Posted on 04/22/2005 9:16:05 PM PDT by paltz
The family of a 13-year-old Bronx boy charged last night that doctors at Montefiore Hospital insisted on taking their brain-dead son off life support, despite their pleas for more time to assess his condition.
Only hours after family members went public — and threatened to get a court order — the hospital backed down and promised not to do "anything precipitously."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
The only "hope" to read into it is the hospital and doctors "hope" that the situation resolves and the attention goes away. It's human nature. We're more careful when we know people are watching or listening.
I hope the young man has a full recovery and a long, productive and happy life. But in the immortal words of Mick Jagger, "You can't always get what you want."
Yes, ping me to all the life threads...I can email, call etc.
I am shocked to find out that Florida is one of the 10 "good" states on that report. As a Floridian discouraged with all of the terrible things going on here lately, this little bit of good news is refreshing.
The ability of the human body to recover, most especially that of a child, is a truly remarkable thing.
Some years ago, my eldest son put his right hand through two plate glass windows. He cut an artery, a tendon and his median nerve, and almost bled to death.
If an adult had cut their median nerve, the doc told me, there would have been no way, even with microsurgery, to ever restore feeling to most of his hand.
But with a kid, microsurgery works. The nerve regrows over time. Like a centimeter a month comes back.
Today his hand is pretty near normal.
If this young man was my son, I would do everything in my power to keep him alive for as long as possible, by any means.
Along with his mother, I too believe in miracles.
How many spare bedrooms do you have?
Mrs. Schiavo was not brain dead; she was in a persistent vegetative state.
Unfortunately, this article is so poorly written, it's difficult to ascertain the reality of what was going on. I'm wondering if this isn't one of those all-too-common misunderstandings between physicians and their patients or patients' families.
Another interesting point...New York is listed in the report referenced up-thread as one of the states that does protect against unwanted care removal.
Why when the MEDIA becomes involved, suddenly there's HOPE?
The only "hope" to read into it is the hospital and doctors "hope" that the situation resolves and the attention goes away. It's human nature. We're more careful when we know people are watching or listening.
I know. I was being sarcastic. My way of alleviating frustration! lol
I hope the young man has a full recovery and a long, productive and happy life. But in the immortal words of Mick Jagger, "You can't always get what you want."
Well, while that may be true......you won't know unless you give it some time! This hospital was way too ANXIOUS to pull the plug on this kid!
He either needs a University hospital or a CHILDREN'S hospital, where they HAVE seen and do believe in "miracles".
If there was sepsis involving the brain,or any body area he would not be a candidate for donation related to the infection involved!
I'm not POSITIVE that this is the hospital where this little boy is located, but if it is, the description the hospital provides on their website may explain why they were so ANXIOUS to just PULL THE PLUG?
http://www.hospitalsoup.com/ExternalWebFrame.asp?HospitalID=12629
On the website:
Bronx-Lebanon
Today, Bronx-Lebanon is the largest voluntary, not-for-profit health care system serving the South and Central Bronx, with 854 beds at two major hospital divisions (the Concourse and Fulton); a specialized nursing facility for AIDS and geriatrics patients; and an extensive “BronxCare” network of ambulatory medical practices that has reinforced Bronx-Lebanon’s essential role as “Doctor to the Community
HERE IS SOME CONTACT INFO:
Contact Us...
Email: ecsvp@erols.com for feedback, comments, and important information.
99-Bronx Call Center:(718) 99-BRONX important assistance in accessing the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Health Care System.
Patient Information
Fulton (718) 901-8486 | get directions here
Concourse (718) 518-5250 | get directions here
Main Line (718) 590-1800
Medical records (718) 518-5890
Human Resources (718) 466-8501
Admissions (718) 518-5546
Nursing Services: 718-518-5190
Physicans/Medical Education: 718-901-8712
Volunteer Services: 718-466-8561
Other Information: (718) FAMILY1
For further information or to request additional copies of our Annual Report, please call 718-FAMILY 1.
Taran was hooked up to a respirator and moved on Tuesday to Montefiore for surgery....
Francis' lawyer, Robert Genis, said he still plans to go to Bronx Supreme Court today to force the hospital to continue life support.
