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TB patient: I have proof; said I posed no risk
Topic Started: Jun 1 2007, 09:18 PM (374 Views)
BlueMolly2009
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From CNN

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DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- An Atlanta lawyer infected with a rare, often fatal form of tuberculosis said he has a recording made before he flew to Europe that shows health officials told him he was not a risk to others.

In an interview broadcast Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Andrew Speaker, 31, said his father asked health officials whether Speaker was a risk to anyone, and health officials said he was not. "My dad taped it," he said.

Fulton County, Georgia, health officials have said they told Speaker before his trip not to fly.

Asked about the tape, Steve Katkowsky of the Fulton County Health Department told CNN, "If such a recording was made it was without the consent and without the knowledge of Fulton County Health Department officials."

Speaker said that once he was in Italy, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta informed him that his case was more serious than they had realized.

He had been diagnosed with multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis. But, he was told, final test results found he had an even more rare, extensively drug-resistant form, known as XDR-TB.

Officials told him not to take commercial aircraft home, he said on "Good Morning America."

"I said, 'What changed?' " Speaker related. " 'When I left I was told I wasn't a threat to anyone. When I left I was told I wasn't contagious, what changed? Why are you abandoning me like this and expecting me to turn myself over for an indefinite time? What has changed?' And they did not have an answer for that."

The CDC is tracking down airline passengers who may have come into contact with Speaker.

The agency has identified about 80 air passengers on two of Speaker's trans-Atlantic flights they believe are most at risk for exposure.

Speaker said he had been told before the beginning of his trip -- which included his wedding -- that in order to fight his illness, "I had one shot, and that was going to be in Denver," at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, which specializes in treating drug-resistant forms of TB. If he was somewhere else and was not given the exact right mixture of drugs, he said, "That was it, they blew my last shot."

Speaker said officials wanted him to check into a treatment center in Rome indefinitely. But he feared that if he did, he might not make it to Denver. "It is a very real threat that I could have died" in Italy, he said.

He flew from Prague to Montreal, apparently in order to sidestep a no-fly order that could have stopped or delayed his return to North America. Once in Canada, Speaker and his wife drove across the border to New York, where he was treated at a hospital before being flown aboard a CDC jet to Atlanta. He was moved to Denver Thursday.

Apologizing to all those now fearing for their own health after having been on airplanes with him, Speaker said, "I just hope they understand that truly in our minds we were told that we were not a threat to the people around us, and we wanted to get home."

"I am very sorry for your fear, and putting you at risk. I don't expect those people to ever forgive me," he said tearfully.

Speaker "still does not appear to be highly infectious," and there is "no indication that his infectiousness has changed in the past few months," CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding said Friday.

Asked about remarks by health officials that they had been looking at another option to get him back to the United States from Italy, Speaker responded, "That is a complete lie."

Hiring a private jet would have cost $100,000, which he did not have, Speaker said.

Speaker's wife, Sarah Cooksey, told ABC she had pleaded for any kind of transportation, including a military vessel.

She said her father, who works at the CDC, had tried to help the couple get home.

"Oh he did, everybody did, our entire family, everybody was calling all day," she told ABC.

"I'm praying that nobody else tests positive," she added. That's something that I don't know that I could ever forgive myself for, if that happened."

The televised interview was the first for Speaker, a personal injury lawyer, since word of his diagnosis sparked international concern. Both he and ABC's Diane Sawyer had their mouths covered by masks, but Cooksey sat beside him with no mask on.

Thinking back on his decision to return to the United States on commercial jets, Speaker said, "In hindsight, maybe it wasn't the best decision."


I don't know what to think about this. Part of me thinks he should be punished for knowingly going on a commercial plane, but if it IS true about the CDC telling him he's not contagious then I would go and find the treatment before it did get contagious. He did say he wanted to go to Denver and I think they should get rid of the armed guards now. I doubt he's going to flee now.
Should he be punished for doing this? I think what he has is punishment enough.
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Queenbee
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He was given permission to fly and then the Fulton County Health Department realized the TB was more serious than they previously realized. Mr. Speaker had permisson to fly initially, so it wasn't his fault.

