Actress dies at 30... twice misdiagnosed

Jorath Calar · 03-13-2005, 08:26 AM

Link

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Nicole DeHuff of 'Meet the Parents,' other films, dead at 30

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Actress Nicole DeHuff, who memorably took a volleyball in the face from Ben Stiller in the 2000 hit "Meet the Parents," has died of complications from pneumonia. She was 30.

DeHuff, who died Feb. 16, had twice visited a hospital shortly before her death but was sent home both times, a family friend said Friday. Her family did not intend to pursue any legal action related to DeHuff's care.

The actress also appeared in the films "Suspect Zero" and "See Arnold Run" and had a starring role in the recently completed movie "Unbeatable Harold," which was directed by her husband, Ari Palitz.

"Though the passing of my wife has many of the signs of a tragedy, her life was one of beauty and grace, a sense of wonder carried her through all of her days. The love of her family and friends was always in her heart, and is now part of her soul forever," her husband said in a statement.

"Meet the Parents" was DeHuff's first film. A bumbling Stiller, who is dating her sister, accidentally breaks her nose during a volleyball game on the eve of her wedding. The action is one of many that estrange Stiller from DeHuff's menacing father, played by Robert De Niro.

She had a regular role in the 2002 TV series "The Court" and appeared on such other shows as "CSI: Miami," "Without a Trace," "Dragnet," "The Practice" and "Monk."

The Oklahoma native earned a bachelor's degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh before moving to Los Angeles.

Survivors include her husband and her parents, Michael and Patsie DeHuff of Shawnee, Okla. A scholarship fund has been established to help aspiring actors from the South and Midwest attend Carnegie Mellon University's Acting Conservatory.
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Thats just very sad to me, someone so young, talented (not to mention beautyful) dying in their prime of live because of someones incompetence.
The terrifying thing is that this probably happens many times a month but doesn't make the news because the people aren't (sort of) famous.

[ 03-13-2005, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: Jorath Calar ]

Larry_OHF · 03-13-2005, 11:03 AM

There are some people in the world (I have never met one, nor probably am not one myself) who would not sue the doctors for monetary compensation against malpractice. The life lost cannot be mended with money. Her husband is a strong man.

You are right. Many people go through this same thing every day, but do not make the news unless they can catch the media's attention.

Chewbacca · 03-13-2005, 12:38 PM

Just a few weeks ago my 27 yr old sister was misdiagnosed. She was having massive headaches and nasea. The first doctor she went to told her she had a sinus infection and gave her nose spray.

She went to a second doctor afew days later who ordered a battery of scans which revealed a brain anuresym!

She had emergency brain surgery and the anerysm burst on the operating table. Thankfully she is now at home recovering, but I shudder at the thought of her taking the first doctor's advice and leaving it considering the mortality rate of undetected brain aneurysms. If it had burst anywhere but in surgery her chances were at best 50/50.

Her story didn't make the news, but of course she survived and is on the road to a full recovery.

Larry_OHF · 03-13-2005, 01:29 PM

Wow Chewie! Thanks for proving the need for a second opinion on medical advice! What a close call that was!

I understand the dangers of those anuresyms. My cousin is parapalegic and uses an infrared beam to communicate to us by a computer, since his head is the only thing he can move. I am glad to hear that your sister is saved from that hell of a life.

Wish her well from us here at IW.

Chewbacca · 03-13-2005, 10:16 PM

Thanks for the well wishes Larry. It was one of the scariest events myself and my family have ever expirienced!

I flew down to Bama as soon as I found out and spent the week sleeping in the UAB Hospital's neurological ICU waiting room with her husband and our two brothers.

Of course my stupid, cheap, and greedy job won't pay me for the time missed. That requires death.

No way was I gonna linger around 1,200 miles away during such a crisis! I made it just in time to see her briefly before the surgery and stayed until the critical "danger zone" had passed.

That NICU is like one of the saddest places you will find anywhere. I feel very fortunate that our story was one of those with a happy ending when we witnessed quite a few end in tragedy there.

I am now a firm believer in second opinions like never before. Not all doctors will assume and try to rule out the worst it seems but some do.

When my wife had some chest pains a while back, her doctor ordered her into the hospital just to rule out the worst case scenarios. It turned out to be nothing major, but I am thankful we endured a day in the ER and the co-pay, rather than have something suddenly go fatally wrong with her heart.

krunchyfrogg · 03-13-2005, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jorath Calar:

Thats just very sad to me, someone so young, talented (not to mention beautyful) dying in their prime of live because of someones incompetence.
The terrifying thing is that this probably happens many times a month but doesn't make the news because the people aren't (sort of) famous.

