Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

CapeCodMermaid · Nov 04, 2009, 08:14 PM

Re: Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

Originally Posted by rn/writer

By itself, Wikipedia may or not be credible, but when used as a starting point to do further research, it can be a valuable resource.

Most of us have been responding to newspaper articles from the UK. While they may not contain the whole story (and what newspaper article does?), they offer sufficient information to at least begin a rational discussion.

Not sure what the YO YO references mean.

I believe the yo yo is in reference to what I wrote:"any yo yo can post something on Wikipedia"...didn't know people here were so enamored of that site.

*diane227* · Nov 05, 2009, 02:31 AM

Re: Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

We have all seen this kind of thing in the US before. There are multiple examples. Family members fighting over who gets to decide on when to withdraw care. I have see it up close and most of you have as well.

At some point a decision has to be made regarding the QUALITY of life. And that, I feel, is the main issue. I may be wrong and I know others won't agree with me, but if I am laying in bed with a trach and all I can do is open my eyes and I have to be fed by a feeding tube then I do not consider that quality of life. So someone give my a BIG dose of morphine and some pillow therapy and let me go. I do not want to live that way and I don't want to see any of my family live that way.

When my mother was dying of cancer, we could have done the feeding tube, IVF thing, but she had brain mets and nothing was going to change that. All she could do was lay in bed. That IS NOT quality of life.

tewdles · Nov 05, 2009, 06:33 AM

Re: Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

I agree that quality of life is a central issue to this thread. Apparently the mother and the father have different ideas about what that looks like for this child. I continue to believe that unless both parents agree there should be no withdrawal of life support, afterall, the child is not brain dead...he is disabled. Secondly, I believe that care of this child should be transitioned to either the family home or a long term facility. The child should not remain in the hospital for his chronic needs.

*elkpark* · Nov 05, 2009, 08:23 AM

Re: Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

Originally Posted by CapeCodMermaid

...didn't know people here were so enamored of that site.

Not all of us are ...

*jmgrn65* · Nov 05, 2009, 09:49 AM

Re: Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...fe-chance.html
I found this while doing some research into this case. I think it is worth reading.

a_wallace4 · Nov 05, 2009, 11:52 AM

Re: Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

Originally Posted by izeofblu1973

This is the great health care system? Why would a court be deciding (or doctors) to take baby off life support? A doctor would NEVER be able to decide in the U.S. even if they had no health insurance and couldnt pay the bill. If one parent wanted to keep the child on , they would be kept on. This is what happens when government runs things.
"this is the first time a court has gone against the wishes of a parent" Its a slippery slope! The flood gates are open!

Actually doctors have kicked people out of hospitals here in the US even if the patient wasn't even healed yet, if the said person didn't have insurance.

tewdles · Nov 05, 2009, 12:05 PM

Re: Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

Originally Posted by jmgrn65

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...fe-chance.html
I found this while doing some research into this case. I think it is worth reading.

excellent, thank you for sharing the link(s).

I am shocked that this child, RB, has apparently required artificial ventilation for more than one year now and does not have a trach...that doesn't sound like standard practice. I wonder if he has palate deformities from chronic ET intubation? I continue to believe the child needs to go home...he is disabled not brain dead...if his mom doesn't want to take care of him sounds like his dad does. Sad, sad case.

ktwlpn · Nov 05, 2009, 05:11 PM

update on hearing

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...support-doctor

5cats · Nov 05, 2009, 11:48 PM

Re: Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

if the newspaper article is halfway accurate that baby cannot go home, he'll need care 24/7, he cannot express discomfort, no gag, no coughreflex, how do you manage that at home??
People need to sleep, work, eat ......and I wonder if that baby cannot express discomfort, how can it express being comfortable???

5cats

kgle · Nov 06, 2009, 12:37 AM

Re: update on hearing

Originally Posted by ktwlpn

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...support-doctor

After reading that, I just have no idea how this child would ever have any quality of life. Not a candidate for a tracheostomy, ventilation requiring a mask 24 hours a day, his lungs to be suctioned, I am assuming bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life...

I can understand how the mother feels. As a parent myself, I can feel for the father but after reading this last update I just wouldn't be able to keep up the pretenses that everything would be okay. Poor poor child.

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Dad Fights Hospital to Keep Baby on Life Support

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