In Copenhagen, Denmark the health minister has promised compensation to kidney patients who contracted Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis after being administered Omniscan, a contrast agent used in MRI to enhance tissue images. Here in the states there are also a number of lawsuits against the 5 manufacturers of gadolinium contrasting agents including the makers of Omniscan. NSF is characterized by the progressive hardening of skin and joints and sometimes internal organs that often result in the inability to move about without a wheelchair. Currently there is no treatment for the condition. Attorneys for the victims in the United States have asked for the suits to be prioritized because some of their plaintiffs are in dire circumstances while others have already perished from the debilitating disorder. As for Jakob Axel Nielson, the health minister in Denmark he says,

“The least we can do for these deeply ill people, who unfortunately became more sick after being administered Omniscan, is to identify them and offer compensation.”

Posted by Peter W. Burg at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Seven lawsuits have been filed on behalf of Tennessee families who were affected by the recalled drug Digitek. Digitek is the trade name for digoxin, which is used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. According to the lawsuits, five of the seven Digitek users died as a result of unintentional overdoses due to the oversized tablets. In a manufacturing error Digitek tablets were made double the thickness, thus dispensing double the dosage. When taking an excessive amount of Digitek it can cause nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and death.

Posted by Seth A. Katz at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In an unusual lawsuit a Mississippi resident has been awarded $3 million for a brain injury suffered in a near-drowning. The lawsuit charged the Rodeway Inn with improperly maintaining its pool, thus causing the water to be too cloudy for her to be seen and rescued after diving into the pool. The lawsuit revealed that for five to six minutes a number of people dove into the pool searching for the victim. Others used the shepherd’s hook at the pool as a probe, but could not locate her. Finally, a visitor heard the commotion and just by chance dove in where the victim was and brought her to the surface. The victim suffered serious brain damage and now lives in a nursing home.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With a five year grant from the National Institutes of Health the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center is studying a new therapy for traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. It is one of the only programs of its kind and is called the First Steps Acute Neurobehavioral and Cognitive Intervention (FANCI). The program concentrates on patients’ survival and treatment.

“A lack of information and limited resources contribute to the long-term challenges of living with brain injury,” said Janet Niemeier, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. ”Many people’s needs are not fully addressed by existing systems of care. FANCI aims to meet these needs by serving as a resource for brain injury survivors, family members and other caregivers.”

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A South Carolina family lost their 4-year-old girl when she succumbed to her brain injury incurred at birth. The girl at birth was oxygen deprived and eventually died of complications from cerebral palsy. Three days prior to her scheduled induction the mother arrived at the hospital complaining of nausea and vomiting. Lawyers argued the nurse trainee assigned to the mother misread fetal heart monitoring information showing the baby was in dire distress. According to the lawsuit the fetal monitor showed the baby needed emergency intervention. Once born, the girl’s life was full of challenges. She took medication for seizures, underwent therapy several times a week and relied on a feeding tube to keep her nourished. A jury agreed with the family and awarded them $4.4 million in damages.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Nearly two dozen Pennsylvania residents are recipients of a device that helps with foot drop after suffering a traumatic brain injury. The non-invasive device is the NESS L300 and straps below the knee. The NESS L300 works by electrically stimulating the leg nerves and muscles to raise the foot when walking. The device was first offered this past summer in the Pittsburgh region. Officials with Bioness Inc., makers of the medical device, said they are talking with West Penn Hospital in an effort to provide the NESS L300 for rehabilitation patients there. According to Bioness, more than 2.5 million people in the United States suffer from foot drop, with 200,000 new cases every year. The $6,000 device is at first worn only for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Early results indicate the device is extremely helpful. However, many patients who could benefit from it aren't getting it because their insurance providers won't cover the cost.

Physical therapist Amy Vtipil says she expects the NESS L300 to retrain the neurons to lift the foot so eventually TBI patients will no long need it. “One of the ways you retrain the brain is repetition, and if this device allows you to repeat the correct movement over and over again with every step, it's conceivable that it could train a part of the brain to take over a function that is lost or relearn something it had all along,” she said.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In recent years, MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infections have become more common in hospitals throughout the country. Other MRSA infections are beginning to occur in community settings outside the hospital ward as well. A Texas man went into septic shock following an ulcer surgery. By the time the infection was diagnosed and treated, gangrene had set in, requiring the removal of both arms below his elbows and both legs below his knees. In the man’s medical malpractice trial a Dallas county civil jury awarded $17.5 million, but because of the malpractice caps in that state he will collect only $7.5 million of it.

