Michael Jackson rushed to the hospital.....

[AdiS]

He will be missed. I loved his music; he was also my first celebrity crush so many years ago. I remember collecting badges with his pictures on them and wearing them proudly on my jacket. I must''ve been 5 years old.
May he RIP.

 

[DiamondFlame]

Date: 6/28/2009 4:39:05 PM
Author: gemgirl

Date: 6/28/2009 2:38:40 PM
Author: DiamondFlame
I second that Tribute Concert idea. Was just talking about it with a friend the other day. Another great idea is to have a musical revolving around MJ''s hits and dance moves. Wouldn''t that be awesome?

Well Cat Stevens has his musical ''Moonshadow'' opening in London later this year. Michael''s could be ''Moonwalker'' (just as a weird coincidence). It could be the story of his life. His evolution from front ''man'' for the Jackson Five to solo superstar. I''d sure go. Imagine ''Thriller'' being played live by a forty piece orchestra!
The intro would be wild!

''Moonwalker'' sounds fab! I can already picture the 1930s-styled dance & drama featured in Smooth Criminal... Just awesome!

 

[Dreamgirl]

Date: 6/26/2009 7:22:36 PM
Author: gemgirl

Date: 6/26/2009 1:01:08 PM
Author: Dreamgirl
My old Michael Jackson records are in the garage. Unfortunately I don''t have a record player that works anymore. Rats.


Anyone else listening to Michael on youtube today? http://www.youtube.com/michaeljackson

I did for a couple of hours this morning and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It''s hard to believe that so much time has gone by since his hey day. I''m going to go back and watch some more. I also enjoyed choosing between Michael''s performances with other famous recording artists. Watching the recording session of ''We Are the World'' impressed me just as much this morning as it did way back then. I''m incredibly sad that he''s gone, but I''m happy for us and for future generations that he left one heck of a musical legacy behind.

We''ve been watching quite a bit on him over the weekend. I agree with you on ''We Are the World" I remember when that came out when I was a kid how awesome I thought the whole thing was. Watching back at it I still feel that what he did with that was amazing. What other artists go that far to try and help out the world and the children? I know there are others but I think it''s something he really wanted to help with.

 

[trillionaire]

I watched the Idol show that did a tribute to his music...

God, nothing makes you appreciate how EXCEPTIONAL that man''s talents were more than watching people trying to duplicate a fraction of his work.

My goodness, the man was truly, truly amazing, and we have lost such a once in a lifetime artist!

There are reports of 12 people committing suicide because they were so distraught over his loss! Link

 

[luckystar112]

Trill, that autopsy report is FAKE thank god.
And so it begins.......from the "admission" by Jordan Chandler, the fake autopsy, and the fake interview with the mother of his children I am just so disgusted. Even after death the media cannot help but spread lies and controversy about him.

I know some of you don''t go to these sites, so I figured I''d share a couple of things. First, here is a link to Time magazine where celebrities have been sharing stories about Michael. My favorite accounts were from Carson Daly, JC Chasez, Jon Mayer and Ice T--but they are all really good.

Link: http://www.time.com/time/specials/michael-jackson/article/0,31682,1907409_1907413,00.html

Also, TMZ has posted some pictures of the night before he passed. He spent the night rehearsing for his upcoming tour. Amazing photos...he looks so happy and energetic! And it looks like it was going to be one hell of a show.

Here is the link: http://photos.tmz.com/galleries/michael_jackson_concert_rehearsal#45489

I watched the BET awards last night and it was so cool to see all the little ways that they incorporated him into the show. First New Edition did a cover of "I want you back", then Jamie Foxx came out with the red leather jacket and moonwalked across the stage, later there were a couple of other covers to his music, and finally Janet came on to express her thanks to all the fans. She looked so choked up. I also enjoyed how right before commercial breaks people would take the mic and share their stories.

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 6/29/2009 10:49:01 PM
Author: luckystar112
Trill, that autopsy report is FAKE thank god.
And so it begins.......from the ''admission'' by Jordan Chandler, the fake autopsy, and the fake interview with the mother of his children I am just so disgusted. Even after death the media cannot help but spread lies and controversy about him.

