Editorial: Haleigh Poutre, ‘Persistent Vegetative States’ and Compassion

Catholic Online ^ | 11/26/08 | Deacon Keith Fournier

[tcg]

Haleigh was being given food and water through a feeding and hydration tube. A year later, the Massachusetts Department of Social Services filed a legal motion to remove it. They cited the medical finding of “PVS”. Her stepfather then sued to prevent the removal of the assistance. There was speculation in some sources that he did this to avoid criminal charges for murder. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that the assistance could be removed in a controversial ruling.

One day after the ruling, Haleigh surprised all of her caregivers by breathing without the need for assistance and showing signs of communication. The court order was rescinded and the medical team continued to care for Haleigh. That was in 2006. Now, two years later, Haleigh may be called as a witness in the retrial of her stepfather’s case. He is on trial for assault and battery on a child with a dangerous weapon. Haleigh continues to recover. She now communicates through hand signals and a computer keyboard. She loves to brush her hair.

The diagnosis of “PVS” is the subject of increasing scrutiny by some medical professionals and concerned moral theologians. One study from the British Medical Journal found that 43% of those so diagnosed were actually misdiagnosed.

[tcg]

Haleigh was diagnosed in what is routinely called “PVS”, a “Persistent Vegetative State”. She now communicates through hand signals and a computer keyboard.

[PeterFinn]

And the vermin from the cult of death would have had this little girl follow Terri Schiavo to the grave just to satisfy their perverse death fetish.

[dcwusmc]

Amazing... but God still reigns on high.