There can be no possible excuse to deny this child basic care and decency.
Can you show me where I said differently? I said we weren't getting the whole story. Have you ever known lawyers to embellish, exaggerate or repeat unsubstantiated accusations to further their cause? I'm saying that the nurses I had personal, first-hand contact with would not do that. I saw them deal with infants that they knew weren't going to make it, with babies whose parents never visited them after they were born, with preemies from families with no insurance and never once was their care and concern anything but professional and nurturing.
Monday, November 23, 2009 – 4:45 p.m.
There has been much interest regarding Gabriel Palmer, who is a patient at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital currently in critical condition. There also have been inaccurate allegations regarding Gabriel’s care while at Children’s Hospital. There has been particular interest in a meeting that took place earlier today involving the child’s family and members of his medical care team at Children’s Hospital.
In critical care situations like Gabriel’s, it is not uncommon to reach a place in the child’s treatment where discussions are held to see how best to proceed. When this situation occurs, input both from the family and from the child’s medical team is solicited. That is what was being addressed today, because the best interests of the child and family are always at the forefront of everything we do. Specifics of the discussion are a private matter, and the hospital is not at liberty to discuss the proceedings.
We have and will continue to provide the highest quality of care for Gabriel and every child at Children’s Hospital. No care has been withheld from Gabriel, and our medical team continues to work with the family to look at any possibilities that can be identified for his continued treatment.