Oh thank goodness it was fake! I don''t know much about non US tabloids, lol!


I also saw the BET awards... I was thoroughly disappointed with the pitiful ''tribute''. MJ was the consummate perfectionist, and that half cocked poor excuse for a planned tribute literally mocked everything the man stood for.

It was a disaster and a disgrace IMO, with momentary glimpses of decent heartfelt memories.

I''m still sooooo sad about this loss, and am hoping some good comes of his death, including a ''respectable'' farewell. He is owed much homage by artists everywhere...

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 6/30/2009 12:00:08 AM
Author: trillionaire

Date: 6/29/2009 10:49:01 PM

Author: luckystar112

Trill, that autopsy report is FAKE thank god.

And so it begins.......from the ''admission'' by Jordan Chandler, the fake autopsy, and the fake interview with the mother of his children I am just so disgusted. Even after death the media cannot help but spread lies and controversy about him.

Oh thank goodness it was fake! I don''t know much about non US tabloids, lol!



I also saw the BET awards... I was thoroughly disappointed with the pitiful ''tribute''. MJ was the consummate perfectionist, and that half cocked poor excuse for a planned tribute literally mocked everything the man stood for.

It was a disaster and a disgrace IMO, with momentary glimpses of decent heartfelt memories.


I''m still sooooo sad about this loss, and am hoping some good comes of his death, including a ''respectable'' farewell. He is owed much homage by artists everywhere...

I''m still waiting for a real tribute to happen, but you''ve got to give BET some credit--their whole line-up was planned down to the minute before MJ died. They had less than 48 hours to reconfigure the whole show. All of the graphics, the special performances, etc. were done at the last minute. Artists who weren''t going to go originally called and said they wanted to do something special for Michael. So, while I agree with you that it wasn''t perfect (and not even close to a real tribute) it was nice that they put forth some effort to recognize the magnitude of the loss instead of just a couple of RIPs at the podium. Ya know?
And believe it or not...all of the bogus reports about the autopsy/ex-wife/etc. have come from the UK so far! The Sun, News of the World, etc. It''s so pathetic. But I''m sure that America will take the filth to a whole new level in the coming weeks.

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 6/30/2009 12:59:30 AM
Author: luckystar112

Date: 6/30/2009 12:00:08 AM
Author: trillionaire

Date: 6/29/2009 10:49:01 PM

Author: luckystar112

Trill, that autopsy report is FAKE thank god.

And so it begins.......from the ''admission'' by Jordan Chandler, the fake autopsy, and the fake interview with the mother of his children I am just so disgusted. Even after death the media cannot help but spread lies and controversy about him.

Oh thank goodness it was fake! I don''t know much about non US tabloids, lol!



I also saw the BET awards... I was thoroughly disappointed with the pitiful ''tribute''. MJ was the consummate perfectionist, and that half cocked poor excuse for a planned tribute literally mocked everything the man stood for.

It was a disaster and a disgrace IMO, with momentary glimpses of decent heartfelt memories.


I''m still sooooo sad about this loss, and am hoping some good comes of his death, including a ''respectable'' farewell. He is owed much homage by artists everywhere...

I''m still waiting for a real tribute to happen, but you''ve got to give BET some credit--their whole line-up was planned down to the minute before MJ died. They had less than 48 hours to reconfigure the whole show. All of the graphics, the special performances, etc. were done at the last minute. Artists who weren''t going to go originally called and said they wanted to do something special for Michael. So, while I agree with you that it wasn''t perfect (and not even close to a real tribute) it was nice that they put forth some effort to recognize the magnitude of the loss instead of just a couple of RIPs at the podium. Ya know?
And believe it or not...all of the bogus reports about the autopsy/ex-wife/etc. have come from the UK so far! The Sun, News of the World, etc. It''s so pathetic. But I''m sure that America will take the filth to a whole new level in the coming weeks.

I understand the last minute nature, but they could have done a coherent and memorable tribute for 10 minutes...One planned production that would have been meaningful. The whole show was embarassing IMO, and I don''t think it would have been better, even if MJ had not died. I also never watch Awards shows...

