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Girl with brain damage sent to rehab center
The Boston Globe ^ | Jan 27, 2006 | Patricia Wen

Posted on 01/27/2006 7:09:41 AM PST by VeritatisSplendor

On Tuesday, Spence said, he went to Haleigh's room at Baystate and noticed a quiet brown-haired girl lying in bed. In front of her, he said, there were three objects: a yellow duck, a Curious George stuffed animal, and a yellow block. He said a DSS social worker accompanied him, and she said, ''Haleigh, this is Harry."

''Give him the yellow duck," the social worker said, according to Spence's recollection.

Haleigh picked up the yellow duck, he said.

''Where's Curious George?" the social worker asked Haleigh.

Haleigh then picked up the stuffed animal, Spence said.

''It's an astounding case," he said.

Haleigh did not appear to be grimacing or making sounds suggesting she was in pain, he said.

Spence said he remains hopeful that she will continue to move and that she will express herself more. He reiterated that his agency has suspended any efforts to remove life support.

He said that he has asked several pediatric neurologists to further evaluate Haleigh at her new home, Franciscan Hospital for Children in Brighton.

Some neurologists say Haleigh's actions suggest she may have moved into a ''minimally conscious state," in which patients are aware of their surroundings and can respond to commands.

That condition could sometimes strengthen arguments to withdraw life support, because such patients can feel pain, some medical ethicists said. Patients in a vegetative state, on the other hand, are oblivious to the agony that is part of their life.

''Suffering requires consciousness," said Dr. Robert L. Fine, a medical ethicist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: euthanasia; haleigh; haleighpoutre; prolife
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Spence is the head of DSS in Massachusetts.
1 posted on 01/27/2006 7:09:44 AM PST by VeritatisSplendor
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To: VeritatisSplendor
That condition could sometimes strengthen arguments to withdraw life support, because such patients can feel pain, some medical ethicists said.

In essence: The more conscious she becomes, the more important it is that she be killed....

Unbelievable. Ghastly.

2 posted on 01/27/2006 7:12:34 AM PST by r9etb
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To: VeritatisSplendor
she may have moved into a ''minimally conscious state," in which patients are aware of their surroundings and can respond to commands.

Sounds like many of my coworkers...

3 posted on 01/27/2006 7:12:44 AM PST by gieriscm
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To: VeritatisSplendor
Some neurologists say Haleigh's actions suggest she may have moved into a ''minimally conscious state," in which patients are aware of their surroundings and can respond to commands. That condition could sometimes strengthen arguments to withdraw life support, . . .

If she gets up and walks around, the death-lovers will probably think up an even more creative reason to kill her.

4 posted on 01/27/2006 7:13:06 AM PST by madprof98
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To: VeritatisSplendor
That condition could sometimes strengthen arguments to withdraw life support,

The pro-death movement finds its gospel in everything.

5 posted on 01/27/2006 7:15:04 AM PST by atomicpossum (Replies must follow approved guidelines or you will be kill-filed without appeal.)
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To: VeritatisSplendor

'Girl with brain damage sent to rehab center'

It was that, or law school.


6 posted on 01/27/2006 7:16:00 AM PST by tumblindice
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To: r9etb

The left is always in a hurry to kill the innocent yet reluctant to kill the guilty. One more bit of evidence that to remain a liberal you must suspend any thought process and put an end to logic.


7 posted on 01/27/2006 7:21:16 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: madprof98
...the death-lovers will probably think up an even more creative reason to kill her

Just as long as they remember to shout "Allahu Akhbar" at that same moment. [osmium-heavy sarcasm]

8 posted on 01/27/2006 7:21:17 AM PST by ExcursionGuy84 ("Jesus, Your Love takes my breath away.")
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To: r9etb

What gets me is Baylor is a Christian university, I thought.

Medical ethicist = moralist with an agenda

Mrs VS


9 posted on 01/27/2006 7:21:32 AM PST by VeritatisSplendor
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To: atomicpossum

Come on now...it's the same logic that tells 'em that extreme cold weather is caused by the supposed global warming. Are you surprised?


10 posted on 01/27/2006 7:22:01 AM PST by ElectricStrawberry (27th Infantry Regiment...cut in half during the Clinton years....Nec Aspera Terrent!!!)
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To: r9etb

No such thing as recovering from PVS...nosiree. PVS is terminal ... a one way street. IF she's becoming conscious then the PVS was wrongly diagnosed...in the informed opinion of the medical community.

This is the catch-22 where Terri Schiavo could never seem to catch a break from the court. For her parents, agreeing to a PVS diagnosis from the husband's doctor in exchange for visitation arrangements.... was agreeing to a legal death sentence.

Interesting that the pro-death ethicists argue more strongly that euthanasia is even more correct for the minimally conscious.


