Posted on 03/12/2010 8:39:11 AM PST by BykrBayb
Baby Isaiah May passed away Thursday after being taken off life-support, ending a three-month, high-profile effort to prolong his life. A lawyer representing the family confirmed the news of the infant's passing to media Thursday afternoon.
"Isaiah James May passed away at 12:11 this afternoon. He was in the arms of his parents," said Rosanna Saccomani.
Rebecka and Isaac May issued a statement saying, "All along it was our hope that his condition would brighten and improve, it has not."
They went on to say, "Isaiah has been a blessing to us and his spirit will always be in our hearts. We have set our tiny miracle free and he is now in the arms of angels."
Dr. Richard Taylor, an independent neonatologist, said in a statement Thursday he examined the infant on Feb. 19th and 20th.
"When I examined Isaiah, I confirmed that he did have movements of his trunk and limbs, as witnessed by his parents. He had gained weight since his birth and had bodily functions as they had reported. He was not in any distress. But on testing the nerves entering and leaving his brain, I confirmed that his reflexes were all completely absent. He was also unable to breathe for himself without airway and ventilator support."
~snip~
Alberta Health Services issued this statement Thursday afternoon:
"Understandably this is an extremely emotional time and it is important to be respectful of the May family's need for privacy given the difficult decision they have made. All Alberta Health Services' physicians and staff who have been involved in caring for Baby Isaiah were touched by the May family's strength. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family. At this time we would ask that the family's request for privacy be respected."
~snip~
(Excerpt) Read more at calgary.ctv.ca ...
The way you said, "Yes!" made it seem like you are cheering this decision, is that correct?
the child wasn’t brain dead...he might have been given medicine for seizures etc that would depress these reflexes.
as a doc, I sympathize with both sides.
a child’s brain is “plastic” and can recover (regenerate) after a brain injury. So that is an argument to continue treatment.
but Catholics say that extraordinary treatment is optional. So you can stop respirators even if the person is not brain dead.
traditionally catholics said the same for feeding tubes, until the pro death people started taking them out with the object to kill people...often from folks whose feeding tubes were placed for staff convenience in the first place, and who could swallow.
that’s why the bishop backed Michael Schiavo, and other cases, but John Paul II, seeing how the pro death people were manipulating these cases, put his foot down on removal of feeding tubes.
In the most severe cases, (e.g. terminal alzheimer’s or Parkinsons disease) the feeding tubes don’t prolong life, they only make it more comfortable...ironically, one example is JP2 himself, who had a feeding tube for the last few weeks of life but died of infection.
Oh, yeah I was just jumping up and down in my chair. An exclaimation point does not necessarily mean happiness.
I don’t have any feeling one way or another in this case. I can only relate what my family went through. It was the most agonizing gut wrenching decision my husband and I ever made. There are no words.
I just find it interesting that some folks who never has had to make that kind of choice can sit here and make judgements. So when a story like this comes along and I read some of the comments, yes I do get a bit excited about it. I have been there. I know what it feels like to have to say goodbye to your baby.
The nurses dim the lights and you are standing there at the foot or the side of the bed watching the breathing machines breath for your child. You stand there and take their little hands and they are so cold, begging for them to wake up!!!! that mommy’s here. You know time is running out.
Then you realize that you have to let them go home to God. You climb in the bed and hold your child close to you in your arms, and signal the nurse to turn off the machine. In some ways now that I look back on that precious moment I was given a gift, although I did not realize it at the time. It took many years 17 to be exact to hold on to that memory of guiding my little boy into God’s loving arms.
No, I am not cheering what has happened here. But I feel a kindred spirit with the parents.
How do you know who has been faced with the choice between right and wrong and who hasn’t?
Every time I look into my husband’s eyes, I know I made the right choice. I don’t know how others face their demons, but I’m glad I don’t have that problem.
“How do you know who has been faced with the choice between right and wrong and who hasn’t?
Every time I look into my husband’s eyes, I know I made the right choice. I don’t know how others face their demons, but I’m glad I don’t have that problem.”
I am sorry did I miss something? Can you explain? Are you saying that I made the wrong decision? I don’t know. I am just telling my story. Peace Out.
He passed about 10 minutes after we turned off the machines. He will forever be two years old.
I love you Timmy.
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.