8mm
Posted on 06/28/2007 11:10:39 PM PDT by monomaniac
Phoenix, AZ (LifeNews.com) -- Arizona resident Jesse Ramirez was severely injured in a car crash in a May 30 car accident and a legal battle ensued over the man's life. It pitted his wife and family against each other over whether his life support should be maintained but now Ramirez has awaken from the coma appears to be on the road to recovery.
Ramirez, 36, suffered traumatic brain injury in the accident and he had been in a minimally conscious state for just over a week when doctors told his family he may never recover.
His wife made the decision to have his feeding tube removed in the same way Terri's former husband made the decision for her.
Ramirez, a Gulf War veteran, and his wife had been arguing in the car over a cell phone number of another man that Ramirez found in her cell phone when the rollover happened.
Ramirez's family filed legal papers asking for his feeding tube to be reconnected with the help of the Alliance Defense Fund, a pro-life law firm.
Maricopa County Superior court Judge Paul Katz on June 13 ordered that Ramirez be put back on life support and assigned a guardian ad litem as his advocate while the legal arguments were sorted out.
Ramirez’s wife responded by petitioning the court again asking to remove him from life support.
Now, three weeks after the accident, Ramirez has regained consciousness and recovered to the extent that he can interact with visitors.
The case is drawing national attention to the plight of such patients, whose loved ones are sometimes too quick to join doctors in giving up hope and withdrawing food and water or lifesaving medical treatment.
Pro-life attorney Rachel Alexander has been monitoring the case.
"This miraculous recovery reinforces the importance of using caution when taking incapacitated relatives off life support," she said. "In too many cases, it is impossible to determine when or if someone in a coma will come out of it."
"Had Jesse been removed from life support on June 9 as his wife requested, he would have been dead within a few days of starvation and dehydration," Alexander added.
The case points to concerns over family members who may have other agendas or something other than the best interest of the patient in mind when making the medical decisions.
"Because of their tumultuous marriage, his wife was not in the best position to make a determination as to whether he should continue on life support," Alexander said. "His aunt has said that she suspects his wife was trying to get rid of him. Ramirez had long suspected that his wife was having extramarital affairs on him."
Bobby Schindler, Terri's brother who also works with the foundation that bears her name, said the medical establishment is also too quick to declare patients hopeless in certain cases.
"What is the rush?" he told the Arizona Republic newspaper. "This is not the first time we've heard of cases like this where doctors want to write off the chance of recovery, and the family, when they're told this, will make a decision to end a person's life."
"In the case of Mr. Ramirez, he'd be dead now."
Praise God that he woke up from his coma! I can’t believe his wife! That’s so horrible! It’s just like the Terri Schiavo case. These people have the right to life!
Praise God indeed.
This woman should be investigated as to her motives. Looks like attempted murder to me.
How is he going to feel when he finds out his wife wanted to off him. Look out you will get flamed for bringing up terri.
Guy may not be out of the woods yet. If his mentation is not yet to the level of legal competence the wife could still get him starved.
She was a good one to let decide his fate.
In our oh-so-modern world, petty things like faithfulness don’t matter in affairs like this anymore.
Looks like the judge in this case made a sound decision in favor of life and justice, unlike the pro death judge in Terri’s case.
Praise God! What a miracle! How very sad that he will hear that his wife was about to pull his feeding tube. His family must be overjoyed.
LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD!
“Look out you will get flamed for bringing up terri.”
Thanks for the warning. The only reason I brought her up was because the case was similar.
Can’t you have a living will stipulating that in case of such situations please do not take any direction from my whore wife. Thank you.
It’s just like Terri Schiavo. Murder is murder.
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.