Nancy Lim

On the morning of January 23, 1993, Nancy Lim died in Summit Hospital in Oakland, California. She died from misdiagnosed complications of two surgeries that were necessary because of an accidentally nicked bowel during a cesarean for her first baby.

Nancy was a 41-year-old Yale-trained nurse practitioner who worked at Summit Hospital. Admitted but left untreated overnight, she was found near death the next morning by a hospital phlebotomist, who called attention to her condition. A code was called, but it was too late to save her life.

According to family members, the doctor and hospital staff involved in her death falsified the medical records and lied under oath about what happened. After 18 months, the hospital phlebotomist voluntarily came forward and testified about what she had seen the morning Nancy died.

After two years, Nancy's family settled with the hospital. It took another three years to settle with the last doctor and complete the complaint to the state medical board.

Nancy Lim is survived by her husband, Michael Barnes, and her son, Max Chen.

This quilt block was created by Ina May Gaskin.