Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Baby dies after judge allows hospital to remove breathing tube.
Houston Chronicle ^ | Mar. 16, 2005 | Leigh Hopper

Posted on 03/16/2005 6:12:01 AM PST by Crackingham

The baby wore a cute blue outfit with a teddy bear covering his bottom. The 17-pound, nearly 6-month-old boy wiggled with eyes open, his mother said, and smacked his lips. Then at 2 p.m. Tuesday, a medical staffer at Texas Children's Hospital gently removed the breathing tube that had kept Sun Hudson alive since his birth Sept. 25. Cradled by his mother, he took a few breaths, and died.

"I talked to him, I told him that I loved him. Inside of me, my son is still alive," Wanda Hudson told reporters afterward. "This hospital was considered a miracle hospital. When it came to my son, they gave up in six months. ... They made a terrible mistake."

Sun's death marks the first time a U.S. judge has allowed a hospital to discontinue an infant's life-sustaining care against a parent's wishes, according to bioethical experts. A similar case involving a 68-year-old man in a vegetative state at another Houston hospital is before a court now.

"It's sad this thing dragged on for so long. We all feel it's unfair, that a child doesn't have a chance to develop and thrive," said William Winslade, a bioethicist and lawyer who is a professor at the Institute for the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Paraphrasing the late Catholic theologian and ethicist Richard McCormick, Winslade added, "This isn't murder. It's mercy, and it's appropriate to be merciful in that way. It's not killing, it's stopping pointless treatment."

The hospital's description of Sun — that he was motionless and sedated for comfort — has differed sharply from the mother's. Since February, the hospital has blocked the media from Hudson's invitation to see the baby, citing privacy concerns.

"I wanted y'all to see my son for yourself," Hudson told reporters. "So you could see he was actually moving around. He was conscious."

On Feb. 16, Harris County Probate Court Judge William C. McCulloch made the landmark decision to lift restrictions preventing Texas Children's from discontinuing care. However, an appeal by Hudson's attorney, Mario Caballero, and a procedural error on McCulloch's part prevented the hospital from acting for four weeks.

Texas law allows hospitals to discontinue life-sustaining care, even if a patient's family members disagree. A doctor's recommendation must be approved by a hospital's ethics committee, and the family must be given 10 days from written notice of the decision to try and locate another facility for the patient.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: deathcultivation; govwatch; judicialtyrrany; supremecourt
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160 ... 181-188 next last
To: NC28203
Like it or not, resources are limited. Each and every day people, doctors, HMOs, insurance companies and hospitals make decisions about rationing health care. The only other option is free and universal healthcare which doesn't seem to get a lot of support in this forum.

In which case the rationing would be set by government eddict. Much worse.

121 posted on 03/16/2005 7:37:35 AM PST by rmmcdaniell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 113 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
I never said they didn't come out of the same account (although technically, they are not supposed to. T2 (SS) is supposed to come out of the SS Trust Fund, and T16 (SSI) is supposed to come from the general tax fund).

I said they are two separate entities, which they are.
122 posted on 03/16/2005 7:38:00 AM PST by Skooz (Overtaxed host organism for the parasitical State)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 116 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
The baby was not really a baby. This was not life in any way you could define it.

I disagree. He was alive, he just had no possiblility of surviving. It happens all the time. Some babies are born with profound defects. It doesn't make them any less human, or their lives any less valid, but it also doesn't mean that artificial means need to be taken to keep them alive. Their little lives can end naturally with their parents being allowed to see them, hold them, and grieve for them as they leave this earth.

123 posted on 03/16/2005 7:39:59 AM PST by SuziQ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham

I saw this baby's mother on Fox once. She is a total raving lunatic. She was going on and on about the baby being some kind of god. You can't believe a word she says.


124 posted on 03/16/2005 7:40:47 AM PST by lady lawyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NC28203
"Like it or not, resources are limited. Each and every day people, doctors, HMOs, insurance companies and hospitals make decisions about rationing health care. The only other option is free and universal healthcare which doesn't seem to get a lot of support in this forum."

No, resources are limited or scarce out priorities are out of wack.

Next you will be advocating euthanasia for adults "because resources are scarce".

You should be ashamed of even hinting at such a thing but you are beyond that. God forbid that you don't work in health care of EVER have a position of authority. You are a morally sick individual.
125 posted on 03/16/2005 7:41:07 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 113 | View Replies]

To: itsahoot
Can we leave Hitler out of this conversation?

Sure as long as we don't promote his policies. I have seen the films where mental patients were portrayed as subhuman, thereby justifying there death to pay for housing for the Super Race.

Even I don't think we need to kill mental patients, but I won't be kicking in any of my dough in to buy them each a BMW either.

126 posted on 03/16/2005 7:41:20 AM PST by DaoPian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 115 | View Replies]

To: SuziQ

The only reason this child was alive was because the hospital put him on a ventilator the day he was born so they could find out what was wrong with him.

Every single day he became worse; of course, he was human, but he was never going to get any better. Babies born with thanatophoric dysplasia usually die in utero or within the first month.

To me, that is not life as I would define it.


127 posted on 03/16/2005 7:42:44 AM PST by Howlin (Free the Eason Jordan Tape!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 123 | View Replies]

To: DCPatriot
From the article""He is slowly suffocating to death because his lungs lack the capability to support his body," the hospital said.

It sounds like the mother was not competent enough to make the decisions.

I can also see the benefits of keeping this baby alive for research and training purposes.

In this specific case, I see this as the crueler alternative.