There's a huge difference between a misdiagnosis, and incompetence.

Chewbacca: I'm glad to hear she's doing alright.

Jorath Calar · 03-14-2005, 08:04 PM

How so? I thought incompetence had something to do with not being able to do you job you have trained for and are getting paid for, properly. And if a person comes twice to the hospital and is sent home without treat ment... that does look to me like someone is not doing their job... at least not properly...

But thats just my opinion, I could be wrong...

By the way Chewie your story is incredible... I hope she recovers fully and wish her all the best.

krunchyfrogg · 03-14-2005, 08:54 PM

How so? As a worker in the medical field, I can tell you that a whole lot of it is educated guesses. Very educated they may be, but no one is perfect.

wellard · 03-15-2005, 03:48 AM

Chewbacca ...

My best wishes mate, to you and your sister. I hope that a full recovery is well under way.

Medical incompetence is more widespread than people would like to think. From doctors who prescribe me antibiotics for common colds to an anesthetist who misread notes for my wife’s operation (20 weeks pregnant) and thought she was having both ovaries removed just before they wheeled her into the prep room! She understandably panicked and refused to have the operation till the head surgeon who was to run the (cyst removal) operation talked to her and reassured her into what exactly was going to happen, that no one else would misread the notes, no ovaries would be removed and a replacement anesthetist was found.

Link · 03-15-2005, 05:24 AM

So young, so talented? Please don't lift her too much above the crowd, will you? Everybody has talent.

Don't take me wrong -- of course it's a shame this happened, I blame the doctors for it as well.

03-13-2005, 11:03 AM	#2
Larry_OHF Ironworks Moderator Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Midlands, South Carolina Age: 48 Posts: 14,759	There are some people in the world (I have never met one, nor probably am not one myself) who would not sue the doctors for monetary compensation against malpractice. The life lost cannot be mended with money. Her husband is a strong man. You are right. Many people go through this same thing every day, but do not make the news unless they can catch the media's attention. __________________

03-13-2005, 12:38 PM	#3
Chewbacca Zartan Join Date: July 18, 2001 Location: America, On The Beautiful Earth Age: 50 Posts: 5,373	Just a few weeks ago my 27 yr old sister was misdiagnosed. She was having massive headaches and nasea. The first doctor she went to told her she had a sinus infection and gave her nose spray. She went to a second doctor afew days later who ordered a battery of scans which revealed a brain anuresym! She had emergency brain surgery and the anerysm burst on the operating table. Thankfully she is now at home recovering, but I shudder at the thought of her taking the first doctor's advice and leaving it considering the mortality rate of undetected brain aneurysms. If it had burst anywhere but in surgery her chances were at best 50/50. Her story didn't make the news, but of course she survived and is on the road to a full recovery. __________________ Support Local Music and Record Stores! Got Liberty?

03-13-2005, 01:29 PM	#4
Larry_OHF Ironworks Moderator Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Midlands, South Carolina Age: 48 Posts: 14,759	Wow Chewie! Thanks for proving the need for a second opinion on medical advice! What a close call that was! I understand the dangers of those anuresyms. My cousin is parapalegic and uses an infrared beam to communicate to us by a computer, since his head is the only thing he can move. I am glad to hear that your sister is saved from that hell of a life. Wish her well from us here at IW. __________________

03-13-2005, 10:16 PM	#5
Chewbacca Zartan Join Date: July 18, 2001 Location: America, On The Beautiful Earth Age: 50 Posts: 5,373	Thanks for the well wishes Larry. It was one of the scariest events myself and my family have ever expirienced! I flew down to Bama as soon as I found out and spent the week sleeping in the UAB Hospital's neurological ICU waiting room with her husband and our two brothers. Of course my stupid, cheap, and greedy job won't pay me for the time missed. That requires death. No way was I gonna linger around 1,200 miles away during such a crisis! I made it just in time to see her briefly before the surgery and stayed until the critical "danger zone" had passed. That NICU is like one of the saddest places you will find anywhere. I feel very fortunate that our story was one of those with a happy ending when we witnessed quite a few end in tragedy there. I am now a firm believer in second opinions like never before. Not all doctors will assume and try to rule out the worst it seems but some do. When my wife had some chest pains a while back, her doctor ordered her into the hospital just to rule out the worst case scenarios. It turned out to be nothing major, but I am thankful we endured a day in the ER and the co-pay, rather than have something suddenly go fatally wrong with her heart. __________________ Support Local Music and Record Stores! Got Liberty?

