UAE-based filmmaker's wife dies in coma at hospital in Dubai

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UAE-based filmmakers wife dies in coma at hospital in Dubai

Dubai - The hospital bills have shot up to over Dh170,000.

By Saman Haziq

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Published: Mon 15 Jul 2019, 8:49 PM

Dubai resident Jody Ann Rodriguez who lapsed into coma on June 29 following an asthma attack, died on Sunday afternoon in the hospital here where she was admitted.

Wife of celebrated UAE-based filmmaker and conservationist Jonathan Ali Khan, Rodriguez, 56, who was chronic asthma patient, had a second cardiac arrest while she was still incubated and on ventilator on Sunday, according to the doctors at the hospital. She suffered her first cardiac arrest after she was brought to the hospital on June 29 and was revived after administering a CPR.  

Speaking to Khaleej Times over the phone, a doctor present on site said: "While still on ventilator, her vitals all of a sudden dropped and she had another episode of cardiac arrest, following which a code blue was declared and CPR was initiated for a good 40-45 minutes, however this time her heart function could not be restored. She was declared dead at around 2pm ."

Her husband was immediately informed and he arrived at the hospital soon after.
"He broke down but later contained himself and thanked the hospital staff for their support," the doctor said.

Rodriguez - a mother of four - was on life support and was in grade three coma state as per the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), when the second cardiac arrest occurred.

On June 29, Rodriguez had experienced breathing difficulties and then seizures after an asthma attack. Her inhaler and nebulizer didn't seem to help her and by the time the ambulance arrived she was having convulsions.

Her condition was stabilised in the emergency room but due to 45 minute delay of oxygen supply to her brain, doctors said she suffered brain damage, loss of consciousness and later cardiac arrest.

Both Khan and Rodriguez did not have health insurance as they were in the process of a visa change. The hospital bills have shot up to over Dh170,000, and Khan's sister had launched a fund-raiser in the UK to help in footing the bill.

Khan,58, had previously planned to fly his wife to a special neurological hospital in Italy, where he was hoping she had a better shot at surviving.
saman@khaleejtimes.com


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