Widower continues fight for answers in wife’s death

Standing quietly alongside a sidewalk outside of the IU-Health Bloomington Hospital on Dec. 11, 20 protesters had cardboard signs reading “Died in the Bloomington Hospital ER begging for air” and “We demand answers from Bloomington Hospital.”

Three years ago, on Dec. 11, 2008, Leanne Marie Watson died in the emergency room. And now, on the three-year anniversary of Leanne’s death, her friends and family are demanding answers.

“She was wrongfully triaged as having a panic attack when she was actually going into cardiopulmonary failure,” Jessica Watson, Leanne’s daughter, said. “And we just want some answers because there have been some discrepancies in what we’ve been told since then.”

As traffic filtered past the signs baring a picture of Leanne, motorists glimpsed at the signs. Most drove past the protesters and continued through the intersection of West Second Avenue and South Rogers Road. However, others honked or stopped to inquire about the protesters.

Waiting for a red light, the passenger-side window of a silver car rolled down. A blonde woman in the passenger seat asked what the protesters were doing. Leanne’s husband, Jeff Watson, explained they were trying to raise awareness for Leanne’s death and demanding answers from the hospital.

“I’m sorry. Good luck,” the woman said, pulling away as the light turned green.

Among the protesters was John Turpin, a pastor who preached at Leanne’s funeral. As a family friend of Leanne’s for 19 years, he said he stood on the sidewalk yielding a protest sign to show his support.

On Dec. 11, 2008, Jeff said an ambulance transported Leanne from their home about 14 miles away from the hospital to the emergency room because she was unable to breathe. Suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Leanne had previously been diagnosed with a list of medications.

These medications, Jeff said, were documented in hospital records. She had also previously been diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease and asthma.

When she arrived at the emergency room at 4:35 p.m., Jeff said hospital personnel insisted she was suffering from a panic attack. Doctors treated her for the panic attack, but she died at 6:28 p.m. Throughout her hospital visit, Jeff said doctors were unable to help Leanne’s breathing.

“She said to my daughter and I, ‘Shoot me, I’ve waited too long to breathe,’” Jeff said. “She said, ‘I’m dying. Give me something so I won’t know what’s happening to me.’”

Shortly before her death, Jeff said Leanne was injected with Ativan through an IV. Ativan is a drug typically administered to patients struggling from panic attacks; however, Jeff said the drug had an adverse reaction when mixed with her other prescriptions.

“After she died, it never entered the ER record that the possible cause of her death may have been the Ativan that was given to her,” Jeff said.

Jeff said the hospital’s administrative director of emergency services present at the ER that night, Mary Hoskins, told him hospital personnel did not show care and compassion when dealing with Leanne’s medical needs.

In an email statement from Amanda Roach, media relations coordinator at the hospital, Roach said “Indiana University Health-Bloomington holds our patients’ safety as our No. 1 priority and takes any matters of quality or safety very seriously. We regret any time a family suffers the loss of a loved one. We have actively responded to the concerns and questions raised by Mrs. Watson’s family and believe we have resolved any issues of concern with the family.”

Since the incident, Roach said the hospital reached a settlement with Jeff in 2009 following extensive discussions. At that time, Roach said Jeff agreed to settle and release the hospital from all related claims.

But still, Jeff said he is looking for answers.

Following Leanne’s death, Jeff said her body underwent testing from two separate coroners, both of whom delivered different results. One coroner, Jeff said, decided Leanne died of a drug overdose from Leanne’s Tramadol and Hydrocodone. But the report said she was never administered Ativan, which doctors allegedly injected into her bloodstream via IV.

The second coroner told Jeff she died from her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, he said.

When Jeff inquired information about the alleged discrepancy, he said the coroner told him he never received the full ER report and was unaware of any discrepancies.

“If you’re going to say that somebody died of a drug overdose on the autopsy, then shouldn’t you be aware of the last drug that went into her body, only moments before they coded?”Jeff said.

Jeff said the coroner later proposed the idea that while the doctor reported administering Leanne Ativan, it is possible she was never actually given the drug.

“Everything about the Ativan has the appearance of a cover-up, and I want to know,” Jeff said. “They’re still trying to solve John Kennedy’s assassination. What happened? My wife wasn’t an important person. We’re not important people in the community, but she was important to me. It’s my mission to get answers.”

But Jeff said the hospital refuses to answer his questions.

Jeff and Leanne met in 1986 and married on Dec. 29, 1987. Leanne had her own stencil business, selling stencils across the world, primarily for the craft industry. But since 1988, Leanne assisted Jeff in his business as a grizzly bear trainer. He currently owns three grizzly bears, which live on his property.

“My wife and I have done ‘The Tonight Show.’ We’ve done ‘Walker Texas Ranger,’” Jeff said. “We’ve had bears in Mohammad Ali’s yard. We’ve had Jeff Corwin from Animal Planet in our yard. We’ve shot National Geographic cover shots. We’ve shot National Geographic television here, so we’ve done a lot of things over the years, and we worked together on that.”

His last project was in Orlando, Fla., where he worked on a commercial for Carnival Cruise Line.

The night before she died, they bought a Christmas tree. Taking a small branch from the tree and placing it inside a clear Christmas ornament, the tree’s presence still exists in their home.

Before she died, Leanne decorated their home with Christmas ornaments. Ever since, Jeff said they have remained, untouched.

Leanne’s daughter, Jessica, is currently pregnant. Her baby is expected Feb. 28.

“She was my best friend, so it has completely changed my life,” Jessica said. “My mom is never going to get to see that baby, and my baby is never going to get to know her. Even if things couldn’t have been done differently as far as saving her life that night, they didn’t show care and compassion.”

Jeff might never receive an answer from the hospital, but for him, the memory of Leanne’s life will never die.

“When I get to heaven and if somebody were to ask me what defined my existence on this planet,” Jeff said, “I’d say meeting her, meeting Leanne.”