03-14-2005, 08:54 PM	#8
krunchyfrogg Red Dragon Join Date: February 14, 2004 Location: NY, USA Age: 48 Posts: 1,516	How so? As a worker in the medical field, I can tell you that a whole lot of it is educated guesses. Very educated they may be, but no one is perfect. __________________ <i>A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives.</i><br />- Jackie Robinson<br /><br /> [img]\"http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/3353/salsashark7xl.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

03-13-2005, 08:26 AM	#1
Jorath Calar Harper Join Date: October 6, 2001 Location: Iceland Posts: 4,706	Link ------------------- Nicole DeHuff of 'Meet the Parents,' other films, dead at 30 Associated Press LOS ANGELES - Actress Nicole DeHuff, who memorably took a volleyball in the face from Ben Stiller in the 2000 hit "Meet the Parents," has died of complications from pneumonia. She was 30. DeHuff, who died Feb. 16, had twice visited a hospital shortly before her death but was sent home both times, a family friend said Friday. Her family did not intend to pursue any legal action related to DeHuff's care. The actress also appeared in the films "Suspect Zero" and "See Arnold Run" and had a starring role in the recently completed movie "Unbeatable Harold," which was directed by her husband, Ari Palitz. "Though the passing of my wife has many of the signs of a tragedy, her life was one of beauty and grace, a sense of wonder carried her through all of her days. The love of her family and friends was always in her heart, and is now part of her soul forever," her husband said in a statement. "Meet the Parents" was DeHuff's first film. A bumbling Stiller, who is dating her sister, accidentally breaks her nose during a volleyball game on the eve of her wedding. The action is one of many that estrange Stiller from DeHuff's menacing father, played by Robert De Niro. She had a regular role in the 2002 TV series "The Court" and appeared on such other shows as "CSI: Miami," "Without a Trace," "Dragnet," "The Practice" and "Monk." The Oklahoma native earned a bachelor's degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh before moving to Los Angeles. Survivors include her husband and her parents, Michael and Patsie DeHuff of Shawnee, Okla. A scholarship fund has been established to help aspiring actors from the South and Midwest attend Carnegie Mellon University's Acting Conservatory. -------------------- Thats just very sad to me, someone so young, talented (not to mention beautyful) dying in their prime of live because of someones incompetence. The terrifying thing is that this probably happens many times a month but doesn't make the news because the people aren't (sort of) famous. [ 03-13-2005, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: Jorath Calar ]

03-14-2005, 08:04 PM	#7
Jorath Calar Harper Join Date: October 6, 2001 Location: Iceland Posts: 4,706	How so? I thought incompetence had something to do with not being able to do you job you have trained for and are getting paid for, properly. And if a person comes twice to the hospital and is sent home without treat ment... that does look to me like someone is not doing their job... at least not properly... But thats just my opinion, I could be wrong... By the way Chewie your story is incredible... I hope she recovers fully and wish her all the best.

03-15-2005, 03:48 AM	#9
wellard Dracolisk Join Date: November 1, 2002 Location: Australia ..... G\'day! Posts: 6,123	Chewbacca ... My best wishes mate, to you and your sister. I hope that a full recovery is well under way. Medical incompetence is more widespread than people would like to think. From doctors who prescribe me antibiotics for common colds to an anesthetist who misread notes for my wife’s operation (20 weeks pregnant) and thought she was having both ovaries removed just before they wheeled her into the prep room! She understandably panicked and refused to have the operation till the head surgeon who was to run the (cyst removal) operation talked to her and reassured her into what exactly was going to happen, that no one else would misread the notes, no ovaries would be removed and a replacement anesthetist was found. __________________ fossils - natures way of laughing at creationists for over 3 billion years

03-15-2005, 05:24 AM	#10
Link Jack Burton Join Date: May 15, 2001 Location: The Netherlands Age: 39 Posts: 5,888	So young, so talented? Please don't lift her too much above the crowd, will you? Everybody has talent. Don't take me wrong -- of course it's a shame this happened, I blame the doctors for it as well. __________________ Rowing is not a sport, it's a way of life Goal: Beijing 2008

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