Mom of 6 Sues Doctors, Hospital After Hysterectomy Allegedly Leads to Paralysis, Quadruple Amputations

Trisha Stevens, a mother of six from Portland, Oregon, finds herself in a harrowing situation after a routine hysterectomy led to life-altering consequences. The 48-year-old has filed a lawsuit claiming that her medical team failed to address alarming signs of infection that ultimately resulted in repeated amputations and paralysis from the lower back down.

Stevens underwent the procedure on 4 October 2024 at Adventist Health Portland, primarily to address chronic abnormal uterine bleeding and adenomyosis. However, just four days post-surgery, testing revealed signs of inflammation. According to her legal complaint, her doctor did not review these results or provide any necessary follow-up care, leaving Stevens without guidance or treatment.

The situation took a dramatic turn two weeks later during her son’s football game. Stevens experienced a distressing sensation in her abdomen and soon reported experiencing severe symptoms, including heavy bleeding and fever. Upon contacting her doctor’s office, she was advised to rest and hydrate, yet her condition steadily deteriorated.

By 22 October, her plight escalated as she went to the emergency department at Legacy Mount Hood. Medical staff discovered she was suffering from a dangerously elevated heart rate, low blood pressure, and severe menstrual bleeding, prompting an urgent diagnosis of peritonitis, acute kidney injury, septic shock, and bacteremia.

Despite the severity of her symptoms, she reportedly did not receive antibiotics until the following day. A delay in treatment proved catastrophic, progressing her condition to a point where surgical interventions became necessary. Tragically, the infection resulted in the amputation of both of her legs above the knee, and later, additional amputations of her right hand and parts of her left hand.

The lawsuit asserts that a lack of adequate blood supply to her spinal cord contributed to her paralysis, while she has also suffered extensive damage to her mouth, necessitating dental procedures. In her statement, Stevens expressed the profound physical and emotional toll the events have taken on her life, describing ongoing challenges such as chronic pain and recurring infections.

In her quest for justice, Stevens is seeking a staggering $68.5 million in damages, holding her medical providers accountable for what she believes to be negligence. “This infection did not just make me sick; it attacked my body so violently that I went into septic shock and multi-organ failure,” she stated, reflecting on the drastic changes to her life after the procedures.

Emotional distress accompanied the physical scars, as Stevens lamented the loss of her previous self and independence. “When I look in the mirror, my eyes fill with tears because I see a body altered from head to toe,” she shared, highlighting the hidden emotional wounds beneath visible injuries.

Stevens also confronted the mental health struggles that emerged from her experience, acknowledging the depression that accompanied her physical battles. “Every day, I grieve the person I was, the body I once lived in, and the independence my family and I had before this happened,” she admitted.

A representative for Legacy Health, one of the parties named in the lawsuit, expressed compassion for Stevens and her family but noted that they were unable to comment on specific allegations due to the ongoing litigation. As the legal proceedings unfold, it is clear that the impacts of this medical ordeal will be felt for a lifetime, not only by Stevens but also by her family as they navigate this new reality together.

Trisha Stevens’ story serves as a poignant reminder of the critical importance of timely and comprehensive medical care, particularly following surgical procedures. The outcome of her lawsuit may have significant implications not only for her family but potentially for the standards of care in similar medical cases.