The man’s attorney, Linda Turley, said the malpractice caps were a "tragic unfairness" to her client, who has relied on family members for daily living over the last six years. He now lives with his brother in East Texas. “He can't bathe by himself, can't get out of the house by himself and will need assistance for the rest of his life,” Turley said.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When reports of Salmonella and E. coli tainted food emerge the public is rightfully shocked and demands it to be set right. Often what is lost in the morass of media reports and Food and Drug Administration advisories are the personal stories of suffering. Stephanie Smith, 21, became extremely ill more than a year ago after eating a hamburger tainted with E. coli. What few know is she now suffers from seizures, brain injury and paralysis. Here mother and brother are uncomfortable leaving her alone for fear she will hurt herself further. Her brother moved back from out of state to help care for her while her mother is at work. After physical, occupational and speech therapy as well as therapy specific for a brain injury, Stephanie is now able to eat on her own. Prior to her poisoning she was a determined and talented dance instructor. Even though she misses teaching dance she keeps a positive attitude. Stephanie’s family all step in when caring for her. Her care includes three hours daily therapy, heading out for medical checkups, bathing, and washing her bedding and mattress daily to keep her from infection. What often is missed is not only the time it takes to take care of someone who has been injured by a person or a company’s negligence, but the financial cost.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A Massachusetts woman and her family are suing as a result of a car accident that left the 26-year-old woman severely traumatic brain injured. The auto negligence lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Boston. The lawsuit claims that the driver "negligently and carelessly" caused the wreck. The woman is still recovering according to her lawyer. “She's not doing well,” said attorney Andrew Abraham said, “She has suffered a pretty significant injury and probably will never fully recover.” The lawsuit does not specifically mention how much the family is suing for.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A 7 year-old boy who allegedly suffered a brain injury at birth was given $6.5 million in a settlement reached on his behalf. In an effort to induce the child’s delivery the mother was given the drug Pitocin. According to attorney’s for the boy, the attending obstetrician and the labor and delivery nurse failed to respond to the baby’s low heart rate and reduced oxygen flow. The child was born with metabolic acidosis and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The settlement will help pay for his continued healthcare.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The list of peanut product recalls is growing daily in the nation’s largest salmonella tainted product recall ever. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that the Peanut Corporation of America, which has filed for bankruptcy, supplied the peanuts, peanut butter and peanut pasted used in the more that 1500 products that have been linked to more than 500 salmonella related illnesses and nine deaths. The FDA has assured the American consumers that major brands of peanut butter sold in jars are not affected by the recalls so far. Officials said salmonella bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. A list of all companies recalling peanut products is available at http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph/recalls.html.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As a result of a botched neurosurgery the parents of Michael Skolnik lobbied to pass a bill to insure transparency of doctors’ backgrounds. Thanks to their efforts Colorado House Bill 1331, the Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act, was passed for 2009. What that means for medical consumers is they can go to a website to research their potential doctor. The site is located at www.dora.state.co.us. From the home page find "Popular Pages," then click on the first item, "Physician Profile Web Outlook." The profiles will contain any disciplinary action taken, medical license restriction or suspension, suspended hospital rights, right to practice medicine in Colorado, convictions of any felonies, malpractice insurance and finally, whether they were ordered to pay a claim in a malpractice lawsuit. “We have a great deal of confidence in the system,” said Chris Lines, spokesman for DORA. “We see it as a consumer protection that anyone in the state can use.”

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The investigation into the salmonella tainted peanut butter has been stepped up a notch as the Federal Bureau of Investigations has been asked to join in the ongoing fact finding mission. The FBI was asked to assist the Food and Drug Administration because of its resources in ability and manpower. Consumer trust has been severely affected by this latest peanut butter contamination and recall. A U.S. food safety expert earlier said peanut butter makers need to be transparent about testing for salmonella before consumers will trust their products again. Peanut butter sales have dropped at least 25 percent since the salmonella outbreak linked to a PCA plant in Georgia has killed eight and sickened nearly 600, CNN reported. The FDA said major-label jarred peanut butter companies are reaching out to the public and running ads concerning the safety of their products to win back wary customers.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In a Santa Rosa, California Court a jury has awarded a Ukiah man in a case of medical malpractice $850,000 after just 6 hours of deliberation. While anesthesized and intubated to undergo arthroscopic right shoulder surgery, a “shoulder chair” became detached from the operating table causing the man’s body to fall and hit his head on the concrete floor resulting in sustaining traumatic injuries to his head, neck and lower back. “This was a tragic case where the hospital failed to take full responsibility for its employees' failures,” said one of the man’s attorney’s. “We are gratified the jury saw through the expensive experts' testimony hired by the hospital to excuse its negligence. We were pleased that the jury would return a significant verdict against the small community's only hospital.”