128 posted on 03/16/2005 7:43:19 AM PST by technochick99 (Self defense is a basic human right ; Sig Sauer is my equalizer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]

To: lady lawyer

Precisely. Makes a good story, though, doesn't it?


129 posted on 03/16/2005 7:43:20 AM PST by Howlin (Free the Eason Jordan Tape!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 124 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham
a medical staffer at Texas Children's Hospital gently removed the breathing tube

Bias here?

I have never heard a reporter say:

"The hitman gently pulled the trigger..."
"The attacker gently forwarded the knife..."
"The rapist gently pushed in his d#*k..."

130 posted on 03/16/2005 7:43:34 AM PST by KidGlock (W-1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nmh

Isn't battle field and emergency room triage decision-making much like this?


131 posted on 03/16/2005 7:44:03 AM PST by DaoPian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 125 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham

Whatever the excuse, this is an extension of abortion. A post-birth abortion. The human was not worthy of life, was not wanted, therefore it can be terminated. It used to be that children who were born, thought they had survived the holocaust, but no more.

This child's life, and others like it, are a test for the rest of us. And in this case, our society has failed.


132 posted on 03/16/2005 7:44:59 AM PST by TheDon (The Democratic Party is the party of TREASON)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DCPatriot
I can also see the benefits of keeping this baby alive for research and training purposes.
It would be a cold day in hell before I would let a child of mine linger "for research and training purposes." A VERY cold day.
133 posted on 03/16/2005 7:49:01 AM PST by Clara Lou (Hillary Clinton: "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 99 | View Replies]

Comment #134 Removed by Moderator

To: news2me; cyborg
I read the article. I saw nothing there that indicated any drug use.

You don't think they'd put that in there, do you?

She and her lawyer were on Greta's show; she is absolutely, positively certifiable; and it has nothing to do with her child.

135 posted on 03/16/2005 7:51:45 AM PST by Howlin (Free the Eason Jordan Tape!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 134 | View Replies]

Comment #136 Removed by Moderator

To: dcuddeback

Sarcasm?


137 posted on 03/16/2005 7:55:21 AM PST by Howlin (Free the Eason Jordan Tape!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: Crackingham

Please allow me to give you a "medical" perspective as I'm trained in critical care medicine. Early in my career I took care of a severely ill AIDS patient, Lonnie. Lonnie's CD4 count was nonexistent, his viral load off the chart. He had all of sorts concommitant infections, from tuberculosis to PCP pneumonia. On top of that he was an intravenous drug user who also had endocarditis. His mitral and tricuspid valves were clumped with bacterial vegetations sending septic emboli everywhere, including brain abscesses and pulmonary abscesses. Not only that, Lonnie was an alcoholic with advanced cirrhosis of the liver, esophageal varices and a rotund, distended belly because of ascites. He also had COPD from years of smoking. Lonnie had lead a hard life. He had developed all of these serious medical problems, and he was only 39 years old. I had taken care of Lonnie numerous previous times over the years until his last hospitalization. On that fateful night he came in vomitting blood, had a high fever and was in respiratory failure. He was in both septic and hypovolemic shock. He was bleeding from ruptured esophageal varices and had brain abscesses and pulmonary abscesses. We had attempted to convince Lonnie to go on hospice for years, but he refused. Lonnie and his family always wanted everything done.

Lonnie's case was that of MEDICAL FUTILITY. There was no way that Lonnie's life could have been saved that day. No heroic procedure or operation could have saved Lonnie's life that day. No amount of blood transfusion could have saved Lonnie's life that day. No amount of IV antibiotics could have saved Lonnie's life that fateful day. Lonnie was just too sick and the Lord was calling him home. His family expected a miracle, but he was Lonnie and not Lazarus. And I was certainly not...YOU KNOW WHO. Lonnie's sister was a nurse, and she demanded that many things be done. I did put Lonnie of life support in hope that his family would see the pain and suffering he was going through, but they were persistent and demanded numerous specialty consultations from Gastroenterology, Surgery, Cardiology, Infectious Disease, Pulmonary Critical Care, etc...To which I did consult all of these specialists who agreed with me and shook their heads, all giving up. Despite a multi-disciplinary approach by a total of 7 physicians from different fields telling Lonnie's family that his prognosis was grim and death was certain, Lonnie's family threatened that "if everything was not done," they would "sue you all to the ground!" Everyday that Lonnie stayed in the ICU it cost the hospital $$$$$$ and of course, Lonnie had no health insurance. He had never even paid any of his previous hospital bills. Not that $$$$ should ever be the deciding factor in patient care, but when one is in a decision-making position that involves public health, one should not waste public resources on cases of futility. Lonnie's case was indeed that of medical futility. Subsequently, I assembled the hospital ethics committee, and together with the recommendations of 7 physicians, we declared Lonnie's case medical futility. By state law, the hospital allowed us to discontinue life support. We approached Lonnie's family with our decision and gave them the opportunity to find an accepting physician at another hospital that would take on his care. Naturally they couldn't find any. His family was present when I turned off the ventilator all the IV's. Lonnie died ~15 minutes later. As physicians we all took the Hippocratic Oath and of course "above all do no harm," but patients and families often do have unrealisitic expectations. Sure it's difficult to understand and accept a poor prognosis but I often find that, in such cases, denial always pervades.


138 posted on 03/16/2005 7:59:52 AM PST by dit_xi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: news2me; Howlin

Some medications are very powerful and can produce birth defects. Either she's grieving in a very bizarre way or she's 'touched'. I hope it's just severe grief.


139 posted on 03/16/2005 8:02:44 AM PST by cyborg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 134 | View Replies]

Comment #140 Removed by Moderator


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160 ... 181-188 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson