Dave Edgren dangerous medical advice
There is no question that Dave made serious diagnostic and treatment errors for the medical assistance of both his mother and father. There are a number of actions, but the following chronology focuses on three main ones, any of which could have easily caused more damage or possible death.
1. Dave endorsed, and suggested dosages of a dangerous sleeping aid medication, Ambien, for dad. While taking this medication, dad experienced horrible nightmares, sleep walking, night falling, severe depression and eventually the loss of his lower limbs. Bob investigated the drug Ambien himself. He discovered Ambien could cause extreme harsh side effects, and that it should never be administered to an elder. Bob called this to the attention of dad’s personal physician who immediately cut the dosage in half. Dave still persisted in toying with dosage changes. When dad lost the use of his legs, he stayed in bed and just wanted to die. To Bob, this was classic depression. This was also a time when Bob overheard Dave talking on his cell phone to a co- worker that “Dad is just fading away; it was only a matter of time.” This was about 2013. Upon hearing this Bob sprang into action. Shortly thereafter, during an office visit with Dr. Chandra, dad, Bob and Dave present. Dave started in on his analysis and suggesting changing the Ambien dosage. Bob said “Stop. This is not a situation of a few milligrams of a sleep medication. Dad is not an experiment. When dad doesn’t want to get up and go to McDonalds for his breakfast this is more than lack of sleep. He depressed. I want him off of this Ambien and on an antidepressant. Dave stood silent, his eyes wide open, as this was the first time Bob had ever challenged him on any medical issue. Dr. Chandra concurred and took dad off Ambien, replaced with an antidepressant. Within a short time, dad’s mood had improved significantly, he was wanting to go out for breakfast. Within two weeks he was able to use his legs. There is no question in Bob’s mind had Dave continued to monitor his medications, dad would have “faded away” and died.
2. The battle over blood pressure. This was a fierce 3-month battle between Dave and Bob. Dave staunchly insisted dad’s blood pressure should be 120 over 80, (Like a teenage girl) which was wrong. Dead wrong.
(see exhibit BP 1, B2)
Despite the fact that dad’s personal physician Dr. Chandra, said it should be around 150 to 160, that Dr. Keet in Dr. Chandra’s group said the same, Dave would not accept that. Bob continued researching blood pressure levels for elders and was coming up with the same information as Dr. Chandra. The question remained why wouldn’t Dave accept this? As one ages, blood pressure should be higher in order to provide enough oxygen to the brain. A common lack of which results in falling. Even Dave’s wife Dawn, brought this to Bob’ attention from her experience with her own mother Grace Draper. (see exhibit BP3).
“My mom had quite a few TIA’s in her later years. She had to stop going to her church
after one happened during the service and an ambulance had to come. My brother and
Barbie took her to UCLA Med Center and they figured out that they were related to her
blood pressure medicine. Appropriate adjustments were made and the TIAs ended thank
God. That is such a good sign that improvement is triggered by BP med in Dad’s case. “
3. Dave also made attempts to coerce Bob into going against Dr. Chandra’s advice.
The turning point came after Bob felt he had enough data to confront Dave on the blood pressure issue. At a scheduled checkup at dad’s physician Dr. Chandra, Bob seized the opportunity when dad’s blood pressure was taken. Bob said, “Let’s clear up now, the issue of blood pressure, doctor what should dad’s blood pressure be?” Dr. Chandra replied, “160 over 90.” Bob turned to Dave who was staring at his own notes. “Dave what do you think dad’s blood pressure should be?” Without glancing up, and a few seconds of silence, Dave said, “Well, I suppose it should be what the doctor says.” This was the end of that battle that effected not only dad, but mom as well. Why Dave was so assertive on his own wrong pinion, one can only surmise. However, this situation should not be overlooked as not being life threatening.
4. The third main confrontation between Dave and Bob was regarding dad’s chronic swallowing problem. Approximately in 2011, dad had sought relief from his difficulty in swallowing. Bob at that time was not involved with medical diagnosis. Dave was. For ten years, Dave had been telling the family that Dad’s swallowing problem was due to a constricted esophagus opening (tube to the stomach). That his Dr. Majuk attempted to insert a medical probe used by infants into dad’s esophagus but was unable.