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The prescription pain medication Darvon has been under fire for some time concerning its troubling problems such as addiction and suicide. A government medical advisory panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted 14 to 12 in recommending the withdrawal of the popular pain killer from consumer use after a day long hearing examining its risks and benefits. In 2005 the United Kingdom banned its version of Darvon for the same reasons. Darvon was first approved in 1957, when there were few alternatives for treating pain except aspirin and powerful narcotics. The non-profit consumer group Public Citizen petitioned the FDA for the removal of Darvon, now mainly marketed as Darvocet which contains acetaminophen, after expressing concern over the drug’s relatively weak pain relief and the potential overdose risk.

“With a drug that has almost no evidence of benefit, any risk is unacceptable,” said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, a drug safety expert with Public Citizen who first sought a ban in the 1970s. “Hopefully the FDA will follow the vote of its advisers.”

Posted by Seth A. Katz at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just a few weeks into history’s largest salmonella outbreak, eight deaths and 575 illnesses have occurred. It has now come to light that Peanut Corp. of America in Georgia knew as far back as 2007 that their products were probably tainted and even after tests confirmed the product contamination they elected to ship them. Federal law forbids producing or shipping foods that could be harmful to consumers' health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that in 2007 PCA shipped chopped peanuts on July 18 and 24 after salmonella was confirmed by private lab tests.

“In some instances, peanut products were shipped by (the company) prior to having assurance that the products were negative for salmonella,” said Michael Rogers, head of field investigations for the FDA.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In an investigation into the D.C. city hospitals and clinics to determine transparency in “adverse event” reporting a number of medical errors were found that killed, injured or sickened patients. The report was a collection of adverse events required under D.C. law to track medical malpractice. Of 529 reported incidents in the 12 months leading up to June 2008 at least 14 people were killed and many other maimed or injured. Among the errors found were a cancer patient who had the wrong breast operated on because of a clerical error, a patient who died when his ventilator failed and numerous instances where sponges, catheters and needles were left inside of patients post surgery. While the resultant data is troublesome on its own, the report also found that many hospitals and nursing homes had not turned over information regarding doctor errors and adverse events.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 09:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A tragic prescription error leads to the death of a 66 year-old man in March 2007. George Smith became ill eight days after receiving prescriptions from his Wal-Mart pharmacy intended for another. His two adult children subsequently sued Wal-Mart for $3 million and the discount store giant settled according to the family’s attorney. Attorney for the family say it is “a favorable settlement,” but adds the details of it have been sealed as part of the settlement. As more baby boomer Americans age, unfortunately this tragedy will probably begin to occur exponentially.