11 posted on 01/27/2006 7:23:41 AM PST by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
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To: cgk

ping to you. some good news on Haleigh.

Mrs VS


12 posted on 01/27/2006 7:33:38 AM PST by VeritatisSplendor
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To: VeritatisSplendor
...a ''minimally conscious state," in which patients are aware of their surroundings and can respond to commands.

Responding to commands by picking something up is a minimally conscious state?!?! So just because she doesn't talk, they should still pull the plug? Then let's just kill everybody who isn't perfect or if they don't react in a way we approve of. Sheesh.

13 posted on 01/27/2006 7:42:30 AM PST by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: VeritatisSplendor; All
Thank you for the head's up!


He said a DSS social worker accompanied him, and she said, ''Haleigh, this is Harry."

''Give him the yellow duck," the social worker said, according to Spence's recollection.

Haleigh picked up the yellow duck, he said.

''Where's Curious George?" the social worker asked Haleigh.

Haleigh then picked up the stuffed animal, Spence said.

''It's an astounding case," he said.


Just yesterday, I was told on this very forum that Haleigh's current condition is NO WAY TO LIVE. I am sickened by the Culture of Death's attempts to kill off this child. Haleigh sounds like a little fighter with a heart and a WILL to live bigger than this nation.


ACTION ALERT:

Haleigh Poutre was discharged Thursday from Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and admitted to the Franciscan Hospital for Children. She has been hospitalized since September, when authorities say she was beaten into a coma.

A statement issued by the Franciscan Hospital said: "It is our hope that her stay at Franciscan will afford her the opportunity to maximize her potential for gains in her recovery."

The hospital advertises itself as the largest pediatric rehabilitation facility in New England.

CONTACT INFO FOR FRANCISCAN HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN:

Franciscan Hospital for Children
Attention: Miss Haleigh Poutre
30 Warren Street
Boston, MA 02135
phone: 617-254-3800
fax: 617-779-1119
Here is the form for emailing a Message to Haleigh at Franciscan Hospital for Children:

Message to a Patient

Message To Patient

Franciscan Hospital for Children provides a secure and confidential way for family and friends of our inpatients to send a message over the Internet using this document.  Between Monday and Friday, your message will be printed and confidentially delivered to the patient, usually within 24 hours.  Messages received on the weekend are delivered to the patient the following business day.

14 posted on 01/27/2006 7:54:17 AM PST by cgk (I don't see myself as a conservative. I see myself as a religious, right-wing, wacko extremist.)
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To: VeritatisSplendor; 4lifeandliberty; AbsoluteGrace; afraidfortherepublic; Alamo-Girl; AlbionGirl; ...

Pro-Life/Pro-Baby ping!

Haleigh is making remarkable progress, detailed in this article, for someone who has been written off as "hopeless."

Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added to, or removed from, the Pro-Life/Pro-Baby ping list...

15 posted on 01/27/2006 8:10:20 AM PST by cgk (I don't see myself as a conservative. I see myself as a religious, right-wing, wacko extremist.)
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To: VeritatisSplendor
But a day after the high court's ruling, doctors told DSS that they had noticed significant improvements in Haleigh, saying, in effect, ''Oops, we're seeing something," Spence said. Haleigh was off the ventilator and had begun to show increasing responsiveness.

Ooops is right... (post edited to remove profanity.)

16 posted on 01/27/2006 8:15:46 AM PST by cgk (I don't see myself as a conservative. I see myself as a religious, right-wing, wacko extremist.)
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To: VeritatisSplendor

Dear Lord, please hold this poor, beautiful baby in Your loving and healing arms, and keep her safe from the evil that surrounds her.

For Haleigh:

Anima Christi, sanctifica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.
Passio Christi, conforta me.
O bone Iesu, exaudi me.
Intra tua vulnera absconde me.
Ne permittas me separari a te.
Ab hoste maligno defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me.
Et iube me venire ad te,
Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te
In saecula saeculorum.


17 posted on 01/27/2006 8:38:11 AM PST by dsc
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To: cgk

Praise God!


18 posted on 01/27/2006 8:51:24 AM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: r9etb
That condition could sometimes strengthen arguments to withdraw life support, because such patients can feel pain, some medical ethicists said.

Actually, it's a no win situation for the girl. Start improving and it strengthens the argument to kill her.

Patients in a vegetative state, on the other hand, are oblivious to the agony that is part of their life.

If she doesn't improve, kill her.

Those who don't value life want to kill all life that doesn't meet their criteria for an acceptable quality of life. Those who value life, always do so.

19 posted on 01/27/2006 9:12:15 AM PST by TheDon (The Democratic Party is the party of TREASON!)
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To: VeritatisSplendor

The Lord be with her.


20 posted on 01/27/2006 9:44:33 AM PST by franky (Pray for the souls of the faithful departed.)
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