This is Arnold Schwarzenegger; Movie Star, Bodybuilder, and "I'm so rich I don't take money from special interest groups" ... Uber Governor of California.
This is his lovely wife Maria "I'm like any other Kennedy trying to make this world a better place" ... Shriver. 
And this is Alicia Cole, the Hollywood starlet that has come between them ...
... as she battles to save her life and yours.
In the last two gubernatorial elections, current California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ran on a platform of having so much money that "he didn't need special interest money like the other candidates running." But from recent decisions, we see Arnold's "learning curve" not only includes taking special interest money, but it also includes not willing to work with the California Legislature (another promise he continues to break.)
His wife Maria Shriver, as I mentioned above, is a true "Kennedy" and really seeks to improve our lives. Combining her television visibility with her family contacts and position as First Lady of California, Maria really takes the lead in important issues. One of Maria's important issues -- her "pet project" -- is to increase awareness of Childhood Obesity. It has been a huge undertaking and very effective for the last three years.
Alicia Cole, the above mentioned actress, is the spokesperson for her Childhood Obesity campaign. The advertising includes radio, television, and thousands of billboards all over the state of California.
STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND? OK ...
Here is another picture: Alicia vacationing during the ad campaign ...
And this is how Alicia looks after her body was ravaged by the flesh eating bacteria Necrotizing Fasciitis, ... a type of staph infection she contracted at a Burbank California hospital.
Q: How did this happen? A: Relaxed hospital sterilization practices.
WHAT IS NEEDED ... A law that would make it mandatory that all hospital and surgical centers would have to reveal their infection rates, so we the public, can hold them accountable for their lack of quality sterilization. We would then be able to decide intelligently which places we would like to have surgery. They would then have to change the way they do business.
THE PROBLEM ... California Legislature passed such a bill. But last week, backing hospital lobbyist (special interest), Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed it.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO ALICIA??
A year ago Alicia was going into the hospital to have a "small procedure", to have fibroids removed from her uterus. In the past I have known three other women including my wife, who went through the same "relatively simple surgery." After going through this with my first friend, I could pretty much tell my other friends what to expect. In basic terms; approximately two hours surgery, tiny bikini cut below the navel, one to two days in the hospital max, six weeks of soreness and walking very slowly. All had a relative or best friend sleep over, for about five days so they could get assistance. Post surgery, years later, all are doing quite well and two have had children after their fibroids were removed from blocking conception.
So my friend Alicia went in to the hospital to have her fibroids removed, and both her mother and father flew in town to be with her. Both of them, a first among my friends that would later prove to be a critical blessing.
The first thing that got my attention, was two days after surgery, I was surprised to hear on the third night she was still in the hospital. After talking to her mother I learned of a low grade fever Alicia had and how "they" (the doctor and nurses) were trying to "get it under control." I visited the hospital that night and outside in the hall, away from Alicia I told her father of my concern that this fever was not normal from what I knew of fibroid surgery and a sure sign of infection and that, "after this weekend (the next two days) if "they" were still trying to get this "fever under control", he should pull the coattail of one of the nurses and get another doctor in here, one who's specialty is infection," he agreed. But that weekend things accelerated quickly ...
BREAKING NEWS: Black 12 Year-Old Brooklyn Boy Dies From Staph Infection
Alicia's mother noticed a small black dot below Alicia's navel, like the dot a magic marker might leave. She questioned the doctor about it. His answer was that "the dot was probably there with Alicia all her life". Well, no matter how old you get, nobody knows ya' like ya' momma and she let that doctor know, under no certain terms was that dot there before "her baby" arrived at that hospital. Like I said nobody knows you like your momma.
Within the next day, that cute little bikini cut this same doctor had given Alicia after the surgery was radiating heat and started to swell? To the point that the doctor walked into the room and announced, "If this is what I think it is, we don't have time to get her down to surgery. I'm going to have to operate on her right now, cut her open right here in the hospital room and you, Alicia's mom (not a nurse) is going to have to assist me!" By the time he cut the stitches off, out oozed a bloody infected mess. Houston, we have a problem ...
Alicia's status each day got worse and worse. Multiple doctors were coming in and out of the room. She was being pumped with antibiotic after antibiotic, each day. The doctors still didn't know what it was. The infection specialist gave only temporary hope with a new barrage of drugs. 
Their temporary remedy was to subject Alicia to several surgeries, day after day as they cut away new infected tissue that would not stop growing.
(Note in this picture the nurse with no gloves)
Each day the wound got wider and wider and the infection sunk deeper and deeper into her abdomen. The bloody whole stretched from one hip to the other. it was 7 inches wide and at it's peak 5 inches deep. Imagine a shark biting you and ripping the meat off your stomach. On three different occasions the doctors pronounced a "death watch", informing her parents that the infection was close to vital organs. Each time, they asked Alicia's parents if they would like to summon a minster or clergy as, "Alicia probably won't make it through the night." Alicia's mom and dad, Betty and Ron from Cleveland Ohio, who by the grace of God were by her side, one minute comforting her, the next minute keeping that hospital on point, putting nurse and doctors on notice. Like a scene from the movie "Terms of Endearment", Betty's demanding at every turn for doctors and administration to, "Damn it, do something". And Ron her father, fervently and steadfastly declaring each day that" Alicia you walked in this hospital and you gonna' walk out of this hospital", saying as much for his own confidence as well as Alicia's.