PEACE and love to my friends, Judy

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Till me meet again ~ I Love you Mike! You were one of a kind.
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modgirl1964
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And now because of this, people have ANOTHER way of getting past officials. Being that this man was on a list of not to let back into the country on his own and to be quarrinted in federal care, but was not stopped. People can see that our boader patrol isn't going to do jackshit about that kind of thing and can get away with it. Thanks U.S Boarder Patrol and thanks the American journalists for publishing such vital info.
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BlueMolly2009
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From what I heard the border guard that let Speaker go through was fired. I think the border patrol needs to get their asses in gear. (Sorry, but that's how I feel.)
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beatlechick
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modgirl1964
Jun 1 2007, 02:31 PM
And now because of this, people have ANOTHER way of getting past officials. Being that this man was on a list of not to let back into the country on his own and to be quarrinted in federal care, but was not stopped. People can see that our boader patrol isn't going to do jackshit about that kind of thing and can get away with it. Thanks U.S Boarder Patrol and thanks the American journalists for publishing such vital info.

Molly, that is a bit harsh. Yes he should have been stopped, it stated on the border patrol's system but we, the public, have the right to know what is going on. Would you have rather them not have a said a thing? I wouldn't. I want to know. The more we find out things, the better off we will be. If we don't find out, and keep our head in the sand, how will we know what to change?

He left for Greece, where he and his new wife honeymooned, because his new father-in-law said (and still maintains) that he was not contagious. His new father-in-law is a scientist working on tuberculosis at the CDC. It was the CDC that put out the warning.

What I heard last night about the agent who allowed him through, was that he was put on administrative duty.
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BlueMolly2009
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*scratches head*

Cathy, I think maybe you meant Bridget instead of me, unless Bridget's real name is Molly. :duh: :giggle:

EDIT: Oops, now I see what you talking about, Cathy. And I think if everyone paid attention to the no fly list he wouldn't have came back here. Also, I think the CDC should have done something immediately to get him to Colorado instead of what Speaker said about them sending him to Italy where he was afraid he would have died.
Something does not make sense. He's saying one thing and the CDC is saying something else. I really don't know who and what to believe.
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beatlechick
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D'oh, sorry Molly you are right about my quote back. It was to Bridget. :blush: The rest was for you as well, though.

So Bridget.............................................................
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maccascruff
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I don't think the whole truth has come out. I think he did a terrible thing to his fellow passengers both going to Rome and sneaking around and flying from Prague to Montreal. The border patrol person should never be allowed to be on duty again. He didn't look sick, so I let him though. It wasn't up to him. The orders said to stop him when he swiped his passport.

If I had been on that plane, I'd be going after Speaker for all my medical expenses. He would no doubt give the same advice if the shoe was on the other foot. He's a personal injury attorney.
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jayjay
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Has there been any mention of how he got infected? I would be more concerned about that than him!
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BlueMolly2009
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i don't think we should put all the blame on Speaker. It sounded like he was told something and now the CDC is saying something else. There's blame to go around.
I guess Speaker has read some of things being said about him online and some people are wishing he'd die. Now that's going a bit far don't you think?
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jayjay
Jun 1 2007, 07:04 PM
Has there been any mention of how he got infected? I would be more concerned about that than him!

Same here. Where did the infection come from? They say tb is coming mainly from Latin America and Asia but heard on local news that the chance of getting infected is quite low.

Yes, Molly wishing him dead is going a lot to far.
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BlueMolly2009
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I also heard Vietnam or somewhere in Latin America.
Now they are saying Speaker and his wife aren't really married because they didn't have the right papers.
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Sandra

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"I said, 'What changed?' " Speaker related. " 'When I left I was told I wasn't a threat to anyone. When I left I was told I wasn't contagious, what changed? Why are you abandoning me like this and expecting me to turn myself over for an indefinite time? What has changed?' And they did not have an answer for that."


Quote:
 
Speaker "still does not appear to be highly infectious," and there is "no indication that his infectiousness has changed in the past few months," CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding said Friday.


The CDC seems to be responsible for a lot of panic. They really should be answering the what changed question.
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What's interesting is that his wife who he traveled with is not sick at all. makes me go hmm.
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BlueMolly2009
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Jun 2 2007, 09:35 AM
What's interesting is that his wife who he traveled with is not sick at all. makes me go hmm.

Well, they (the doctors) have said that his wife and others probably won't get it, because even though it's contagious it is hard to spread. (yeah I know that doesn't make sense) They caught it in the early stages and Speaker is healthy, so they think he'll be fine. The hospital in Denver has worked with this strain of TB before and I've heard they are very good at it.
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maccascruff
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According to the local tv stations here in Denver, National Jewish Hospital has very little experience with this particular strain of TB. They seem to think they will be doing some kind of surgery to try to remove it.

National Jewish is an excellent hospital for anything related to lungs, etc. They are probably the best in the country for this.
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