Jahi McMath Has Died. Again.

The family of Jahi McMath released news that their daughter has passed away. If you don't remember who Jahi was, she was the adolescent who suffered anoxic brain death after complications from a tonsillectomy and uvulectomy for sleep apnea in 2013. She suffered her second death last week after complications from an abdominal surgery.

Multiple doctors declared the child brain dead five years ago yet the family refused to accept the diagnosis. Even though there was no blood flow to the brain, the family pointed to such findings as twitching of the fingers and toes. Most doctors would say those are spinal reflexes that has nothing to do with brain activity but they found a sympathetic judge who kept the child on a ventilator in the hospital until they found another facility in New Jersey willing to take this "patient".

This case had huge implications for the anesthesia community. For years afterwards, the ASA's CME material repeatedly emphasized the active ingredients in the metabolism of narcotics and how to be extra careful sedating obese young patients in recovery. In all the years before the McMath case, they never discussed this issue once. 

Thanks to the Jahi McMath media circus, at least there was tremendous educational opportunity for physicians. She did not die twice in vain.

The Anesthesiologist Who Attacked Senator Rand Paul Is Sentenced

Remember the bizarre story last year when Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky was attacked by his next door neighbor? The neighbor was an anesthesiologist by the name of Rene Boucher. The incident left the senator with multiple broken ribs and lung contusion. Now it has come to a conclusion.

Dr. Boucher pleaded guilty to the assault and has been sentenced to 30 days in jail. He will also pay a $10,000 fine and serve 100 hours of community service. This sentence seems light to me considering that he pummeled the senator when his back was turned and was unprovoked. His lawyers had requested a 21 month sentence.

During the court hearing, we find out that Senator Paul was not as seemingly innocent as first appears. It seems that the two neighbors did indeed have a longstanding dispute over lawn maintenance. Senator Paul dumped a bunch of grass and tree clippings right on the property line between the two. This was no ordinary pile of leaves. This was a 10 foot by 5 foot stack that sat there for a few weeks.

When Dr. Boucher complained, the senator did nothing about it. Eventually the doctor brought in a dumpster and had it hauled away himself. Then Senator Paul did the same thing again. Then again the anesthesiologist had a dumpster come remove it. This repeats itself several more times. At one point Dr. Boucher even set the pile of grass on fire, burning himself in the process. He asked for the homeowners association to do something about this but they were not responsive.

The last straw came when Senator Paul, who sounds like a big asshole, blew grass clippings over into his neighbor's house. That's when the doctor turned rogue and blind sided the senator. Sounds like Rand Paul was the neighbor from hell. Wonder how he is taking care of his lawn this year?