A California woman says her anesthesia nurse stalked her with a series of phone calls and texts after her surgery last month, but the CRNA, who says he lost his job as a result of the allegations, has a very different story.

Darcy White tells Channel 23 KERO that she had reconstructive shoulder surgery at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield on Thursday, Feb. 12, and that the "next thing" she remembers "is waking up Monday morning and reading through a series of text messages" from the CRNA. The texts, she says, included references to her appearance and clothing size.

One text, shown on the news report, reads: "Just checking in on you to se [sic] how you were feeling? Hope not too much pain? How's Bubba [Ms. White's dog] doing? Get some rest. Victor." Another reads, "Wow! What's the reason for the silence and cold shoulder? Oops guess you just had a shoulder surgery. V." Immediately following is another text, apparently from the CRNA: "Pretty women are a big hassle."

But the CRNA in question, Victor Onuaguluchi, tells Outpatient Surgery Magazine that it was Ms. White who initiated the inappropriate discourse. "She asked me if I was married, and I said yes," he says. "She said I was a good-looking man and asked if I wanted to date. I said pretty girls are nothing but problems and hassles."

Mr. Onuaguluchi also says that Ms. White gave him her phone number and asked him to check up on her after her surgery. "She said she had a history of seizures and that there were no family members around," he says. "I asked her (via text), 'How's the pain, how are you doing?' She responded back and we went back and forth for 3 or 4 days." He says Ms. White eventually went to the TV station because he continued to spurn her advances.

Mr. Onuaguluchi, who had been employed by Premier Anesthesia Medical Group, says he plans to sue both Ms. White and the TV station for defamation and slander, saying that the full record of text messages will exonerate him. "There's no patient I would ever ask out," he insists. "With no patient would I ever make advances."

Outpatient Surgery Magazine could not reach Ms. White for further comment.

"We are aware of the allegations and there is currently an ongoing investigation," says the hospital in a statement. "Because the nurse is not an employee of Mercy Hospitals, we are prohibited from making any further comments in this personnel matter."

Premier Anesthesia Medical Group did not respond to a request for comment.

Jim Burger