Elevate-The-Soul Online Radio (Rick Tingling-Clemmons Interview on Racism Included)
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Man Died of Heart Attack; Family Plans Suit
 Relatives said Edward Givens died after paramedics told him acid reflux caused his chest pains. (Courtesy Of Lolitha Givens) |
Saturday, February 21, 2009; Page B08
The medical examiner has determined that a heart attack was the cause of death for a 39-year-old Northeast Washington man whose family said paramedics told him he had acid reflux and did not take him to a hospital when he complained of chest pains and trouble breathing.
An attorney for the family said yesterday it is preparing to sue the city for "individual acts of negligence" and "systemic errors" in providing emergency medical care.
"If the fire department had transported him to the hospital when he first called, he would be alive today," said William Lightfoot, representing the family of Edward L. Givens.
The District settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit over missteps in emergency medical services two years ago, promising the family of retired New York Times journalist David E. Rosenbaum that it would make operational reforms. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) appointed a task force, and the city's fire chief said he has been implementing its recommendations.
Givens was not breathing when a relative found him lying in a hallway early on the morning of Dec. 3.
Six hours earlier, paramedics who had responded to a 911 call at the family home had said Givens's vital signs were normal and told him to take an antacid for indigestion, family members said.
Beverly Fields, chief of staff for the D.C. office of the chief medical examiner, said in an e-mail that an autopsy found that Givens died from "occlusive coronary atherosclerosis due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease." In layman's terms, Givens had heart disease, and his arteries became so clogged that the disruption to blood flow was fatal. Chest discomfort and shortness of breath are typical warning signs of a heart attack.
D.C. Fire Chief Dennis L. Rubin has asked the city's inspector general to investigate the agency's actions in regard to Givens, and D.C. Attorney General Peter J. Nickles said the city would conduct an operational review of the matter.
A fire department spokesman said yesterday that he had not seen the coroner's report and referred all requests for comment to Nickles.
Nickles said he has reviewed a draft of the operational report on the Givens case but said a final version will not be completed until the medical examiner's office concludes its evaluation. He also said he was unaware that the medical examiner had determined a cause of death.
He would not comment yesterday on the operational report but said, "The city gets sued all the time."
"Bill's a good lawyer, and I look forward to seeing him in court," Nickles added.
An spokesman for the inspector general said he could not comment because the probe is ongoing.
Lolitha Givens said she has not been contacted by city officials about her son's death.
She said that her family has a history of heart disease and that she had a heart attack in 1994. "Maybe his death could not have been avoided [but] it might not have been as swift," she said, fighting back tears.
Every day since her son's death, she has questioned her decision to listen to the paramedics, she said. She said that an electrocardiogram was performed and that the paramedics said it was normal. "They convinced us his vital signs were good . . . so who were we to second-guess them?" she said.
Terry Jodrie, a regional medical director for the state agency that oversees emergency medical services in Maryland, said that not all heart attack victims will show an abnormal electrocardiogram and that heartburn can have the same symptoms. "This is one of the things that makes the diagnosis so difficult," Jodrie said.
Paul Maniscalco, a senior researcher at George Washington University and a past president of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, said paramedics should always err on the side of safety. "By transporting to the hospital, you bring the patient the benefit of a higher medical and clinical competence," he said.
Lightfoot said the Givens family, like the Rosenbaums, hopes legal action will spur the city to improve its emergency medical care.
"Mr. Givens' death was preventable, and Mr. Rosenbaum's death was preventable, and our goal is to see that there are no more needless deaths," Lightfoot said yesterday.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Black History Month: Imagine If There Were No Black People in the World
Son Güncelleme:
By Makebra Anderson
One morning, a little boy named Theo woke up and asked his mother, "Mom, what if there were no Black people in the world?"
His mother thought about that for a moment, and then said, "Son, follow me around today and lets just see what it would be like if there were no Black people in the world. Now go get dressed and we will get started.”
Theo ran to his room to put on his clothes and shoes. His mother took one look at him and said, "Theo, where are your shoes? Son, I must iron your clothes. Why are they so wrinkled?
When she reached for the ironing board it was no longer there. You see, Sarah Boone, a Black woman, invented the ironing board and Jan E. Matzelinger, a Black man, invented the shoe lasting machine. The shoe lasting machine is a machine that attaches the top of the shoe to the sole.