 

[gemgirl]

My husband and I have been so upset for the last week, for the totally avoidable loss of Michael Jackson. It especially rang true for me when I heard that he had passed a nearly five hour pre-tour physical exam with the insurance company doctor declaring him "in perfect health except for a minor problem with hayfever". And then we saw Anderson Cooper''s CNN report tonight about the connection between Michael and Dr. Neil Ratner. I''ve been thinking for the last few days about how Propofol (the anesthesia drug) is only available to doctors either through a hospital pharmacy or a day surgery center and I was wondering how in heavens name Michael or Michael''s doctors got this drug, smuggled this drug out of a hospital........... and then they mentioned Ratner, and all hell broke loose in my head. And now I''m unbelievably angry that this was allowed to happened and angry with myself for not making the connection four days ago.

I know Dr. Neil Ratner. He almost killed me before my first laproscopic surgery for endometriosis. He gave me too much of the agent that makes someone relax before they totally knock you out. He caused me to have a anaphylactic reaction, completely paralyzing my windpipe. The only thing that saved me was them shoving a breathing tube down my throat after I was knocked out. He was a wild, careless, feather in the wind rock hippie anesthesiologist who floated from the operating rooms of high priced Park Ave. gynecologists on Wednesdays, to high priced Madison Ave. plastic surgeons on Tuesdays and Thursdays, providing anesthesia to their patients for day or ambulatory surgeries. He was formerly the drummer in a rock and roll band, who later finished medical school and became the "road doc" for many a famous rock act. (He also managed Frampton and someone else whose name escapes me now) And we all knew he went on tour with Michael Jackson. I could never figure out why all of these rock stars would need an anesthesiologist on the road instead of a regular all around internist. In any case, I swear I didn''t remember all this until I saw his face (ugh!) on the tube tonight. And then we heard bits and pieces of what some people had said about how Ratner "helped" Michael during his "HIStory" tour in ''96 & ''97. Ratner "put Michael down" for the night, monitored him from the next room, and then "brought him back up" in the morning. With anesthesia drugs. Drugs meant only to be used in an operating room.

Can I say "goddamnedsonofamothertruckinbitch" on our boards????! I hope they fry his butt for good this time! My husband is trying to convince me to call CNN, but what could I tell them that they don''t already know? If it comes to light that Ratner got Michael started on this stupid stupid "treatment for a sleep disorder"? I hope they lock him up and throw away the key with no possibility of parole, not only for Michael, but for all of the many MANY women he over medicated (and there are hundreds that came forward during another trial he was involved in in Manhattan) and for me. For nearly suffocating me. For scaring the living daylights out of me. For making me believe as I was falling asleep, that I was never going to wake up again. I fell asleep gasping for air and sobbing my eyes out.

There are so many bad and crazy stories about Ratner. I''m damned angry and I want him to pay for whatever part he played in this.

 

[luckystar112]

Wow gemgirl, that is quite the story!
This is the first I heard of Dr. Ratner (but I don't watch too much CNN). I definitely hope that a sh!tstorm develops on behalf of you, Michael Jackson, and everyone else that this so-called "doctor" "treated". How sick.
I've heard a lot of reports of Michael's addiction and how so many people tried to get him to get help. I'm sure a lot of people are wondering if there was more that they could have done.
I think what I find the most eerie in this tragic story is that he wanted his mother or Diana Ross to care for his children--it's like he knew he wouldn't outlive them.

He hasn't left my thoughts either.

ETA: Oh lord. I just googled Dr. Ratner and the first result was about him testifying on behalf of ANOTHER doctor in trouble. Here is a blip:

"The prosecution knew Ratner would be a shaky witness, so the attorneys started the questioning by having him admit to dodging the draft, to being unable to get into an American med school, to dealing drugs, and to being "pretty stoned a lot of the time I was giving anesthesia," once accidentally injecting himself with a paralyzing agent on the job. But to Lauersen, Ratner was like a patient, a person he could make well. "I took Ratner when nobody else would," he says. "I made him a good person."

