Unexpected Loss: Mother of Three Passes Away After Hours in Emergency Room Waiting Area
Photo: Elwin Paucek / X
On a chilly November evening in 2022, Cheyenna Costello felt intense stomach pains that prompted her to seek immediate medical attention at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett in Washington. The packed emergency room forced her into a wheelchair as seats were filled. Hours ticked by and after four agonizing hours, Cheyenna began seizing and tragically lost her life. Heartbreakingly, her condition was potentially treatable.
Earlier that evening, according to The News Tribune, Cheyenna had been suffering from stomach discomfort, nausea, and diarrhea. She was promptly rushed by ambulance to the ER at 7:19 p.m. Upon her arrival, medical staff assessed her condition as urgent, yet critical. “She was severely ill and at a significant risk,” a doctor noted, emphasizing the need for immediate care.
Even though a comprehensive metabolic test was ordered, it was executed five hours after her arrival. Tragically, by that time, Cheyenna had already passed.
Cheyenna’s condition, as identified by the coroner, was “acute and chronic pancreatitis with pseudocyst”, leading to an unstable heart rhythm. The filed lawsuit points out that with timely care, her life might have been spared.
The devastation of losing the 41-year-old mother of three has spurred her family to take legal action against the medical center, highlighting the severity of her “readily treatable condition.”
Offering their condolences, the medical center remarked, “We’re profoundly affected by this tragic event, and our hearts are with the bereaved family.”
Sean Costello, Cheyenna’s grief-stricken husband, is represented by Attorney Marlena Grundy in the lawsuit. She shares their intention: “Our aim is to ensure no other family endures such pain at Providence Everett.” The lawsuit stresses the medical center’s alleged negligence and is claiming both general and special damages.
To alleviate the financial strain of this tragedy, a GoFundMe was set up by Tricia Nelson, Cheyenna’s mother. “The unexpected loss has left a void in our souls and has financially burdened the family,” she mentioned on the fundraiser page, emphasizing the dire need for funds to manage household expenses. The community’s support has been heartening, with contributions nearing $9,000 thus far.”