"Oh well," she said, "Please go and do something to your hair." Theo ran in his room to comb his hair, but the comb was not there."
You see, Walter Sammons, a Black man, invented the comb.
Theo decided to just brush his hair, but the brush was gone. Lydia O. Newman, a Black female, invented the brush.
Well, this was a sight. Theo had no shoes, wrinkled clothes, and his hair was a mess. Even his mom's hair was a mess. See Madam C. J. Walker was one of the first African-American female entrepreneurs, and she created many hair care products for Black women.
Mom told Theo, "Let's do our chores around the house, and then take a trip to the grocery store."
Theo's job was to sweep the floor. He swept and swept and swept. When he reached for the dustpan, it was not there. You see, Lloyd P. Ray, a Black man, invented the dustpan.
So he swept his pile of dirt over in the corner and left it there. He then decided to mop the floor, but the mop was gone. You see, Thomas W. Stewart, a Black man, invented the mop.
Theo yelled to his Mom, "Mom, I'm not having any luck!”
"Well son," she said, "Let me finish washing these clothes and we will prepare a list for the grocery store."
When the wash finished, she went to place the clothes in the dryer, but it was not there. You see, George T. Sampson, a Black man, invented the clothes dryer.
Mom asked Theo to get a pencil and some paper to prepare their list for the market. So Theo ran for the paper and pencil but noticed that the pencil lead was broken. Well, he was out of luck because John Love, a Black man, invented the pencil sharpener.
Mom reached for a pen, but it was not there because William Purvis, a Black man, invented the fountain pen. As a matter of fact, Lee Burridge another Black man, invented the typewriting machine, and W. A. Lovette, another Black man, the advanced printing press.
Theo and his mother decided to head to the market. Well, when Theo opened the door he noticed the grass was almost 5 feet tall. You see, the lawn mower was invented by John Burr, a Black man.
They made their way over to the car and found that it just wouldn't go. You see, Richard Spikes, a Black man, invented the automatic gearshift and Joseph Gammel invented the supercharge system for internal combustion engines. Without these, the car wouldn’t work. Gammel was also a Black man.
They noticed that the few cars that were moving were running into each other and having wrecks because there were no traffic signals. You see, Garrett A. Morgan, a Black man invented the traffic light.
Well, it was getting late, so they walked to the market, got their groceries and returned home. Just when they were about to put away the milk, eggs and butter, they noticed the refrigerator was gone. You see John Standard, a Black man, invented the refrigerator. So they just left the food on the counter.
By this time, Theo noticed he was getting mighty cold. Mom went to turn up the heat; however, Alice Parker, a Black female, invented the heating furnace so they didn't have heat. Even in the summer time they would have been out of luck because Frederick Jones, a Black man, invented the air conditioner.
It was almost time for Theo's father to arrive home. He usually took the bus. But there was no bus. Buses came from electric trolleys, which were invented by another Black man, Elbert R. Robinson. He usually took the elevator from his office on the 20th floor, but there was no elevator because Alexander Miles, a Black man, invented the elevator.
He also usually dropped off the office mail at a near by mailbox, but it was no longer there because Philip Downing, a Black man, invented the letter drop mailbox and William Barry, another Black man, invented the postmarking and canceling machine which, which is how we get stamps.
Theo and his mother sat at the kitchen table with their head in their hands. When the father arrived he asked, "Why are you sitting in the dark?" Why? Because Lewis Howard Latimer, a Black man, invented the filament within the light bulb. Without a filament a light bulb won’t turn on.
Theo quickly learned what it would be like if there were no Black people in the world. Daily life would be a lot more difficult, not to mention if he were ever sick and needed blood. Charles Drew, a Black scientist, found a way to preserve and store blood, which led to his starting the world's first blood bank.
And, what if a family member had to have heart surgery? This would not have been possible without Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a Black doctor, who performed the first open heart surgery.
You don't have to wonder, like Theo, what the world would be like without African-Americans. It’s clear, life as we know it would be very different!
This February, celebrate the contributions of African-Americans by participating in cultural festivals, going to the African-American history museum in your neighborhood, or learning more about Black inventors.
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