 

[purrfectpear]

A LOT of stars have their own "Dr. Feelgoods". I knew a few and was amazed at the amount of drugs that were around. Uppers to get them through the day, downers to get some sleep. Shots in the butt every time I turned around. You name it. It''s an industry thing and believe me, everyone knows. Heck, even President Kennedy had his own for "back pain". This is nothing new, and nothing will be done. Look at Anna Nicole Smith. Nuff said.

 

[gemgirl]

>>


I have only the best things to say about Dr. Lauersen. He was my Gyno for more than a decade and he took very good care of me. He was the most famous OB/GYN/reproductive endocrinologist in Manhattan. Because of what happened to me on the operating table because of Dr. Ratner, Dr. Lauersen allowed me to be put to sleep for my next five surgeries, without the muscle relaxing agent, and sitting up with him holding on to me with his arms wrapped around me. He and the nurses laid me down after I was knocked out. Dr. Lauersen was a very kind man and always treated me like I was his family.

Ratner on the other hand was stoned half the time (who knew because he hid it so well, like a "functioning alcoholic" would) and actually did paralyze himself by accidentally injecting himself. The nurses had to pick one stiff anesthesiologist off the floor. The other stories have Ratner giving the patient some anesthesia, then himself some. The nurses used to call it, "one for you and one for me, and one for you and one for me". Sick, really sick! He was a disaster and yet he worked for so many famous people.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 7/3/2009 1:41:23 AM
Author: purrfectpear
A LOT of stars have their own ''Dr. Feelgoods''. I knew a few and was amazed at the amount of drugs that were around. Uppers to get them through the day, downers to get some sleep. Shots in the butt every time I turned around. You name it. It''s an industry thing and believe me, everyone knows. Heck, even President Kennedy had his own for ''back pain''. This is nothing new, and nothing will be done. Look at Anna Nicole Smith. Nuff said.

Yep. Two very famous brothers, mega-movie-star heroin addicts come to mind. You would totally never guess they are junkies. Well maybe it isn''t that shocking, considering one attempted suicide not so long ago - but the other one is just as addicted.

 

[Hera]

Date: 7/3/2009 3:37:30 AM
Author: LAJennifer

Date: 7/3/2009 1:41:23 AM

Author: purrfectpear

A LOT of stars have their own ''Dr. Feelgoods''. I knew a few and was amazed at the amount of drugs that were around. Uppers to get them through the day, downers to get some sleep. Shots in the butt every time I turned around. You name it. It''s an industry thing and believe me, everyone knows. Heck, even President Kennedy had his own for ''back pain''. This is nothing new, and nothing will be done. Look at Anna Nicole Smith. Nuff said.

Yep. Two very famous brothers, mega-movie-star heroin addicts come to mind. You would totally never guess they are junkies. Well maybe it isn''t that shocking, considering one attempted suicide not so long ago - but the other one is just as addicted.

Only ones I can think of are the Owen brothers?

 

[gemgirl]

Here''s a link to the piece on CNN and there''s a red link within the article that you can click on to see Dr. Gupta''s brief interview with Dr. Ratner.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/03/jackson.wrap/index.html

 

[Linda W]

gemgirl: I am so sorry you had to go through that awful experience, with that horrible doctor. I, along with everyone else am waiting to hear, if he had anything do with Michael''s death.

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 7/3/2009 12:48:26 PM
Author: Linda W
gemgirl: I am so sorry you had to go through that awful experience, with that horrible doctor. I, along with everyone else am waiting to hear, if he had anything do with Michael''s death.

Thanks Linda. It was terribly scary and I don''t think I''ll ever forget it. I went through all of my medical notes since last night and realized that Ratner was the anesthesiologist during my first two surgeries, although Lauersen stepped in the second time and told Ratner what to give me and what not to give me.

I don''t honestly know if Ratner had anything to do with Michael''s death, but I think the DEA will certainly make him explain what he was doing for Michael during that 90 concert HIStory tour with all of that hospital equipment in tow. Sadly, I don''t know that the authorities could charge him with anything for helping to get someone addicted to a substance.

