FMNN: CRIPPLED CHILD SENTENCED TO DEATH WITHOUT TRIAL

https://www.freemarketnews.com ^ | Feb 18, 2005 | by Craig McCarthy

[mlc9852]

So when a baby is born with a congenital, terminal illness or condition, we should allow the baby to die without trying everything to save the baby? How do you feel about abortion?

[highlandbreeze]

The lungs won't grow with the child. If something could be done, they would have done it, I'm sorry to say.

[Servant of the 9]

Everyone is sentenced to death by God but this baby is still alive and the hospital has not legal right to terminate this baby's life. If you can tell me what legal theory allows a hospital to perform euthanasia on an infant, I would love to hear it.

Everyone is not born with an invariably fatal disease that can only be postponed, not cured. Most of us most of the time can continue to live without massive medical intervention.

I don't believe anyone has a right to expensive medical care they can't pay for. When the law says otherwise, the Law is an Ass and needs changing. This is not a socialist country, yet.

So9

[Netizen]

According to one of the articles, he's suffocating now because of lack of oxygen.

Sun is slowly suffocating to death because his lungs lack the capacity to support his body, according to hospital officials.

[brooklin]

I had to shut the life suport off from a parent a few years ago.
It's time to smell the roses.

[processing please hold]

I can't give an objective opinion on this baby but suffice it to say, We were told by many doctors and neurosurgeons that our little girl was going to die. She has disabilities, thank God not as bad as this poor angel but, we moved from Montana to Louisiana so we could bury her in our family cemetery.

That was 9 years ago. She'll be 10 in August.

Doctors are only human.

[highlandbreeze]

What does abortion have to do with this poor baby? I, also, don't believe I said that they should have just left the baby to die, with out trying. I guess I need to go back and check my posts.

But, I did say, that you have to decide when to draw the line. How long do you want the baby to stay on life support? How long is enough? When do you let go? Have you seen someone who has suffered life support long term?

[Calpernia]

Lung replacement?

[mcg1969]

So you're willing to make wild speculations about alternative treatments, but not trust the doctors who say otherwise and the 40 other hospitals the refuse to admit the child?

This is a rare disorder but it not enough that it isn't understood. It is fatal.

[4mycountry]

That's rather selfish, isn't it?

You're kidding me, right? Lordy, lordy... Oh yes, cherishing every last moment you have with someone you love, whom you know is going to be gone forever soon, is extremely selfish. Shame on her. Shame shame shame. [/sarcasm]

A few years ago, my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. We were told that she only had a few months to live; there was simply no way she was going to survive. In the end, she did die from it.

We tried chemotherapy (sp?) and other treatments to keep her with us as long as we could. If the hospital had come to us and said, "We're not going to treat her because she's going to die anyway" and gave us a court order, we would be outraged. Who wouldn't?!

And think on this: Is a hospital playing God when it give cancer patients chemotherapy? Perhaps God meant for that person to have cancer; perhaps we have no right to try to save that person. Is the hospital still playing God when it removes cancer from a person's body? ...What if a baby is born with a heart defect - is the hospital playing God if it gives the baby a new heart? Your argument is ludicrous to me.

My grandmother died. Yes, we tried to save her against all odds. Yes, we clung to hope. Yes, we knew we would lose her.

So go ahead and write selfish on my forehead.

[mcg1969]

What a sick thing to say. If you can't have a civil argument get the hell out of this thread.

[mlc9852]

Who decides who is entitled to expensive medical care? What standards do they use? Age? Length of expected life? Finances only? Only American citizens? Projected quality of life? Who decides?

[Calpernia]

for you too

[highlandbreeze]

No.

[pharmamom]

Money has everything to do with this story. Sooner or later, we will have to confront some tough ethical issues: should we do everything medically that we can do? We don't have the money to keep up with our technology. Care such as is being contemplated for this child will run up astronomical bills. Money siphoned off from an already bankrupt Medicaid system is money that can't go to care for people who are alive and functioning well on their own. We simply cannot afford to spend millions of dollars on every single medical nightmare that comes along. The child is on life support - in other words, he is already dead but for extreme measures. Time to let him go.

[mlc9852]

"This is not about a condition so rare or horrible that treatment would be inconceivable. Ironically, the website for Texas Children’s Hospital, where Sun is a patient, includes this statement about dysplasia: “This genetics clinic provides diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care for patients from birth to adulthood with abnormalities of skeletal growth and strength. A staff of geneticists with consulting orthopedists, endocrinologists, neurologists and ophthalmologists evaluate patients during their visits for routine, chronic or acute care."

Can you explain that paragraph to me, please?

[mcg1969]

You're kidding me, right? Lordy, lordy... Oh yes, cherishing every last moment you have with someone you love, whom you know is going to be gone forever soon, is extremely selfish. Shame on her. Shame shame shame.

Yes, it is selfish in this case. Deal with it. The child is suffering terribly. And you think that's something to cherish?

Your grandmother's example is irrelevant, because, I presume, she consented to the treatment herself.

Again, I ask you this: if a mother was causing this level of pain to an otherwise healthy baby, would you excuse it in the name of parental prerogative?

[.38sw]

I looked it up: Thanopatophoric dysplasia

http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic2233.htm


Medical Care: Inpatient care is necessary. Intubation may be performed as aggressive treatment for respiratory distress.

If aggressive treatment is deferred, palliative treatment consists of keeping the infant warm, comfortable, and nourished.

Consultations:

Geneticist
Neurologist

It looks like treatment options are extremely limited. Infants afflicted with this genetic defect die, with a very few exceptions, in the neonatal period. Very tragic.

[highlandbreeze]

See post #64.