Family Appealing Hospital's Decision on Baby Joseph's Life

LifeNews.com ^ | February 28, 2011 | Steven Ertelt

[julieee]

Family Appealing Hospital's Decision on Baby Joseph's Life

London, Ontario -- The family of a 13-month-old baby boy says they are appealing the decision by a Canadian hospital to not allow him to have a tracheotomy so they can bring him home as they did eight years ago with their baby daughter Zina.

http://www.lifenews.com/2011/02/28/family-appealing-hospitals-decision-on-baby-josephs-life/

[Jonty30]

I don’t think it’s moral to support treatments, where there is no hope for treatment.

[Brilliant]

It’s not moral to let the government make these decisions. Tell the people it’s their money, they can order the operation if they are willing to pay for it.

[Jonty30]

I absolutely agree with you here.

[johniegrad]

I don’t think it’s moral to support treatments, where there is no hope for treatment.

I don't understand what you are saying here.

[pepperdog]

Why in the world won't they do a trach? It costs practically nothing and the parents just want to take their kid home and have him as long as possible. Do the trach, send the kid home, let his parents take care of him until he dies. The degree of resistance to this small surgery that would doubtlessly prolong his life, regardless of his brain activity, smacks of a power hungry, out of control government body. It seems they just want to prove they have the power of life and death and they WANT to turn off his vent and show the world how very powerful they are.

[Jonty30]

The parents want the operation, so they can take him home to die.

If there was a small chance the child would recover, I would support an operation.

I’d rather have the hospital time and resources and the doctor’s time and knowledge spent on somebody who might recover.

Yes, let the child be free of pain and discomfort. Yes, allow the parents to spend their few moments with the child.

No, to treatment that will do nothing more than delay death for a few hours.

[pepperdog]

I don’t think paying your own way is allowed under socialized medicine (or medicare for that matter).

[w1andsodidwe]

You have the right to your own views. But what gives you the right to impose them on others?

This in a nutshell is why government control of health care should not happen. There will always be people like you who want to impose their will on everyone else.

[CondorFlight]

It’s absurd that the government is making this decision
and not the parents.

[Joe Boucher]

hey stupids of America, Wake up. This is your future health care system that will cost us ALL LOTS more.
Raise hell with your congress criminal.

[w1andsodidwe]

There is no chance you are going to live forever, so let’s just off you now. How about that? Life is terminal, so let’s just get rid of everyone, except me, of course. Crazy crazy thinking.

[jenbean]

So you would rather the child suffocate to death in the hospital to save a few bucks? That is the problem with other people making decisions affecting your children, to them it is just money.

[Jonty30]

You’d have a point if the kid was cognizant of his environment. The only thing the kid cares about is being with his mommy.

[kaila]

A trach at home costs a lot of money. I will bet you that this baby will need a trach and a ventilator at home. A trach is just a means to maintain an airway and deliver room air or 02.
If this baby has a neurodegenerative disorder, he will probably need a trach with a home ventilator.
This is the home equipment you will need- ventilator, oxygen tank, pulse oxymeter with alarm, suction, trach and ventilator supplies, 24 hour home nursing, respiratory therapist support. He probably also has a G tube for feeds- so he will need enteral supplies ( formula, tubing) and a pump.
I think that if the parents want to pay for this out of pocket for futile home care-then have at it.
However, if the taxpayer has to fork out money for futile care that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars- there is better ways to spend the money.
The hospital cannot say anything about this patient due to privacy laws. We are only hearing one side of the story- the parents.
I do not think the hospital would want to cut off care if it was not futile- that is not in most health care providers mentality. I feel there is more to this story than what the parents are saying to the press.

[kaila]

The baby is going to suffocate to death anyway.
A ventilator only prolongs the death.
Many a baby dies on a ventilator.
Eventually, the body gives up, pumonary resistence increase, you pump in higher flow rates of 02, and the baby eventually dies.
This is not compassion, it is torture.

[kaila]

The baby is going to suffocate to death anyway.
A ventilator only prolongs the death.
Many a baby dies on a ventilator.
Eventually, the body gives up, pumonary resistence increase, you pump in higher flow rates of 02, and the baby eventually dies.
This is not compassion, it is torture.

[pepperdog]

It might be expensive, but as you said, that’s up the the parents. I don’t know about Canada, but in the part of the USA where I live churches and private organizations would be mobilizing to help with the expenses. I’m betting the same would happen in Canada were it allowed by the government.

[kaila]

It is up to the parents if they pay for all expenses, and have a physician willing to do futile care.
It is not up to parents to push for expensive , futile care on the taxpayer dime.

[DCBryan1]

This is not compassion, it is torture.

Is it torture for you to rejoice in the family's elation of him being home, and the miracle that he is breathing on his own now?

Please see new thread: BREAKING: Baby Joseph is home: defies critics by breathing completely on his own