For the general public, this whole Propofol (Diprivan) thing is going to scare the hell out of people, and I do imagine that a lot of testing that needs to be done under mild sedation will suffer for it. Anyone who has had a colonoscopy or endoscopy in the last few years knows that Propofol is the fast acting, short residual effect anesthesia that gastroenterologists routinely use. I myself had Propofol two years ago when I had my stomach scoped. My procedure with biopsies lasted 35 minutes and I "came to" as soon as the IV was withdrawn. Propofol was never meant to be used during an eight hour sleep. When doctors use it on patients, we''re all wearing oxygen masks and have a pulsox on our finger to monitor our heart rates. I can''t imagine what eight straight hours on this stuff would do to someone, or- I guess we might find out soon what that much of it can do to someone. This investigation is sure to get complicated. I hope enough of Michael''s handlers speak up and tell the truth now that he''s gone.

 

[bebe]

GemGirl, I read your story and gasped. I am so glad you are here to tell us and warn us about this. Thank you for that.
I do think heads will roll when this whole Micahel story comes out, as they should.
How the heck did Michael pass a physical if he had this medication in his system? or does it not show up on tests?

 

[packrat]

Gemgirl, your story gives me the shivers!! It''s sickening that there are Dr.''s out there that would do such horrible things!

 

[miraclesrule]

Wow Gemgirl! That''s insane. Thank gawd you survived your ordeal. I saw Ratner on TV and have investigated health insurance fraud in the past...so I have a healthy skepticism of doctors in general. Not all doctors, thank goodness, but enough not to put them on pedestals.

As it pertains to MJ, I have been researching a lot of the information as it develops. I believe that Nurse (although I don''t know why she went public instead of dealing privately with investigators...except to clear misconceptions about MJ''s reasons for drug use) and I think that is exactly why MJ insisted on this doctor. I think he found another doctor who is as irresponsible as Ratner who would perform this service for him. This time it probably cost him his life. As a life long MJ fan, I always believed that he began using drugs after being treated for the burns to his head while filming the commercial. It was such an emotionally painful time in his life, trying to be solo, but feeling pressure to perform with his brothers, that I am sure he was particularly emotional susceptible to "sedation". The child molestation charges certainly exacerbated his fear and emotional pain. UGH!

I haven''t been able to confirm how long diprivan/propofol remains in the tissue so that it is detectable. Some reports indicate that it may not be traceable in the toxicology tests. If that is true, the doctor will no doubt get away with self-serving statements that won''t be rebutted by substantial evidence. I hope this isn''t the case. I think that doctor negligently and recklessly caused MJ''s death. At this point, the doctor is only stating that he didn''t give MJ an injection of Demerol or Morphine.

One interesting article I found was from the May 2009 issue of Anesthesiology News that did a piece on the increasing abuse of this drug within the professional medical community...most specifically, anesthesiologists.

I can''t do my normal link on Firefox..ugh... here is the url:

http://www.anesthesiologynews.com/index.asp?ses=ogst&section_id=1&show=dept&article_id=7579

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 7/3/2009 4:22:25 PM
Author: bebe
GemGirl, I read your story and gasped. I am so glad you are here to tell us and warn us about this. Thank you for that.
I do think heads will roll when this whole Micahel story comes out, as they should.
How the heck did Michael pass a physical if he had this medication in his system? or does it not show up on tests?

I really don''t know how he passed the drug tests, but according to the concert management team on CNN last night, he did pass the test with flying colors. I''m going to have to look up "how long Propofol stays in the bloodstream" and I''ll let everyone know.......

I looked it up at http://www.drugs.com/mmx/propofol.html 70% of it is excreted within 24 hrs. 90% of it is excreted in five days. Maybe he knew the exam and the tests were planned and he stayed clear of anything he used until he took the tests. That would be something an addict would do.

 

[miraclesrule]

That is a really fast eliminating drug. I don''t think he was using diprivan on a daily basis without a medical professional monitoring him throughout the night. Therefore, it was probably easy to go a week before a physical.

However, the fact that the doctor spent the night with MJ on that night. It seems almost naive not to believe that he was there for the purposes of administering this drug to him throughout whatever period he wanted to sleep. But, I guess we''ll all know within the next months, whatever information we will be able to know. If the doctor isn''t honest...we''ll never know for sure. Well, I hope that $150K a month was worth it, Doc. Arrggggghhhh...

