A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 17, 2002 Vicki’s cause of death revealed Family renews questions over timing of tests By SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN SWELLING brain tissue killed four-year- ald Vicki McLean on Canada Day, a loca] coroner has found. Mother Marlene McLean learned July 12 of the determination of viral encepha- litis as the cause of her daughter’s death. She says it hasn’t ended her quest for answers over why the condition. wasn’t identified and treated sooner in light of their repeated visits to hospital, “T think they would have picked up on it if they had done the tests sooner,” Mc- Lean said. ; A virus or other microorganism causes the inflammation of brain tissue when viral encephalitis strikes. Symptoms listed by the B.C. Health Guide include nausea, vomiting, ‘stiff neck and back, lethargy, drowsiness, sei- zures or tremors, personality change, rest- lessness, confused speech, hallucinations, memory loss and coma. Vicki McLean died July 1 after bat- tling severe flu symptoms, including a high fever, lack of appetite, lethargy, sore back and hallucinations. Marlene McLean brought her sick - daughter to Mills Memorial Hospital four * times in the preceding three days. But apart from a urinalysis June 30, ’ McLean said no blood work or other de- tailed tests were conducted until her final - visit. By then it was too late ~ Vicki died less than three hours after arriving at hos- . pilal for the fourth and final time. Tests to identify encephalitis include ‘ spinal fluid analysis, blood tests, magne- ’ tic resonance imaging or an electroence- * phalogram, the B.C, Health Guide says. McLean took Vicki to the emergency . room for the first time June 29 at 6 a.m. and was tald by a nurse to go home and - come back after 8 a.m. when a doctor * would be in, “There wasn’t even a doctor : called the first time I ever brought her - in,” McLean said. “We were sent home.” ‘calls from getting through June 28. :ther of Vicki McLean, 4, . who died on Canada Day, _to identify any problems : perienced but so far have _ not found a problem. - cated that,” Boland said. _ continue but he cautioned re McLean alleged the nurse asked her why she thought a doctor would come in at 6 a.m. for a child with a high fever. Mills Memorial Hospital administrator Cholly Boland said he could not com- ment on that allegation. McLean said a doctor diagnosed the girl with a kidney infection on a hospital visit June 30. McLean said she can't understand why nobady suspected the little girl could be developing viral encephalitis earlier. The condition is listed in the B.C. Health Guide right next to the listing for meningitis, “Everything is the same symptoms,” she says of the two condi- tions, McLean made three phone calls to the emergency room the afternoon and even- ing of June 30. McLean said the drugs prescribed for the kidney infection didn’t seem ta be taking effect so she called the hospital several times before bringing Vicki in for the last time. “| was worried that it was meningitis,” McLean said about one of those phone calls, “I was worried it might be because I was telling them that my uncle's daugh- ter had meningitis and my husband’s ‘sis- ter had meningitis. It’s like they wouldn't listen to me.” She said nurses answering her phone calls that day tald her Vicki’s symptoms such as sore back, rigid body and lethargy were due to the kidney infection. She said they told her it would take time for the antibiotics to take effect. The McLeans have received an out- pouring of support from the community and phone calls from concerned people. McLean said some people have sug- gested Vicki didn’t receive more prompt. treatment because of her aboriginal ance- stry. “I don’t like the way some people are talking,” McLean said. “I would hate to think that that would be why my daughter was turned away.” She said she is reluctant to jump to conclusions. *T don’t think it really has to do with. what nationality we are,” McLean said, “We've all got the same colour blood, we all have kids and we’re concerned.” Though McLean wants answers, she said late last week she wasn’t yet ready to speak with hospital administrator Chol- ly Boland, though he has offered to meet with her. “Nathing is going to make this pain go away — this feeling.” Hospital testing its phone system MILLS Memorial Hospi- tal’s senior official says tests are being conducted on the hospital’s phone . system to determine if it prevented a local mother’s Marlene McLean, mo- said she tried phoning the hospital more than six times in the early morning hours of June 29 but got the electronic messaging system, She said each time she pressed the appropriate the telephone: if: they re- quire emergency care. “T would just really em- phasize with people if you have an emergency situa- i tely phone,” Boland said. for people to ‘receive care - if there is any difficulty with the phone come to the hospital.” key to transfer to the — emergency room the phone would ring and then trans- fer her back to the original message. 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