Teen forced to have chemo

I agree- I don't think the government belongs in this.

If the boy dies from his alternative treatment, they will have the belief that they did all they could for him and find peace with that.

If the boy dies from chemo, they will always have the nagging thought, "He might have lived had we done it our way." They will always question it, all the days of their lives.

The prognosis doesn't sound good, even with chemo. He has a likelihood of dying from this.

Let the family have it their way.

First off, I absolutely disagree with the court's decision to force Chemo on this young man. He obviously is intelligent enough to make this decision on his own. Experience alone gave him the knowledge base to weigh the good and bad of chemotherapy.

As I have read the article and discussed it with my husband, I got to thinking. I am by no means a legal expert...maybe the judge is forcing signed consent because he knows it will get turned over on an appeal. Obviously, you cannot force someone to give consent. That's an oxymoron. Hopefully, he can put off his treatment during appeal and by the time it's done and over with, he'll be an adult and able to say no.

I would also like to know what doctor/nurse is going to administer this treatment knowing it's against his will, even if there is a 'signed consent'.

Suzi

http://www.abrahamsjourney.com/theHOMEpage.html


The website looks like some of it has been taken down.But there are links to contact him

The song is wonderful! I know so many families that homeschool, and seem so much like his family. They did things the way the docs said, and it did not work. Leave them alone to try something else! Giving chemo to someone who does not want it, is crazy. Like so many other home schooled kids, he sounds very grounded and thoughtful, and smart. He and his family should be making his decisions not the state.

I don't want this to turn into a pro-choice/pro-life debate. I'm going to keep it on topic. Here's the thing, if the medical procedure in question was an abortion, he would not need consent. Minors are allowed to consent to an abortion being performed on them in most states. Why is this different?

Just wondering something here. How much money do you suppose is being spent by the hospital (where the chemo is to be given, at CONSIDERABLE charge) to push this through the court? And how much do you suppose is being spent by that Mexican clinic and this kid's parents to try to get THEIR position heard that they'd rather change his diet and use some herbs?

Not alot of money behind the latter.
Money talks.

We all know what an ethical delimma this poses for all involved. It is a sad and disturbing story. I have seen first hand what lymphoma can do to a person. It is terrible. If the first round of chemo only gave him a small amount of remission then what makes them think that another round will result in a different outcome. I would have to say in my personal opinion I would let the child try the alternative treatment, how does anyone know for sure that it will not work. Even if a very small percentage of those who try this alternative treatment respond, maybe this young man would be part of this percentage. I feel it is wrong to take this option away from them. It is not their right to impose thier professional opinions on this family. Instead all the information and statistics available should be presented to the family and then it should be their decision how to proceed.

Generally through marriage, pregnancy, economic self-sufficiency, educational degrees.

In the US, Emancipation of Minors is under State, rather than Federal Law. Many states consider a minor emancipated upon marriage. Generally minors have to be living apart from his/her parents, and be proven to have the means to support him/herself.

I don't think anyone BUT an Emanciopated Minor (or Adult) can give consent. Ergo, regular minors cannot give consent. I don't think our patient in this case falls under "emancipated minor" - but that shouldn't matter because the parents have legal consent and they are being ignored.

Sad.

I too concur with other posts on this forum. The article did state the Judge had given partial custody for the child to the state. I'm not sure how that works either, youo get the right half, parents get the left half?? This is just silly, and it would be laughable, except a young man's life and rights are on the line. Feels like slippery slope time, to me.

Morghan MSN, ARNP
Kansas

and have an autologous stem cell transplant - and if that fails, an allogeneic? Will they force his siblings to undergo HLA testing and then to donate bone marrow? Where does it stop? Will they force the transplant, and then override his parents wishes when the total body radiation, myeloablative chemo and hepato and renal toxic supportive drugs put him into multi organ system failure? Will they force the ventilator and the CVVHD? Where is the line drawn?

I've had chemo and radiation for Hodgkins Disease. It was unspeakably horrible. But I've been in complete remission for almost 15 years using straight medical interventions. I'd hope that this boy and his family would choose the same path, but in its advanced stages, HD is tricky to treat.

I just can't help but think of the irony that the very same politicians (who appoint federal judges) that this family most likely helped get elected into office are not allowing them to decide what is being done to their child's body, in the form of opting not to continue with further conventional medicine. "Pro-Choice" is not simply about abortions IMO.

I wish them well.

Blee