see Exhibit C1)
5. . Bob had no reason to doubt this. However, he wanted to verify it. Bob made an appointment for dad to have a barium swallow test, that would provide a video of his swallow action. The appointment was made, despite dad’s reluctance to have it. Upon checking in for the appointment with his father, Bob was informed by the receptionist the “appointment had been canceled.” Bob asked why, assuming a technician could not make it that day. Looking at her computer screen, she replied, “A David Edgren called in and canceled it.” Bob was dismayed and angry. It had taken all his effort to convince dad to have the uncomfortable test. Why would Dave do this? (see exhibit C3 )
Since that time, Bob still did not question that dad’s issue was an esophagus swallow problem, often referred to as esophageal dysphagia. When dad had his stroke in January 2018 he was admitted to Dominican Hospital’s rehabilitation center where he stayed for 3 weeks, it was during that stay where Bob went every day, taking his mother and both spending 8 to 10 hours a day at the hospital. While discussing dad’s condition with various medical staff. Bob heard a term that he hadn’t heard before. In speaking with a speech therapist, he was told that his father had classic symptoms of cricopharyngeal dysphagia. Puzzled Bob asked what is that? The therapist went on to explain it was a rare condition, where a muscle in the throat, not the esophagus, would become dysfunctional. This muscle was responsible for diverting food away from the windpipe to the esophagus ( to stomach), and she (the therapist), believed this was dad’s problem, not the back up of food matter and liquids from his esophagus. Bob was astonished. He asked the therapist to write this down, the name of the condition. He asked himself why wasn’t this ever brought up before? How come no one ever mentioned it? Then he remembered when canceled the barium swallow test a few years before, a test that for certain would have shown the real problem. By this time Bob had lost all respect and confidence in Dave’s medical and treatment suggestions. Bob scheduled a doctor’s appointment, not with Dr. Majuk who had predicted dad’s demise four years earlier to be six months, but with Dr. Majuk’s partner Dr. Bennet. Both are gastroenterologists. The appointment revealed shocking information. I told Dave’s story about the small instrument that Dr. Majuk tried to insert inti his esophagus. Dr. Benner said, “His esophagus is really not the problem. I have reviewed several years of your father’s records, and his problem is a muscle in his throat called the cricopharyngeal muscle, it is not functioning.”
Dave was first notified of this in my email February 14, 2018. Exhibit C2
“ His main problem is the stiffening of his muscle cricopharyngeal, the flapper that closes and
opens when eating..its not flapping. There are a couple of procedures to correct this, Basically
the best to cut the muscle via a throat approach (endo), or an incision on his neck. His strength is
a factor as is his attitude. Unfortunately, it is a rather rare condition and not that many doctors
perform it, I don't believe any are here in SC county. There are at least a couple over the hill.
As far as I can tell the specialist to perform this is an Ear Nose Throat, and not a
gastroenterologist.”
Things raced through my head, was Dave misleading us all these years? Why did he cancel the appointment I had set up and never told me why? Could dad have been treated years ago? Was I over reacting? So many thoughts and questions. Bob continued to have discussion with Dr. Bennet who said this is really not his or Dr. Majuk's field of care since it is far above the esophagus, that we best work with an Ear Nose Throat doctor, or a speech pathologist not a gastroenterologist. He said they use Botox injections in the lower esophagus for a similar purpose there, to relax the muscle at that sphincter.
He felt Emil could benefit from Botox but we had to see an ENT. However, Dad’s personal physician Dr. Chandra, said that since dad had a stroke, it would be difficult to find anyone to work on him. I left angry at Dave for not catching this. Then I made an appointment for another Barium study, but did not tell him.
I then ordered another Barium swallow appointment without telling Dave. (seven years later!) The results confirmed that Emil suffered a chronic long term swallowing problem related to a muscle in his throat, not from a constricted esophagus as per David, but from the cricopharyngeal muscle dysfunction in his throat not functioning. And now, after 7 years of believing it was erroneously due to his esophagus, with his age and a stroke, it made not be treatable.
Despite numerous requests by Bob to Dave to not get involved with the medical care of parents, to leave this up to Bob, Dave persisted in trying to override Bob or go behind his back. There were two classic examples of Dave trying to interfere with care. One was during a family conference with medical staff in the hospital. Dave was not present but phoned in a question to the medical staff at the meeting, “What about an esophageal dilation?” Again, Dave was still clinging to the esophagus as the problem rather than the muscle in the throat (cricopharyngeal). Dave persisted to challenge Bob and interfere, upon Dad’s release from the hospital on February 14, 2018. Dave’s wife Dawn was seen talking to the managing nurse, taking notes. What followed was an email demand from Dave why dad was not sent home with a saliva suction machine. In the exhibit C4,
Are eating Popsicles ok? When, they melt in the mouth, they are not thickened liquids.
Dave appears to be formulating some sort of case against Bob with a beginning list of demands. Again, Bob specifically asked Dave to not get involved, that he had made too many errors in the past, that he (Dave), was a danger. Bob knew there was no suction machine ordered, yet to “cover” himself, Bob called the discharging nurse, who called two therapists and the Doctor in charge. The answer was there was no need or order for the suction machine. A complete waste of everyone’s time and interference of trying to get dad settled in at home. In addition, Dave attempts to micro manage things like giving his opinion or question about “popsicles”. When there were so many more demanding issues, he brings up popsicles. This shows again, his lack of comprehension of priorities, the problems facing their father, and the health care involved.
Dave though out the years has taunted, provoked, and criticized Bob. Expending energy trying to aid the parents can be quite tiring and exhausting. Fighting Dave at the same time rather than working together adds additional stress, which eventually caused me my own stroke.