Mother: Swine flu victim asked to leave ER

By Irving Range
Associated Press
October 8, 2009

Irving Range, 58, dies in Corpus Christi of H1N1-related illness

CORPUS CHRISTI — The mother of a man who died of a swine flu-related illness said her son was asked to leave a Texas hospital a day before his death because he was lying on the floor, too ill to sit in a chair.

Irving Neil Range, 58, of Corpus Christi died in the emergency room of Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial on Friday of a swine-flu related illness, confirmed Annette Rodriguez, interim director of Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District.

Opal Range told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that her son went to the emergency room Oct. 1, but laid on the floor because he felt too sick to sit a chair while waiting to see a doctor. She said a security guard asked him to leave so he went home. Her son returned to the emergency room the next day and died.

Sherry Carr-Deer, a spokeswoman for Christus Spohn Health System, told The Associated Press that she did not know the specifics of Range's case, but that their security guards generally try to work with people and give them a couple of chances.

“Our security guards don't escort anyone out or ask them to leave unless they become belligerent,” she said.

Health officials said Range didn't appear to have any underlying health conditions that may have contributed to his death.

Range marked the seventh swine flu-related death in Nueces County.