Lisa Haley of Lignite has been involved in a medical
examiners board decision about a Minot obstetrician, Margaret Nordell for the past few
months.
State board suspended Nordell’s license March 24 stating there was a “continued
pattern of inappropriate care” and a case in which a patient nearly died. Haley was
unaware she was that patient until she read an article in the March 25 issue of the Minot
Daily News. The article led her to believe she was the patient in question.
Haley called a spokesperson from Trinity
to inquire about what was going on. “I asked if the person in the article was me,
which was later confirmed.”
She feels Dr. Nordell should not be going through these allegations.
“I had no idea what was going on,” said Haley. “When I read the article it
sounded just like I was the one suing her.”
“I was really upset when I read that, because it said in the daily news article she
(Nordell) didn’t warn me or talk to me about ectopic pregnancy” (a pregnancy
that occurs outside the uterine cavity and can be fatal if untreated), but Haley said she
did inform her and gave her pamphlets and information about ectopic pregnancy.
Haley suffered a miscarriage December 12. She phoned Nordell who informed her to come to
the hospital the next day for an ultra sound. Haley had experienced miscarriages in the
past and being only one month pregnant, felt fairly confident on what to expect. She came
from a family who has had several miscarriages. Her mother miscarried as well as her
sister.
On December 13, Haley went for an ultra sound and a doctor performing the ultra sound saw
there had been a pregnancy. Nothing else showed up at this time.
Nordell visited with Haley that day and told her to go home and enjoy her Christmas and
come back after the holiday for a second ultra sound and a checkup. Haley failed to follow
her instructions as she felt she was fine.
On January 9, Haley began to experience bad cramping. Husband, Jeremy Gandrud, took Lisa
to the hospital. By the time she arrived, she had no blood pressure and was in shock.
Doctors performed emergency surgery to stop internal bleeding and removed a fallopian
tube. At this time it was discovered there was an ectopic pregnancy and Haley had been
carrying twins. The chances of this type of ectopic pregnancy are one in 30,000. But still
Haley had not thought whatsoever of accusing Dr. Nordell of any wrong doing.
In 1996 when Haley came back to live in the Bowbells and Lignite area from Los Angeles,
she was five months pregnant with her first child. Up until then, she had only received
minimal prenatal care.
She phoned several doctors in Minot to ask for assistance with the remainder of her
pregnancy, but had no success. All doctors except Nordell told Haley she was too far along
for them to take over prenatal care.
Nordell accepted Haley’s condition, performing an ultra sound and blood work to make
sure Haley and baby were healthy. “She was really great with me and Colton,”
said Haley.
Haley was disturbed when she read in the article stating Nordell didn’t appropriately
demonstrate the use and knowledge of forceps. Haley claims this is untrue as her first
born son, Colton was a forceps baby.
“I am in full support of Dr. Nordell,” commented Haley. “I truly hope this
whole mess gets cleared up and she will be able to continue to practice medicine in Minot.
She is my obstetrician and I respect her medical opinions.”
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