he didn't know" choose to send him out into the public to spread this horrific disease. The PATIENT is the only one that KNEW, without a doubt, what was going on with himself, and he unfortunately did not elaborate on what was happening to him. He has to accept accountability for the outcome...perhaps, while his family is looking through that window of "what if", they will realize that Mr.Duncan is the ONLY one that knew with no question, what was happening to him....his family probably also knew, because I am sure he shared that with them......."what if" THEY had only spoken up? This is not "blaming" the patient for his own course of action and the eventual outcome, it is simply saying he must accept accountability for this event, and hopefully, no one else will die from this horrific disease because of choices he made.

I think some of you need to read about DENIAL. If this man came here KNOWING he could have Ebola and IF he wanted treatment for it, don't you think he would have been a bit more forthcoming in his first ER visit??? Like, hello......he could have said it loud and clear...I have been exposed to Ebola. For ANY of us to presume to know that he knew he was exposing others to a killer virus is just wrong in so many ways. As someone said previously, we will never know the full truth because he is gone and ONLY HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS UNDERSTANDING AND THINKING.

Speculating that he knowingly exposed others or they didn't care about the children in that home is IMO very condescending.

I think there was a TON of denial all the way around but of course that is only my opinion but the hallmark of any disease is denial. All of the medical people on this thread know about denial!

So his family is upset....again....grieving and perhaps angry. They have every right to express whatever they are feeling whether right or wrong. I cannot even begin to imagine how they are feeling about all of this.

Denial: When it helps, when it hurts - Mayo Clinic

From the above link:

Denial: When it helps, when it hurts
Denial is a coping mechanism that gives you time to adjust to distressing situations — but staying in denial can interfere with treatment or your ability to tackle challenges.

By Mayo Clinic Staff
If you're in denial, you're trying to protect yourself by refusing to accept the truth about something that's happening in your life.

In some cases, initial short-term denial can be a good thing, giving you time to adjust to a painful or stressful issue. It might also be a precursor to making some sort of change in your life.

But denial has a dark side. Being in denial for too long can prevent you from dealing with issues that require action, such as a health crisis or a financial situation. Find out when denial can help — and when it can be a roadblock.

Understanding denial and its purpose

Refusing to acknowledge that something is wrong is a way of coping with emotional conflict, stress, painful thoughts, threatening information and anxiety. You can be in denial about anything that makes you feel vulnerable or threatens your sense of control, such as an illness, addiction, financial problems or relationship conflicts. You can be in denial about something happening to you or to someone else.

When you're in denial, you:

Refuse to acknowledge a stressful problem or situation
Avoid facing the facts of the situation
Minimize the consequences of the situation

In my opinion if he was treated differently because of his race they would have said oh this man is African this must Ebola he has at the hospital the first time. I think the only thing that was done wrong was the misdiagnoses the first time he went to the hospital but that happens all the time no matter what your race. My dad looks very Spanish has good insurance and went to an urgent care center several years ago because his throat felt weird almost hard to swallow and they cheeked him out and said it was nothing and all in his head, well turned out it was thyroid cancer. I think had I been the guy in the er I would have straight out said hey I'm from Liberia and I think I have Ebola and in realty he may have we don't know. In order though for doctors to have a better chance of diagnosing you it's important you tell them everything. These people his family hadn't seen him for many years and he came over here and they were probably very excited to see him and didn't put it together that it was Ebola. Maybe they did and didn't care either way that's there personal decision not ours. I do not think he was treated differently because of race and I'm so fed up that it's always made to be about race, sex or gay or straight. I do not think he was treated differently and honestly I'm not sure they thought that until that idea was put in there head. I understand being mad about the first hospital visit but that's were it should end there is no protocol for how to treat Ebola and I'm sure they did the best they could.

