Fresno attorney says heart procedure at local hospital resulted in three amputated limbs
A Fresno man is suing Saint Agnes Medical Center after he went in for a heart procedure and ended up losing three of his limbs.
Keith Rickelman, 62, an avid runner, bicyclist and hiker, suffered a heart attack May 7 and was admitted into the hospital for treatment. Doctors determined the Fresno lawyer needed one of his heart valves replaced, according to the suit.
As part of his treatment, Rickelman was given Heparin, a blood thinner used to reduce the potential for blood clots. And that’s when the problems began, said attorney Warren Paboojian, Rickelman’s attorney.
Paboojian said his client is suing the hospital for medical malpractice, alleging the doctors and medical staff did not properly monitor Rickelman’s blood platelet levels, which plummeted dangerously low after he was given Heparin.
“His blood starts to clot and he begins to experience tingling and a loss of sensation in his limbs,” Paboojian said Tuesday. “He stayed on it for a few days and his extremities were deteriorating. His toes were turning black and blue.”
A spokeswoman for Saint Agnes Medical Center declined to comment, saying it is against the hospital’s policy to comment on pending litigation.
Paboojian said that by the time doctors tried to reverse the side effect of the Heparin, it was too late. Rickelman’s legs were amputated just above the knee, along with his right hand just below the elbow.
“It was a shock, he was devastated,” Paboojian said. “You go in for a valve replacement and you come out a triple amputee.”
The suit was filed Feb. 1 in Fresno County Superior Court. Rickelman said he tries to remain positive, but he admits every day is a challenge.
Before his heart surgery, Rickelman was happily working in the trial division of Nationwide Insurance. He had also recently remarried on May 1.
“I sometimes catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror or I see a picture of me and I wonder, ‘What happened?’” he said. “It has been earth-shattering.”
Rickelman learned during his rehabilitation that every day is going to be a struggle, but he tries not to let negative thoughts get him down.
“If you let yourself descend into the depths you will never climb out,” he said. “I’ve learned no one is going to feel sorry for you, you need to do it yourself and do what you can to persevere.”
This story was originally published February 24, 2021 at 8:00 AM.
