A southeast Valley man is considering filing a lawsuit against two Valley hospitals after his wife died just weeks after giving birth to twins.
Jonathan McVey says his wife Courtenay went into labor early after developing preeclampsia. Their twins, Declan and Chloe, were born at 32-weeks were quickly getting healthy. The same night Courtenay delivered, she went back into surgery because the incision from her Caesarian-Section had reopened.
"That's when the downward spiral happened," said McVey.
He says within a week, her incision got infected and he says the doctors weren't able to close it or determine a cause. Courtenay was left with an open wound and transferred to another east Valley hospital. McVey says the staff there treated her well, and she seemed on the road to recovery, so she was transferred again to a wound specialty clinic.
"They neglected her, they really dropped the ball."
McVey says their own obstetrician was so displeased with the treatment she was getting, he suggested she would be less stressed and better cared for at home where her own father is a nurse.
"They were very quick to sign the release papers,” said McVey.
Within a week, the infection was back and he says Courtenay called him at work in extreme pain. She told him she would take a nap after putting their 3-year-old daughter to sleep.
McVey says he got home to find their toddler crying hysterically.
"She said, “Mommy's asleep, mommy's asleep, mommy won't wake up!"
Courtenay died in her sleep on the couch.
The medical examiner told him she likely passed away peacefully, but it will be several weeks before the autopsy will determine cause of death.
McVey is convinced two of the three hospitals that treated his wife are to blame. Not wanting to jeopardize a possible lawsuit, he's not naming the facilities.
In an instant, McVey became a widower left to raise a toddler and infant twins alone, but he is determined to keep her spirit alive through their children.
"I want them to understand exactly what their mom was, she wasn't just a good person, she deposited something into your life that was a little spark of God right there,” he said.
Friends have set up a GoFundMe account to help cover burial costs.