I also worked in the medical field for 42 years, so I know all about denial. The patient knew about denial too....he denied being around ebola on his travel documents. I think he was well aware that if he had NOT denied it, he would have been put into isolation there, and he wanted out, for whatever reason. I pray his family left behind do not get ill from the disease. I also pray they can work through their denial..... of the situation, of the disease, of the consequences of choices made by the patient, and I pray they realize the dedicated medical personnel that worked with the patient, did the very best they could have done with the limitations and boundaries and misinformation they were forced to work within. From what I have read/heard from interviews, the family is implying the patient did not receive the same intense, quality of care the Americans that have been treated, received. They have been told about the patient not being given the original vaccination med (I cant remember what it is called...MAPP something?) because there is NONE left! The country that brewed up that first small batch have said it will be next year before they can brew up more. Thank goodness Texas A&M has started brewing up huge batches of the stuff, so that it will be ready for distribution when all the red tape has been worked through. The patient was not the correct blood type and could not physically accept the blood donations from the other recovered ebola patients, who did rush to offer any assistance they could give. The med they finally did give him, was way off the charts as far as being tried and tested on humans or even animals, but by the time they decided to go ahead and give that medication, it was clear to them the patient was going to die without it for certain, and at least perhaps he may have responded positively to the med and it would have worked. Unfortunately, it did not. The family needs time to grieve and go through denial, but they also need to eventually know the facts and understand their family member was not neglected, mistreated, or abused....the medical team that cared for him was NOT in denial and they did all they could for him.

There is a difference between lying and denial. Just because he knew he would be turned away if he admitted being around ebola does NOT mean he really comprehended his risk of contracting the disease and THAT would be due to denial. The old "it can't happen to me" thing. VERY common. It is very difficult for me to believe he fully understood it when he was in the ER that first time.

Anyway.........you can keep saying denial over and over as if I am way off base for saying it but it won't change the fact that there HAS to be some element of denial in all of this.

As for the family claiming that he was not treated well or neglected, I personally think they really believe it. Let's face it....others who just happen to be caucasian have survived. People can hide their heads in the sand, but racism is real; and while I don't believe for one minute he was not treated well, I do understand that they may feel that way. They have a right to question it and they have a right to file a law suit if they feel they must. Then, it is up to the courts to decide.

WWJD...that's all folks...

I have no doubt they believe they were discrimminated against. That was getting very evident from the beginning of this disaster. That is the very part of the "denial" excuse that wont wash. Racism does exist, but it is certainly not in every single encounter between two different races, which is what is always the "go to" call. The "race card" is getting real dog eared and tattered, and hopefully, the kids growing up today, will not be so quick to throw it down at any and every opportunity where they are not happy with an outcome, and they feel the race card provides them with advantages, in roads, and opportunities not provided equally to everyone, just because of their race. The family started talking about "discrimination" when they were quarantined. They had food delivered, and they had other necessities delivered, clean linens, clothes, etc. They were moved to a gated community, in a upper class neighborhood, where they had a washing machine so they could wash clothes and sheets....they were provided for at a level of living standards they were not familiar with. That home was donated by someone that had compassion for these peoples plight...no discrimination there. Food continued to be delivered. The kids were provided with lap tops so they could continue with their school work. This did not cost them a single dime....certainly no discrimination there. There was no discrimination involved in any aspect of this family's encounter with anyone outside of the immediate family. There is not a State in the Union that has ever had to deal with ebola. There were no protocols for this disease and how to deal with it. I hope the family is not whipped into some kind of "racial discrimination, now we gonna get you" behavior. They need to sleeve the race card and understand the situation for exactly what it is. I think everyone needs to be commended for everything that was done correctly, "on the fly", to help this family and the patient, instead of criticized and accused of racial descrimination. This was all uncharted territory all these people were suddenly thrown in, and they handled it extremely well....as evident by no progression or further contamination of anyone else in the family, in spite of the kids that were sent to school (after they were told to remain in their apartment and not go out), and all the inadvertant contacts the unsuspecting public had with the terribly ill patient. The learning curve was met very quickly in dealing with this patient and his disease and his family, and I guess, in spite of that, it is inevitable because the man happened to be black and he died, racial discrimination is yet again the bugle call. While it is expected, it is so unfair to so many people that tried so hard to help this man and provide for his family.....I suppose they do not deserve any credit for all they did. It will be very interesting to see what course transpires when the family is cleared and can come out of quarantine. I wonder if they will expect to continue to live in that loaned home, keeping the lap top computers, continuing to have supplies provided free of charge,etc.......lets watch where that all ends up. Lets see what has to be done, what hoops they have to jump through, to prevent these people that have gone above and beyond any obligation they have to this family, to keep them from being called racists.