 

[icekid]

Date: 7/3/2009 4:22:25 PM
Author: bebe
GemGirl, I read your story and gasped. I am so glad you are here to tell us and warn us about this. Thank you for that.

I do think heads will roll when this whole Micahel story comes out, as they should.

How the heck did Michael pass a physical if he had this medication in his system? or does it not show up on tests?

A tox screen is not generally included in a "physical" so most likely if/when MJ had his extensive physical, no one even looked for drugs in his blood. If they DID for whatever reason, propofol is definitely not included in a usual screen anyway.

This doctor gives all of us a bad name...

 

[luckystar112]

The doctor at the very least acted recklessly, IMO.

 

[luckystar112]

So 10% of Propofol may still be in his system after 5 days? Does anyone know if testing the deep tissues will yield any results?

 

[miraclesrule]

Luckystar, I think that although it isn''t routine to check for a drug like this in a post-mortem autopsy, I bet it will be now. I just don''t understand why doctors put themselves in this position. For what? To be able to a BFF of a celebrity? It''s beyond baffling.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I have never herd of propofol being used as a sleeping aide until this. That is just crazy to me. This is an IV only drug that you have to drip in. It wears a few minutes after they stop it. I have only seen it used in the operating room and in the ICU. In the ICU, it was not a routine drug. Either it was being used to get a breathing tube out (because you can turn it off it wears off a few minutes later) or as a drug of last resort to sedate someone when the other drugs have stopped working and they are at risk for harming themselves. I rotated at very well known children's hospital, and this is the only drug residents were not allowed to order (at least in the ICU setting).

From what I have herd, this drug goes out of your system so fast that it might not be detected on tox screen. But I herd today police found some of this stuff in Michael Jackson's house. There is no reason that stuff should be in someone's house.

ETA: These doctors are giving the profession a bad name, and I think the DEA is getting a bad name from all of this too, how many celebrities are people are getting addictive drugs that can cause serious problems? I mean Anna Nicole was getting an insane amount of controlled substances from one physician.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 7/3/2009 6:43:28 PM
Author: miraclesrule
Luckystar, I think that although it isn''t routine to check for a drug like this in a post-mortem autopsy, I bet it will be now. I just don''t understand why doctors put themselves in this position. For what? To be able to a BFF of a celebrity? It''s beyond baffling.

My guess. Money.

 

[miraclesrule]

Sadly, it''s probably true Firecracker. You know, as I was cooking tonight, I started thinking. That''s a 50/50 btw...me and thinking. But anyway, I was thinking that maybe we had this wrong all along. In hindsight, maybe Michael wasn''t addicted to plastic surgery. Maybe he was addicted to "tuning out the world" and the only thing that worked for him was a medically induced coma. That''s messed up. But it is beginning to make more sense to me. Maybe he felt he needed to keep doing surgeries so that he could get the real satisfaction he craved. Medication seekers are not always easy to identify. There is no procedure or Medical records that alert a doctor shopper.

I was once handling a claim where I noticed that an injured worker was obtaining an RX for Vicodin and filling them at different pharmacies. I pulled all the bills and wrote them all out and determined that he had to have been taking over 30 Vicodin A DAY over the prior 3 months. I got so disgusted that I didn''t want to analyze just when the addiction was evident. The guy stated he was in so much pain he couldn''t work, but how can you be in pain on 25 Vicodin? One would be drooling. He was either selling, stockpiling it, sharing it, or seriously wasted.

 

[icekid]

Date: 7/3/2009 10:41:30 PM
Author: miraclesrule
In hindsight, maybe Michael wasn''t addicted to plastic surgery. Maybe he was addicted to ''tuning out the world'' and the only thing that worked for him was a medically induced coma. That''s messed up. But it is beginning to make more sense to me. Maybe he felt he needed to keep doing surgeries so that he could get the real satisfaction he craved. Medication seekers are not always easy to identify. There is no procedure or Medical records that alert a doctor shopper..

miracles- This is a really interesting insight. I truly believe you may be right. How sad, though!