Missing Alzheimer's patient found safe

Candida Ramirez Melendez was last seen wearing a tan dress with floral print and black shoes.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police say a missing elderly woman has been found safe and sound.

Candida Ramirez Melendez, 73, was last seen leaving the Mambos Seafood Restaurant location off Hillcroft and Bellaire around noon yesterday. Police say she has Alzheimer's, dementia, is diabetic and isn't carrying any identification.

Houston police confirmed at noon today that Melendez has been found safe and sound.

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Jury awards patient $1.9M over botched surgery

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Harris County jury has awarded nearly $2 million to a woman whose life was changed forever when she went in for a hysterectomy. She says the surgeon she trusted wasn't the person who actually performed most of the surgery.

The woman says she met with her surgeon, who was employed by Kelsey Seybold, and she thought that he would perform her hysterectomy. It turned out not to be that way and she says it changed her life.

Lauren Williams is still recovering from a surgery that went terribly wrong.

"They damaged my urethra tube, my intestines and my rectum were all damaged," Williams said.

In 2008 she underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy at Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, never thinking she would end up in a three week medically induced coma, and near death. But it wasn't until she filed a lawsuit against Kelsey-Seybold Clinic and her ob-gyn, Dr. J. Patrick Benge, that she found out a resident performed more than 50 percent of that surgery.

Attorney Chelsie Garza explained, "The big thing to take away is signing a consent form is not signing a blank check. It doesn't allow the doctors to do whatever they want once you're under anesthesia."

Last Friday, a Harris County jury agreed with Williams, awarding her $1.9 million in medical expenses and lost wages.

In a statement, Kelsey-Seybold said, "Kelsey-Seybold's concern is always for our patients. Because the matter is ongoing, Kelsey-Seybold must respectfully refrain from commenting at this time."

"No matter who you think is going to do the surgery, you need to confirm with them verbally that they're going to do the surgery, and not anyone else," stressed attorney Randy Sorrels.

As for Williams, she's already undergone five major surgeries, with more in the future. But she want other patients to learn from her experience.

She said, "The life I once had I can never get back. I was young vibrant, full of life."

Williams has another surgery scheduled in March. She says she would like to get back to work, but she doesn't know when that may happen. Kelsey Seybold does have the option to appeal the verdict, but they haven't said if they will do so.

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Patient vanishes after walking out of hospital

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Bay City doctor vanished more than a week ago after checking himself into Memorial Hermann Hospital as a patient for a brain tumor. The family of Dr. James Rorig fears for his safety after his disappearance.

Nine days ago, Dr. Rorig walked out of the hospital wearing a red shirt and blue jeans, and he hasn't been seen since. His family and friends are worried sick. They fear he could be jeopardy because of a life threatening medical condition.

A Chicago native, Dr. Rorig launched his medical practice in Bay City eight years ago. Since he knew no one, through the years his colleagues, patients and friends became his family.

Office manager Melody Cadenas said, "He's a brilliant, genius doctor and has a lot of patients that love him."

Friends say over the past several months Dr. Rorig's personality began to change. Ten days ago, on January 6, he received some bad news. Doctors told him he had a brain tumor and on that same day, they arranged for LifeFlight to take him to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Medical Center for treatment.

"He was very clear he didn't want any treatment if it was something major that he didn't think he could recover from," said Terry Stewart, a friend of Rorig's.

Less than 24 hours later, on Saturday, January 7, at around 5pm Dr. Rorig walked out of the hospital without his cell phone, money or ID and simply vanished. His family filed a missing persons report with police. Friends believe he's not thinking clearly and may be in desperate need of medical attention.

"We don't care anymore if he does the treatment or not. His family just wants to take him home and take care of him," Cadenas said. "We just want him to come back."

Dr. Rorig also left the hospital without his seizure medicine.

The hospital issued the following statement:
"On Friday, January 6, James Rorig, M.D., was admitted to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. On Saturday, January 7, following an afternoon check, hospital personnel promptly recognized Dr. Rorig was no longer in his room.

A hospital video confirms he exited the hospital at approximately 4:15 p.m., nine minutes after he last had contact with a Memorial Hermann nurse.

Hospital personnel immediately notified family, physicians, hospital security, Texas Medical Center police and the Houston Police Department to alert them to Dr. Rorig's disappearance.

The health and safety of our patients are of upmost priority to Memorial Hermann. We will continue to work with HPD and the Rorig family upon request."
- Alex Rodriguez, Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center

Friends and colleagues have checked some of the local homeless shelters. They've already passed out dozens of flyers.

If you see Dr. Rorig, you're asked to call Houston police.

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