Update on John Irish - And We're Still Looking for a MA Based Lawyer - Granite Grok

Update on John Irish – And We’re Still Looking for a MA Based Lawyer

Headshot for Press Pass - John Irish

First, thanks to all of you who responded with tips to send to John’s long-time girlfriend, either by calling me, leaving comments on the posts, or sending me emails.  I have forwarded each one.

The purpose of this post, however, is to give you a bit of background and history of what happened to John as well as an update that his girl friend sent last night to share.

First, the Background:

John was first exposed to COVID around November 22nd to November 23rd. Three days later I wasn’t feeling well and a couple of days after that John started coughing. The weekend of November 27th and 28th he was coughing badly and thought it was his variant asthma cough. He continued coughing more throughout that week and by December 6th, I convinced him to go to Circle Health urgent care in Dracut Mass. Within minutes they had called an ambulance to take him to Lowell General Hospital. His 02 level was 74. I asked them what they give COVID patients and they said Remdesivir. I asked for Ivermectin and they refused stating that Remdesivir had a proven successful track record with COVID. They kept him in an isolated negative pressure room on December 6th and 7th.

John did not want the Remdesivir but by Wednesday December 8th his breathing with so compromised we agreed to try a one time dose of the remdesivir. 3 hours later his breathing got really bad and they said that he needed to go onto a ventilator before it became a true emergency and then he could possibly die. We reluctantly agreed I but I still kept asking for the Ivermectin and I continued to get the same answer which was that Lowell General would only treat with Remdesivir. They intubated him and I told them he was not to have any more Remdesivir and I still wanted Ivermectin. I spoke to multiple physician assistants over the next several days. On Friday December 10th nurse Anthony from ICU told me to “stop getting my information on the internet on the Ivermectin and to start looking at the real science/Remdesivir because that is what LGH does.” Actually, I had talked to my Front Line doctor, Dr. Cross from Florida about the Ivermectin. Dr. Cross called John’s doctor, Dr. Yu, at LGH. Dr. Cross told me that , “John’s doctor at LGH,  Dr. Yu, has zero interest in helping John.”

As of this time I only knew that I could not see John because he was in isolation. On Friday December 10th I found out accidentally talking to one of the PAs that I could, in fact see him but only through a closed Glass Room.

John has been on a paralytic almost every day since he’s been in the ICU. They keep him on his belly for 16 hours at a time to help his lungs work easier. His face is extremely swollen. He is 100% sedated.

Monday December 13th. Someone wrote down an incorrect AVG result on John’s chart. They told me it didn’t make a difference even though they treated him using that information. Before they realized there was an error they told me his O2 had gotten better only to find out 15 minutes later that it was a mistake and his O2 is actually a little worse. Tuesday December 14th he’s back on the paralytic as of this morning so his lungs will stay in sync with the vent. He has staph now in his lungs and will be treated with Vancomycin and Ancef. For the first time I got to talk to a doctor, Doctor Yu, who refuses to give John Ivermectin citing the same reason that I’ve been hearing for the last week.

Wednesday December 15th I spoke with Dr Yu and he told me John is now only getting the Ancef which his staphs is sensitive to.

Thursday December 16th I spoke to the patient advocate, Becky Miller who is actually advocating for the hospital and not for the patients. She is only going along with the treatment that has been recommended by the Lowell General doctors. I asked her for the Ivermectin and she just said that “she agrees with his treatment that John’s been getting.” The caseworker, Becky Miller, is only there for discharge plans, rehab and things of that nature. I spoke with PA Heather this afternoon for an update on John and she said “there is no change.”  Dr. Yu said today that” he vomited and hopefully it did not get in his lungs.” I asked again about the Ivermectin and he said, “We don’t know if Ivermectin  might interfere with the meds he is getting.”  He is on 80% oxygen.

I’m desperately trying to find a lawyer who can help John. He’s at the mercy of Lowell General Hospital and they refuse to help him get better by using the life-saving Ivermectin along with all the known vitamins that also play such a vital role. Vitamin D3, Zinc, Quercetin, Vitamin C and  monoclonal antibodies but they refuse to give them to him.  He desperately needs these.

I am watching him die because he isn’t getting the care he needs. Can any of you help me to find an attorney?  I am sick with worry.

From John’s girlfriend

Update (lightly edited, names redacted so that innocents are protected):

<Redacted> contacted a Doctor <redacted> from CMC, Manchester, New Hampshire. He said he would be John’s PCP and ask Lowell General Hospital to administer Ivermectin to John or have him transported to CMC where Dr. <redacted> practices.

A couple of hours later I called the Doctor’s office to find out how to proceed and was told that the Doctor cannot just become someone’s PCP, in an afternoon, and could take as many as 30 days. She stated that John was not the Doctor’s patient.

Lowell General Hospital has been placing John on his belly for 16 hours a day for the last nine days. Tonight they told me his face is showing signs of trauma. They decided tonight they will not have him on his belly and he will not get the paralytic. It’s harder for his lungs when he’s on his back but that’s where he will be for the night. I’m praying he’ll be alive in the morning.

John desperately needs a doctor/lawyer! His life is depends on it.

Again, if you have any hints for a lawyer that is licensed to practice in MA, or an MD that is willing to assist, leave a comment or email me at Skip@GraniteGrok.com.  Many thanks!

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