Canadian authorities are investigating a Quebec hospital’s treatment of a quadriplegic man whose health deteriorated after what his wife called a “horrible” hospital stay
Normand Meunier visited the emergency room for a respiratory virus and allegedly spent four days on a stretcher, developing a severe bedsore that got infected
Due to the “horrible” stay, he opted for medical aid in dying rather than returning to the hospital when the injury progressed
A quadriplegic man chose to legally end his life following a “horrible” emergency room stay that left him with a severe bedsore. Now, Canadian authorities are investigating his death.
Normand Meunier, from Quebec, was working as a truck driver before a spinal cord injury in 2022 left his arms and legs paralyzed. In January 2024, the 66-year-old was admitted to the emergency room at Saint-Jérôme Hospital due to a respiratory virus. During that time, his wife Sylvie Brosseau says she requested that, as a quadriplegic, he receive a specialized mattress that shifts pressure points to prevent bedsores.
However, she told CBC News that Meunier remained stuck on a stretcher for four days. He ultimately developed a painful sore so severe that the bone and muscle became exposed. The couple were told the sore — a gaping hole a few centimeters in diameter — would take several months to heal.
“It was horrible. He had no buttocks. There was nothing left,” Brosseau said. “Each time, we had to ask for the special mattress, which never arrived. It was a constant battle.”
“Ninety-five hours on a stretcher, unacceptable,” she told Radio-Canada. “Every time we go to the hospital, it’s my duty to tell them that Normand is quadriplegic and needs an alternating pressure mattress … I don’t understand how this can happen, because a mattress is the most basic thing.”
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CISSS des Laurentides, the local health authority that owns Saint-Jérôme Hospital, said in a statement to CBC at the time of Meunier’s death that it was taking his case “very seriously” and an “internal investigation is underway to shed light on the events.”
Due to the severity of the bedsore, Meunier had to undergo two debridements, which is “the removal of devitalized tissue,” according to the National Institute of Health.
Brosseau told CBC that with a long and painful recovery ahead, her husband ultimately decided to choose medical aid in dying (MAID) rather than returning to the hospital. Meunier had the option available to him under Canada’s MAID legislation, which went into effect in June 2016. The law allows patients with terminal illnesses to end their lives with lethal medication either taken themselves or administered by a physician or nurse.
“His last two weeks…it was horror,” Brosseau recalled, telling the outlet that she felt the system was “totally negligent” when it came to his care.
The day before his death, Meunier told Radio-Canada that he preferred putting an end to his physical and psychological suffering. “I don’t want to be a burden,” he said. “At any rate, the medical opinions say I won’t be a burden for long; as the old folks say, it’s better to kick the can.”
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CBC News/YouTube
Normand Meunier and his wife Sylvie Brosseau before his death
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Meunier died on March 29, 2024.
The health authority told the CBC at the time that it had 145 therapeutic mattresses with alternating pressure, but none in emergency rooms.
“An emergency room is not an appropriate place for this type of mattress, because beds aren’t used in an emergency room, they’re stretchers [and] there isn’t really a mattress adapted [to be put on] a stretcher,” said Steve Desjardins, director of nursing at CISSS des Laurentides.
“An emergency room is a riskier place for a fragile person. That’s why, if necessary, we’re going to work actively to give them access to a bed in an inpatient unit.”
Now, a public inquiry has been launched by Canadian authorities to investigate Meunier’s treatment at the hospital.
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While gathered at the Montreal courthouse on May 5, coroner Dave Kimpton — who is presiding over the inquiry — explained that he will hear from nurses, doctors, advocates and Brosseau. Kimpton noted that the goal is not to place blame but to make recommendations to avoid similar situations in the future.
Steven Laperrière, director general of RAPLIQ — an advocacy group that supports people with disabilities — told reporters that Meunier’s case is a “crying shame.”
“What are we doing in order to help disabled persons or sick people to live in dignity prior to dying in dignity? To me, that’s totally a lack of professionalism,” he said, adding that Meunier “would probably still be alive today” if his case were handled differently.
Staff and officials from Saint-Jérôme Hospital are expected to testify as the public hearing continues this week. The public inquiry will conclude June 6.
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