Dying for a Glass of Water ; When Paul Went Into Hospital for Tests, Staff Failed to Check One Thing: That He Drank Enough. It Triggered a Catastrophic Collapse That Ended in Death. So How Many Other Patients Are at Risk From Dehydration?Good Health

Summary

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IT IS such a simple thing, yet if Amanda Steane's husband Paul had been given enough water to drink in hospital he would be alive today.

Instead, on three separate occasions he became so dehydrated that he suffered renal failure, leaving him severely crippled.

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Dying for a Glass of Water ; When Paul Went Into Hospital for Tests, Staff Failed to Check One Thing: That He Drank Enough. It Triggered a Catastrophic Collapse That Ended in Death. So How Many Other Patients Are at Risk From Dehydration?Good Health

Three years ago, robbed of his independence, Paul, 45, took a fatal overdose. His family has since been paid a six-figure sum in damages. Here Amanda, who has written a book about her experience, tells their distressing story to WENDY LEIGH.

THE constant itching was the first thing I noticed. Five days after he'd been admitted to hospital Paul started scratching himself all over. 'I can't understand why,' he told me, 'but my skin is really itchy.' He was sitting on the edge of his hospital bed talking when suddenly he fell towards me - he had literally nodded off as we spoke.

I managed to catch him and he suddenly jerked awake. Then before either of us had...

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