"If they kept Terri Schiavo alive for 14 years, they could keep a 13-year-old boy from The Bronx alive for a few weeks," he said.
Montefiore spokesman Steve Osborne said, "Our doctors have conducted several tests on the child's brain and have determined that he is brain-dead."
Genis said state law on whether a hospital can make life-and-death decisions remain murky.
That being said, I suspect that the fact the story made the NY Post is enough to put the hospital officials and doctors on notice. Plus they have a lawyer challenging the decision to remove life support machinery.
It's a test of patience to "wait and see," but that is, IMO, the appropriate course. If his condition doesn't improve, I think nearly all will agree that removing artifical life support won't serve as the catalyst for or cause of death.
It's a test of patience to "wait and see," but that is, IMO, the appropriate course. If his condition doesn't improve, I think nearly all will agree that removing artifical life support won't serve as the catalyst for or cause of death.
Sometimes it takes months before one might begin to see improvement, but like someone here said, the article was poorly written. It doesn't offer much in the way of real information!
In addition to waiting,I would need additional input and opinions by specialists and some REAL undisputed PROOF of BRAIN DEATH.
Once a given and realistic amount of time has passed and still nothing, if all additional opinions and input all agree with initial info, if there is absolute conclusive proof of brain death, then yes, I agree, the boy is already dead and his body is merely being kept warm by a ventilator.
Once the plug is pulled, death is immediate when it is actual brain death.
I suppose there are cases where somebody has doubts regarding the conclusion. At any rate, the smaller point I was attempting to make was that the involved parties are probably being well served at this point. Calls and inquiries to the hospital won't help.
Why did you post all that contact info?
A just in case scenario ... if it becomes useful to flood their lines with contacts, in order to stand with the parents on Taran's behalf, the numbers, etc. are quickly accessible.
EXACTLY! ;)
How would that help, if the child has been moved to another hospital?
Sadly, it's most likely a combination of efficiency and economy for the hospital, state and insurance companies. Once the patient is in any condition they can be declared dead, move 'em out. Saves the hopsital resources if the person is on welfare and saves the insurance company a lot of money if insurance is involved. Sad that the worth of a child's life can be reduced to a bottom line in dollars. Or anyone's life, for that matter.
(The Bronx-WABC, April 23, 2005) — Overnight developments in the case of a brain-damaged boy in the Bronx. Doctors want to take him off life support--the boy's family does not. Now, a judge has sided with the family. Eyewitness News reporter Ken Rosato is at Montefiore Children's Hospital live with the story.
It was a dramatic scene here last night, with the judge coming here at almost literally the 11th hour and meeting with the family and the hospital. In the end, he decided to keep the child alive, at least until Monday. Eyewitness News obtained exclusive photographs taken by the boy's relatives, hours before the hearing.
Judge Douglas McKeon arrived at Montefiore Hospital late last night for an emergency hearing. After a heartwrenching meeting with the family of Taran Francis, the judge decided to keep the 13-year-old alive with the help of a respirator. On Thursday, the hospital told Taran's mother that they planned to take him off life support. That prompted her to file a temporary restraining order. After hours of prayers, and Judge McKeon's meeting, the family's wishes were granted.
Patsy Gouldbourne, family attorney: "The mother's there, the aunt's there, the brothers, the sisters--relatives are just coming, it's non-stop. He has a very large family, and very supportive."
Montefiore released a statement saying "the conference allowed all parties to express their concerns and confirm that we all truly are in agreement with doing what is best for the child and the family."
Doctors declared the Bronx teen clinically dead. They say Francis developed a dental infection on April 6th, that turned into a brain infection.
All parties concerned will now meet with the judge on Monday. At that point the judge could order that the hospital has its rights--under state law, the hospital right now has the right to remove life support. But because of the judge's order, the child will be allowed to stay on life support until Monday. But at that point, the hospital does have the right to pull the plug. The hospital is insisting that this child is brain-dead, that there is no hope he can ever recover from this horrible incident. WABC
They want his organs and I am not opposed to organ donation, I carry the card.
But something smells here.
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