:thumbup: I agree

I think its sad this issue has been turned into a race issue. I know racism does exist but also alot of times the race card is used when racism isnt an issue. The sad thing is it is taking away from the facts. The first time Mr Duncan told him where he just came from and the hospital didnt put two and two together with that and his symptoms that he had ebola and sent him away with antibiotics. No matter what I feel they are negligent for that and they are negligent that he went on to expose more people to his illness. Would he be alive now if when he first went to the hospital he received appropriate care, we will never know for sure

Also when they released him he had 103 degree temp. What hospital should be releasing anyone with that high of a temp

Nancy Writebol was initially misdiagnosed, released to home on malaria medication, with a high fever.

But you know what - being in denial isn't legally defensible unless he was later deemed to have been mentally ill at the time by medical doctors and a judge, totally incapable of knowing right from wrong when he filled out those forms, boarded that plane and touched others, etc., after he became symptomatic. Why? Because anyone can claim they or someone they care about is in denial and unless authorities have real evidence of true incapacity of normal mental function and loss of the concept of reality when the person offended, denial isn't an excuse for causing bodily harm to or putting other people at risk of death. So unless we were mentally ill at the time, we can deny for the rest of our life, we just can't cause bodily harm to others without taking responsibility by facing some sort of legal - and perhaps - civil processes.

Yes and they misdiagnosed her so is it good protocol. Who should be home caring for themselves with a 103 fever. He should have never been misdiagnosed with the info he gave them and his symptoms I dont care who else was misdiagnosed similarly Im talking about this case

:thumbdown to those thoughts.

I cannot even bring myself to respond to this thread any more. Suffice it to say I am shocked although I am not sure why.

Of course mistakes are awful by anyone who has to sufer from them but what I'm saying is, if in the midst of the Ebola hot zone, with the patient being an Ebola provider herself, she didn't meet enough of the CDC risk factors and guidelines as a potential Ebola patient, it must not be always that easy to recognize this disease vs. others. Same with that assistant nurse in Spain - she was misdiagnosed early and sent home.

But with the awareness of ebola and the info he did give should they be misdiagnosed that is what the attorneys are going to need to sort out and this will go to court

Unless they've got lots of science and evidence to the contrary, if the hospital and doctors' liability carriers know what's good for them, they will settle out of court IF the son and mom's attorney will agree.

I imagine they will get to keep the laptops, TV, games, clothes and things they were given, plus many more things that are no doubt coming their way by compassionate and big-hearted people from their church and others. And they probably will get to stay in the home if they want until they can reasonably be expected to be able to resume a bearable life out in society, return to school, get jobs, etc., as just like with AIDS, this disease seems to cause so many in surrounding neighborhoods plus some others, real jitters, totally unnecessary unless they are actually having Ebola-like symptoms.

Judge Jenkins said they had so little in that apartment they were living in - two straight chairs, I think a couch and TV, and that Troh was sleeping on the living room floor as the bedroom was unusable, with very little food and Deputy Monnig said with very poor lighting - I truly hope those that can will pitch in to help get Louise and those boys who were living in that small place some extra help until and if any liability claim they make is paid, which could be years from now. Of course, their lawyers will advance them money on a contingency basis but unless they can work, they will need more.

Just because, to my mind, some of them put others at some risk of death by having Duncan here during a deadly epidemic and some of them said some irresponsible and vile things about that medical team of 50, CDC, FDA, WHO, etc., doesn't mean they weren't probably struggling to get by, send the children to school, etc., and still need a hand up for now and maybe for quite a while. They've had a real and ongoing tragedy in their lives and no amount of help can replace their loss.

So far so good - no symptoms among any of them or the other contacts as of news this evening. I pray they all stay safe and well, including those nursing him once he was so sick. Even in PPE's and best equipment, it's got to be scary and stressful.

I don't think we know for sure what info he told them.