Our son’s head injury would have left him a vegetable – Parents

Despite talk that the staff at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) did not do enough to save the life of Jim ‘Showself’ Thomas, his parents say that is not the case, as the 32-year-old experienced an extremely severe head injury and in their opinion, nothing could have been done to save his life.{{more}}

Jim Kenrick Roger Thomas, also known as ‘Screechie,’ fell from the veranda of his rented apartment at Lowmans Leeward sometime after 2 a.m. on Friday, October 16.

Reports are that Thomas, who was well known and loved in social circles, fell head first and was discovered after 5 a.m. by his landlord, hours after he fell.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT on Monday, Jim’s mother, Maria, said that when her son was found, he was bleeding from the back of his head and he was rushed to the MCMH, where his wound was cleaned and he was admitted to the hospital.

“I went to the emergency room and he was there; he was speaking and recognized me, but he start getting weak on Monday (October 19) and he was not eating, so they put in an IV,” said Maria.

The bereaved mother said that Jim seemed to be doing well, as he read a biblical track on Sunday, October 18 and when she told him she loved him he replied that he loved her too.

“He told me and his father that he loved us, he recognized everybody and I thought he would survive, because they took an x-ray and told us that the neurosurgeon would come from Trinidad to look at him,” said Maria.

The doctor that specializes in these type of injuries came from Trinidad on Friday, October 23 and according to Maria, after he examined Jim, he reported to them that the injury was extremely serious and there was nothing he could do about it. She said that before the doctor came, Jim had to be strapped to the bed, as at one point he had become hysterical and was pulling out the intravenous lines.

“He said it had gone too far and the brain was shattered and they can’t do anything. Jim was also having seizures and he went into the ICU when the doctor come,” said Maria.

She revealed that he was taken off life support on Saturday, October 24, around 10 a.m.

“I gave consent to take him off and he died at 11.07, about one hour after he came off,” said Maria, who added that her son’s brain was dissected by the fall and if he had lived, he would have been a ‘vegetable’.

“I really felt it. It was hard to see him come off, but we were prepared; but it was hard to accept it,” stressed Maria, who described her son as a genuine and loving person, who, like everyone else, had his ups and downs.

“There is so much nice things about Jim. He had a few difficulties, but he know how to get back on your good side. Everybody who know Jim feel it. I met two children who said that Jim used to give them money for lunch almost every day, they were crying.”

Jim, who had one son, was employed as a driver at the American University of St Vincent.

To those saying that the MCMH staff did not do all in their power to save Jim, his mother offered, “I don’t think anything could have been done. He fell from a great height.” She said that neighbours saw Jim eating while sitting on the veranda wall around 2 a.m.

Jim’s father, Gerald ‘Speedy’ Thomas, said that he is very sad that his youngest son has died, but he has come to accept it.

“I feel very sad, but the Lord took him home to rest and God knows best. May he rest in peace. Nothing could have been done; the doctors tried their best,” said Gerald from his home in Edinboro on Wednesday.

Jim, who was born on September 15, 1983 in Edinboro, will be laid to rest this Saturday, after a 2 p.m. church service at the Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption at North River Road.(LC)