Posted by David P. Hersh at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Promising results have appeared in the treatment of traumatic brain injury in a study supported in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program. The study used noninvasive electrical stimulation of the brain that produced an improvement in the ability to learn complex motor tasks. Healthy participants who received a mild electric current applied to the primary motor cortex became more skillful at a complex motor task than those who did not receive the stimulation. To find out whether the stimulation would improve performance over time, the researchers recruited 24 healthy volunteers and assigned half to active stimulation and half to imitated stimulation while performing the task of moving a cursor around a computer screen in a specific pattern using touch sensors. Over the course of five days both groups learned the task, but the stimulated group achieved a significantly higher level of skill. All participants made five return visits over three months to evaluate retention of the skill and the two groups had similar skill levels. “The persistence of a beneficial effect of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation at three months after the end of training may have promising implications for the design of motor learning protocols in healthy individuals and in patients undergoing neurorehabilitation,” the researchers concluded. The findings could hold promise for enhancing rehabilitation for people with traumatic brain injury, stroke and other conditions.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tabitha Mullings was discharged from the hospital and given painkillers for a kidney stone when 24 hours later a sepsis infection raged through her system. Two weeks later gangrene had choked off blood and oxygen supply to her limbs destroying them and leaving her blind in her right eye and severely impaired vision in her left. The 32-year-old mother of three is now a quadruple amputee losing her arms below the elbows and legs below the knees. Sadly, the day after being released from the ER she dialed 911 twice within the next 24 hours, but medics did not take her back to the hospital. A lawsuit has been filed on her behalf alleging negligence of the hospital and doctors in treating her properly seeking funds to provide for her and her family.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After a seemingly normal pregnancy a mother’s baby was suddenly in dire straights. Part way through the induced delivery the baby’s monitor showed a drop in heart rate and the mother began to feel sick. It was quickly determined that the mother and infant were suffering from a rare and unexpected placental abruption that threatened both their lives. An emergency Caesarean section was performed, but the infant was not breathing. The hospital staff rushed to save the mother’s life while a nurse and respiratory therapist performed CPR on the infant with no success. The tragedy is the infant was born blind, brain damaged, unable to suck or swallow, suffered from constant pneumonia and diarrhea, but worst of all had an aversion to being held or cuddled. Some records indicate from the time of the C-section the infant was not breathing for 12 minutes, but the hospital said it could have been as little as one minute. However long the delay was, the infant was severely injured by the lack of oxygen and died a year later due to the injuries. An ensuing lawsuit against the hospital alleged that the infant was without oxygen for too long due to an understaffed hospital with disorganized emergency procedures. The Court agreed with the family and their insurance company and a jury awarded them more than $920,000 for hospital bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. The award has not been received because an appeal by the hospital is likely.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Traumatic brain injury comes with a host of side effects that can be a challenge for many families. It is not unusual for inappropriate behavior, irritability, anxiety and depression to express itself. A number of sensate issues arise including a persistent ringing in the ears, difficulty recognizing objects, impaired hand-eye coordination, blind spots or double vision. One of the more unique expressions is the experience of a bitter taste or a consistent bad smell with no known environmental reason. New findings indicate that a traumatic brain injury appears to increase the risk of eventually developing Alzheimer’s disease and to a lesser degree Parkinson’s disease. When speaking of TBI many are aware of the cognitive and physical rehabilitation used for recovery, but even in light of this there are still long term consequences.

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A Pennsylvania jury has awarded over $5 million in a medical malpractice case involving a medical error causing permanent brain damage. The plaintiff went to an emergency room with symptoms of confusion and difficulty walking due to an electrolyte deficiency with dangerously low sodium. The hospital physicians proceeded to attempt to bring her low sodium up at a rate of 125 cc per hour, but instead she received 1000 cc in one hour. The result of the rapid infusion of IV sodium is a known and preventable complication known as central pontine myelinolysis, which is permanent brain damage. Since the brain injury, the woman has been unable to return to work, has impaired thinking slurred speech and a difficulty walking. She requires in-home care, which is being provided by her daughter.

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The joy of Zoe Sofia Rojas’ entrance into this world was shadowed by the death of her mother who carried her to term, but would never meet her little baby girl. Zoe’s mother Stacy complained of vomiting and excruciating headaches just a month before Zoe’s birth and her death. Stacy’s doctor sent her home informing her to take Tylenol and use heating pads. Soon after, she suffered a brain aneurysm rendering her brain-dead. “I can just remember sitting with the neonatal intensive care doctors and they're trying to talk you out of going through the life support with Stacy to bring her to term,” Marcus Rojas, Stacy’s husband said. “I'm glad we did it because they were all wrong.” In the ensuing lawsuit Mr. Rojas received a paltry $200,000 due to the medical malpractice caps in place in Texas and the doctors’ lack of malpractice insurance coverage. What is little known of the malpractice tort reform in Texas is there is no legal requirement for doctors to carry medical malpractice insurance! Understandably, Mr. Rojas is angry and according to his attorney Les Weisbrod, “This is a case that should have been worth $1.6 million.”

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 09:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A newborn infant lost its mother to a medication error. The doctor who prescribed the medication recommended the 32 year-old mother is given the blood pressure medication labetalol following a Caesarean section for an apparent dangerous drop in blood pressure. She went into cardiac arrest and died. The subsequent lawsuit for wrongful death resulted in the jury awarding $2 million to her family. The doctor found negligent is expected to appeal.

