04:36 AM Tuesday, February 09, 2010
West's Plastic Surgeon Pens Book About Her Death
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 4:15 am
By: Tonya Pendleton, BlackAmericaWeb.com
When Dr. Donda West died after plastic surgery in 2007, it was a tragedy felt around the world, not the least by her son, controversial rapper Kanye West.
Dr. West, 58, underwent surgery for a breast reduction, tummy tuck and liposuction in November of 2007 and died a day later. When the Los Angeles coroner’s office released its final report, they said the final cause of death could not be attributed to just one source.
"In summary, it is my opinion Ms. West died from some pre-existing coronary artery disease and multiple post-operative factors following surgery," Deputy Medical Examiner Louis A. Peña said in the report. He added that "based on the history and available information, as currently known, the manner of death could not be determined."
Yet soon after West’s untimely and tragic death, suspicion and speculation about the role he played fell on Dr. Jan Adams, the plastic surgeon who performed her surgery. According to People magazine, Adams voluntarily gave up his medical license this year, after two DUI convictions, non-payment of child support and four malpractice judgments between 2001 and 2007. Adams addresses the West situation in his new book “What I Know (and the Press Isn’t Telling): The Truth Behind the Death of Donda West.”
In the book, Adams denies any responsibility for Dr. West’s death, saying that the coroner’s report absolves him completely. In an interview with "Tom Joyner Morning Show" producer Deya M. Smith, Adams says he is not to blame.
“The coroner, along with experts from USC, UCLA and actually a pathologist that I suggested the West family hire to protect their interests concluded neither surgery nor anesthesia contributed to the death of Donda West. I don’t even have to contend that," said Adams. "I can tell you why I think she died, and I don’t think you have to be a doctor or her doctor or Dr. Dre to be able to figure it out. What I’m saying is that if you read the public document, which is the coroner’s report, it will tell you why she died.”
Adams says that post-surgery, Dr. West was released into the care of her nephew, Stephen Scoggins, a registered nurse who tended to her and administered Vicodin, a medication to control pain. Numerous reports say that Dr. West felt better the morning after the surgery, but that in the afternoon, Scoggins left her in the care of others to attend a baby shower. When Dr. West began experiencing pain, a sore throat and tightness in her chest, Scoggins was unreachable, and Dr. West collapsed with black vomit around her nose and mouth.
She died in the hospital later that day.
“It’s very easy from my perspective to understand what happened to her,” Adams says. “They gave her medication that made her nauseous. Vicodin makes everyone nauseous. They laid her flat, she vomited, and when she went to sleep, she aspirated it (breathed it into) in her lungs. That caused her not to oxygenate well, and the process created a circle. Her blood kept getting lower and lower with oxygen and then finally, her heart stopped. (Oxygenation means you get enough oxygen in your blood to keep your tissues alive).”
Adams contends that Scoggins, with the full consent of Dr. West, was responsible for her aftercare and that he advised Dr. West that she could receive aftercare at a facility for that purpose. But he also says that he was fine with the post-surgical treatment plan, since Scoggins is a registered nurse with an advanced degree. His assessment is supported by the fact that the California Department of Consumer Affairs initiated an investigation of Scoggins .....
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Jiggy5: Get your facts straight and if you are going to quote someone, use their exact words. I said nothing about good name like you misquoted me. I said I hoped he clears his name, tarnished by ignorant people jumping to conclusions. Get the facts straight. Though I don't agree with a book, he deserves to be heard that's all I am saying and the people crucifying him know nothing about medicine. Mmuhammad- agree with you.
by
Georgimay
October 24, 2009, 8:19 pm
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This is just a shameful tactic from a person who's trying to exploit someone else's tragedy for his own gain again! The man had a reputation of performing surgeries when other doctors thought it was unsafe. He took advantage of Dr. West's desperation when he decided to operate on her. Now he's writing a book on the order to make further profit off it. He's a clear example of the me, myself and I, got to get the bigger, better deal at any cost attitude that's so prevelant today and has destroyed the fabric of our society. He should be rotting in a jail cell somewhere.
by
Stevieny
October 22, 2009, 3:34 pm
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1st of all:If the proceeds of this book,were going to build a Donda West wing on some hospital,--or--Donda West fund for botched plastic surgeries of another,than I would NOT surripticiously(sp) surrender any monies to this man!!
2nd of all:If I were u Dr.Adams.I would leave well ENOUGH,ALONE!!!!---I am surprised Kanye,has NOT cocked his glock to clock u----
3rdly:IMO,u Dr.Adams,need to be chained side by side in a dark,stank,dank dungeon somewhere with ur good buddy,the quack who killed Micheal Jackson!!!!
by
Rubinisk
October 21, 2009, 1:26 pm
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Kanye sure honored his mother's death with that stunt he pulled at the VMAs. <sarcasm>
Regardless, I agree with CAmira and hopefully we will all learn something from this
God Bless
by
A_day_in_the_life
October 21, 2009, 12:10 pm
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I went online and read the autopsy report for myself and there was nothing in it to suggest that Dr. Adams had anything to do with Ms. West's death. No one is saying that Ms. West declined to go to a medical facility for monitoring and recovery after her surgery but instead went home. I have been a registered nurse for 18 years and I can tell you first hand about the importance of medical monitoring after major surgery. We are all so quick to crucify each other and not look at the facts. Of course Dr. Adams surrendered his license but it had nothing to do with malpractice.
by
Mmuhammad1
October 21, 2009, 11:34 am
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This booking photo shows Jan Adams after his Dec. 29, 2006 DUI arrest. (AP)
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