This document summarizes the medical journey of Fred Holliday II between March and June 2009. He was initially hospitalized and diagnosed with tumors but received little information from his oncologist. After transfers between multiple facilities with incomplete records, he was eventually admitted to hospice care. Fred lived at home under hospice care for six more days, dying on June 17, 2009. The document discusses the difficulties faced navigating the healthcare system and gaining timely access to medical records and specialists.

1. “Welcome to the Parlor.”
Reclaiming Death within our Lives
Presented by Regina Holliday
At Washington Home Hospice
Washington, DC
June 13, 2012

2. This is the story of a man named Fred Holliday II, PhD
Between March 25th - June 17th 2009
he was treated in 4 curative settings
Washington Home Community Hospice
and
Home Hospice.

3. Fred was hospitalized on March 25th 2009
for the administration of tests.
On March 27th, he was told while alone that
he had “tumors and growths.”
He was scared and confused and did not understand.
His oncologist left town for the next four days to a medical
conference and was not reachable by phone or email.

4. What was the diagnosis? What were the treatment options? Would he get a pain consult?

5. This is my husband’s
medical record.
I was told it would cost
73 Cents
per page
And we would have to
wait 21 days to get a
copy.

6. After waiting for 5 days for a transfer
to another hospital for a second opinion,
We were sent with an out of date
and incomplete medical record
and transfer summary.
The new staff spent 6 hours trying to
cobble together a current medical record
Using a telephone and a fax machine.

7. After the second hospital we were sent to rehab. Fred was taken off his pain pump.

8. Why did we get more help and answers from
Social Media
than from our local hospital ?
Within one day were in email contact and
then spoke on the phone.
By ten o’clock May 4th2009, I was talking on
the phone with Dave’s Oncologist about my
husband’s cancer.

9. Fred was transferred to
Another hospitalfor a
blood transfusion.
His doctor that night
asked, “Why is an end-
stage cancer patient in a
rehab facility?”
We should go to Hospice.

11. What I saw when I visited Hospice.
Peace

12. “What bothered us most about hospice?”
No WiFi.

13. Where are the HOSPICE cards?
There is nothing between “Get Well” and “Sympathy”
Where are the faces of the dying and those that love them?

14. What would you Google to learn about death?

15. Home Hospice:
After almost three weeks in inpatient
hospice, the discharge coordinator said
we would need to bring Fred home.
I had to commit to a year lease on a new
two bedroom apartment that was
handicap accessible.
I would buy 4 institutional bedding
chucks, $90.00 per chuck.
Fred’s bed was placed in our living
room, or shall I say the parlor?
Fred lived for six more days.

16. Fred died on June 17th, 2009

17. How do we get an AUTOPSY?
In the United States; hospital autopsy rates of
60% in the 1950s fell to 12% in the early
1990s and less than 5% in nonteaching
hospitals.
Current autopsy rates are 2% nationwide.
Private autopsy services range from at
$5,000.00-15,000 and are not covered by
insurance. This is far out of reach of many
consumers.
In addition, studies find that there is
disagreement between pre and post-mortem
diagnoses in 15-30% of cases.

18. Three monuments to a
great father.
We love you Daddy.
Regina, Freddie & Isaac
June 13, 2012