Posted by David P. Hersh at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The American Psychological Association (APA) has corroborated previous studies on traumatic brain injury recovery finding that cognitive rehabilitation for the brain works in much the same way as physical therapy for the body does. Researchers at the University of South Alabama and the University of North Carolina analyzed research published in 2000 and 2005 of several hundred studies using cognitive rehabilitation. Researchers concluded:

-Generally, it is better to start treating patients as early as possible, rather than waiting for a more complete neurological recovery.

-Even older patients (age 55 and up) may benefit from cognitive rehabilitation, particularly if the brain injury is due to stroke.

-Clinicians should focus their efforts on direct cognitive skills training in specific cognitive areas such as attention or visuospatial processing.

Their findings were published in the January issue of Neuropsychology entitled, “Effectiveness of Cognitive Rehabilitation Following Acquired Brain Injury: A Meta-Analytic Re-examination of Cicerone et al.'s (2000, 2005) Systematic Reviews.”

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 09:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Illinois resident Marlene Bruhmuller, 61, went to the emergency department complaining of severe pain in her left leg. Two years prior, she had undergone a femoral-popliteal bypass on the same leg for vascular insufficiency. At that time her surgeon told her that she needed to go to the emergency room immediately if she ever developed severe pain in the leg. She followed her surgeon’s advice, but was not seen for four hours. The ER she went to triaged her as “urgent” rather than “emergent”. Once she was finally seen she was immediately diagnosed with a blockage of her bypass graft and taken directly to surgery. The next surgeon was unable to restore adequate blood flow, but did not send her to another medical center for treatment until the next day. As a result, Mrs. Bruhmuller suffered a through-the-knee amputation.

“Mrs. Bruhmuller did exactly what she had been instructed to do when she went to the Emergency Department with her leg pain,” said her attorney “This is a time-sensitive problem and there is every reason to believe she would have been fine with proper and timely care.”

Posted by Scott J. Eldredge at 09:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the February issue of Radiology researchers raised awareness of the risk factors between gadolinium based contrast agents and the onset of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis. Javier Perez-Rodriguez, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and colleagues describe 33 patients diagnosed with NSF from 2003 to 2008. All the patients had advanced renal failure at the time they were given gadolinium contrasting agents prior to an MRI. The time between exposure to gadolinium and the presentation of NSF was an average of 29 days. Researchers reported before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued warnings about the association between gadolinium exposure and NSF, the overall incidence of the disease was 36.5 cases in 100,000 patients. After the FDA pressed for a “black box” warning on the contrasting products the amount of NSF cases dropped to 4 per 100,000 patients.

In conclusion the authors write, “In January 2007, our institution implemented policies regarding the use of GBCA in patients with severe renal dysfunction, with the aim being to reduce the incidence of NSF. These policies were associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of NSF. Besides the previously reported epidemiologic considerations of NSF associations, the success of such a policy in the reduction of NSF due to GBCA exposure strengthens the belief that there is a causal relationship between GBCA and NSF.”

Posted by Peter W. Burg at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A new memoir by author Debra Sanders and published by Outskirts Press, Inc. in Parker, Colorado called “A Matter of Panache” relates her experiences as she fought with school administrators and teachers after suffering a traumatic brain injury after a work-related car accident. The autobiography details how after butting heads with school administrators they began to question her competency and long-term effects of her brain injury. Here is a reviewer’s summary of her book published by Outskirts Press, Inc. in Parker, Colorado.

“Set in the remote regions of Alaska, then in the Mormon-dominated culture of reservation land in southeast Utah, and finally in an army post in Colorado during the height of the Iraq crisis, A Matter of Panache paints an engaging portrait of one woman and the quirky, complicated, goofy, brilliant, and loving kids she works with as they learn to cope with the challenges of learning disabilities, brain injuries, and a host of other disorders. The pictures Sanders paints are both funny and achingly sad, and the reader is offered a rare glimpse into the inner workings of school politics. A Matter of Panache could not be more timely or relevant, as the leader of the No Child Left Behind legislation prepares to exit, making way for a new kind of political leadership with the potential to positively impact the lives of millions of children in our public schools. It’s also a time when we are welcoming back our soldiers from Iraq, a startling number of them suffering the effects of traumatic brain injury, which is, as Sanders describes, an often misunderstand and misdiagnosed malady. A Matter of Panache is at once an adventure story and a revealing report on the inside happenings within some of the walls of public education. Inspiring readers to laugh, cry, groan, rage, and love, when the last page is turned, it is a story not soon forgotten. —Reviewer’s comment”

Posted by Kerry N. Jardine at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)