It was on the last of these three "death watch" occasions that the doctors called the National Center for Disease Control. It was here they were given the names of other doctors who were familiar with what was going on. The diagnosis: the flesh eating bacteria; Necrotizing Fasciitis.
It was then the doctors were able to try other drugs and finally stop the progress of the infections. We now realize how blessed Alicia is , because those same drugs have not been able to help everyone, others who have gotten Staph Infections, MRSA or the new, antibiotic resistant, Super Bug infections.
Where is Alicia now?
Victorious, healing, depressed, detoxing from hospital morphine, relieved, aching, mad, joyous over friends and family who stood by her and a God who is "more than a conqueror. " This month celebrates one year of coming home after five months in the hospital.
THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER!
Alicia and others like her have other needs that you would not imagine. She has set up web sites, linked blog sites and mailed to hundreds of agencies, requesting they address the following issues. We encourage you to check them out and help:
AmendThecap.com. There is a little known $250,000 cap on pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other non-economic damages for those injured through negligence. With out amending the cap attorneys are not interested in representing patients in California.
Have your Congress person support The National Medical Error Disclosure and Compensation (MEDiC) Act. S.1784, 109th Cong., 1st Sess. (2005). Introduced to the Senate by Senators Clinton (D-NY) and Obama (D-IL), ***hospitals disclosure its errors , ***national patient safety database
The Center for Disease Control estimates that 2 million patients a year will acquire a nosocomial infection during their hospital stay and 90,000 of them will DIE!!! You can make a difference.
Read and support these sites:
Alica's Story, More Details and support from NNFF
Contact Alicia and her supporters on myspace
StopHospitalInfections.org by sending this letter to your US Rep.
Necrotizing Fasciitis Common Q & A s
Alicia Cole, Actor Spokesperson
blogspot
7 who want to keep the party going:
Thanks for this article. This is frightening. For the past 10 years I've not allowed any loved one of mine to be in the hospital without someone there to watch over and take notes of everything going on 24/7. It's a shame that we have to do this, but it's a necessity in these times.
right on! this was some scary stuff and I always heard that staph infection was the biggest concern when in the hospital, thanks.
steve in Richmond VA
Thanks for this blog...I know that Alicia has written to LA County Supervisors. An article was in the Star News today that said that Supervisors Yvonne Burke and Michael Antonovich introduced a motion that was approved to determine the public threat posed by antibiotic-resistant staph infections.
WE all need to write our government officials and let them know that we want to know the infection rate in hospitals and more action taken to prevent thse infections.
Another thing, perhaps health care folks ought not walk around in the general public with their scrubs. Who knows what they are carrying or what they could pick up once they are back in the hospital caring for patients.
Last but not least, we need to be wary of politicians and healthcare administrators that are trying to make this go away without making sure there is substantial change taking place to prevent these kind of infections. Recent articles seem to infer that these infections are in the community at large and being brought into the hospital by patients. They are actually trying to say that more than likely folks had this type of infection before they came to the hospital so they are not responsible for carrying for these folks. We can't let the big guys say this and get away with it so that the hospitals are not accountable when they don't follow best practices in handling patients like the nurse in the picture who didn't have any gloves on.
Keep on....keep on....PLEASE
Harris in Altadena, CA
Well said on all accounts. Hospitals have been dirty and doctors have been making mistakes and getting away with it for far too long!
Politicians should have to stop taking money from the healthcare lobby because most of the programs they come up with really work to the benefit of the hospitals bottom line and not the public.
Been through it myself.
Gayle in CA
Don't believe the Political propaganda being fed to you...MRSA is very dangerous and we should be very concerned about it. BUT MRSA IS NOT A NEW SUPER BUG!!
It originated in dirty hospitals and has been around for years killing people. Now that Medicare will no longer pay for Medical Errors and Hospital acquired infections the healthcare lobby is trying to lay the ground work to build future arguments that you had MRSA or STAPH or in my case 'MAN-EATING FLESH DISEASE' when you walked in the door!
THIS DISEASE STARTED IN HOSPITALS AND WE NEED TO DEMAND HOSPITALS RELEASE THEIR INFECTION RATES TO THE PUBLIC!!
www.myspace.com/DIRTYHOSPITALS
This was one of the best update about DIRTYHOSPITALS. I am glad to see this.
Cincinati, Ohio
As the parents of Alicia Cole we would like to thank Dwayne the writer of this article. He did a great job of telling her story. At times it was hard to read because it brings up many raw emotions. Our entire family has been affect by this preventable tragedy and we are doing all we can to help our daughter get through this hurtful ordeal.
Please keep our family in your Prayers and help to spread Alicia's story to anyone who can help.
Sincerely,
Ron & Betty Cole
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