...the 48 year old native new yorker lived with her cat in a room off worcester common. she had been suffering terrible back pains over the summer and had been taken by ambulance to the university of massachusetts memorial medical center emergency room on four occasions.
each time she was discharged with some pain killers, but no answers.
the last time she went there she refused to be discharged and the hospital called the police to eject her from the er on the grounds that she was exhibiting drug seeking behavior. she was put in a cab and sent home. she called one of the few people she knew in the neighborhood. she said that she was in terrible pain and that she was scared and she didn't know what to do.
her neighbor called six primary care physicians before finding one who would accept medicare and could see her without waiting a year. this doctor found that cindy chapman had end stage cancer of the lungs, liver and spine. two weeks later she was dead...
