Jahi McMath’s father sues hospital for trying to kill his daughter

LifeSiteNews ^ | 12/17/15 | Father Mark Hodges

[wagglebee]

OAKLAND, California, December 17, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) – 13-year-old Jahi McMath went into cardiac arrest after a routine tonsillectomy in 2013. Jahi was in oxygen-deprived cardiac arrest for two hours, causing brain damage. Though Jahi lived, her doctors said she was "brain-dead," and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland and Alameda County officials issued a death certificate. 

Since Jahi has been declared "dead," insurance no longer covers her health care.

Jahi's mother, Nailah Winkfield, sued Jahi's doctor, Dr. Frederick Rosen, for failing to tell her that Jahi's surgery would be "complex and risky" due to Jahi's susceptibility to heavy bleeding and for failing to share that risk with nurses taking care of her recovery after surgery.

Jahi began coughing up blood the morning after the surgery; the nurses didn't know she had a risk of serious hemorrhage. The nurses told Nailah Winkfield that Jahi's bleeding was "normal." One nurse even used a suction device to clear the bleeding. Eventually, Jahi's heart stopped, causing brain damage.

Now, Jahi's biological father, Milton McMath, has sued as well. 

Jahi caught the attention of the media when her mother refused to take her off life support. The Winkfields removed Jahi from Oakland to New Jersey, where she continues to live and her vitals are strong.

The Winkfields note that Jahi's heart is beating on its own, and her organs are not failing, as would be the case if she were brain-dead. They have released several videos showing Jahi moving and reacting to stimuli.

In October, a judge ruled that Jahi's family could present evidence to determine if she is alive or dead. If dead, the suit would be for wrongful death, with a maximum of $250,000 for damages.

If Jahi is declared legally alive, the lawsuit could be for many millions of dollars.

[ifinnegan]

An interesting comment from two years ago by one who did side with the “she is dead” brigade:

“If this girl recovers at all, we probably need to re-examine our criteria for designating brain death.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3109925/posts?page=18#18

[ifinnegan]

Hi exDemMom,

Could you comment on post 77.

I accidentally addressed it to wagglebee.

Thanks

[bboop]

Lee, I’m with you. It is their daughter, but I’d like to see ‘alive’ before I bought the family’s story. That’s just me.

[ifinnegan]

Hi MD Expat in PA,

Almost two years ago you wrote a lengthy and detailed post on Jahi McMath.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3108741/posts?page=26#26

Two paragraphs are:

“The heart has its own internal pacemaker (think of it like a battery pack for a laptop). With artificial respiration the heart continues to receive oxygen so the heart can continue beating after brain death, but without input from the brain, it will eventually stop even with artificial respiration, typically the heart can be kept beating in a brain dead person on a ventilator, but for not much longer than a month, although most people who have been verified to be brain dead are taken off life support by or before then so it is unclear how long the heart can be kept beating in a brain dead person while on vent.”

And

“It is unclear in Jahi’s case if her internal organs, other than her heart, are still functioning at this point and why a feeding tube is very likely futile and may even hasten her bodily deterioration as insertion and maintenance of a feeding tube has a high risk of infection and pumping nutrition directly into the stomach of a person who’s gastric system is likely no longer functioning, is probably why Children’s Hospital, and no doctor the family contacted, wanted to perform the procedure.”

Can you comment on Jahi McMath today, nearly two years later? It has certainly been much longer than a month.

[BykrBayb]

Thanks for sending out those pings ifinnegan. I hope we get some responses.

I noticed your post #77 to exDemMom ended up being addressed to Wagglebee instead, so this is a ping to her.

I too have a lot of faith in exDemMom’s integrity. I’d like to read her insights about this, knowing what we know now.

[ifinnegan]

Thanks.

I am curious as to if there will be responses.

I remember those threads because they were so frustrating in the close-mindedness and dogmatism of so many.

[exDemMom]

I am sorry, I did start to write an answer, but it is getting very long and I still have not said everything I want to say in it.

I cannot promise an answer today—I have to leave for work now, and I promised to go with my son to see Star Wars tonight. So this is also a ping to myself to finish up the answer that I want to post, maybe tomorrow.

[Drew68]

What do you say today?

I will say that it appears one of two things happened; either a miracle occurred or the doctors who declared her brain dead, of which there were several of them, were incorrect in this diagnosis. Recent photos show she clearly has not decomposed.

[wagglebee]

I've realized that NOTHING demonstrates who is and who isn't conservative better than their attitudes toward the sanctity of life.

How many "conservatives" have we seen who were so enraged by Obamacare and healthcare rationing say things like, "it's our money and if someone can't pay for healthcare they shouldn't get it"?

How many "conservatives" have we seen who were so opposed to death panels come on threads like this and blindly support the decision of what can only be described as a death panel?

How many "conservatives" have we seen who claim to be pro-life openly support abortion for certain classes of people?

A person is either pro-life from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death or they're not, there are no "nuances" or "loopholes" or "exceptions," it's all or nothing.

[goodwithagun]

Are you up to date on all of your vaccines?

[wagglebee]

Are you up to date on all of your vaccines?

What are you even talking about?

[goodwithagun]

I'm responding to your conservatives who find loopholes in the prolife movement rant. If you are vaccinated, then you could be one of the people about whom you are ranting. Many vaccines contain human diploid cells, which is a fancy way of saying cloned cells from aborted babies. If you've had your MMR, it was made thanks to aborted babies. Sick, right?

https://cogforlife.org/wp-content/uploads/vaccineListOrigFormat.pdf

[trisham]

Unbelievable.

[wagglebee]

I'm responding to your conservatives who find loopholes in the prolife movement rant.

Rant?

If you are vaccinated, then you could be one of the people about whom you are ranting.

I was vaccinated AS A CHILD long before ANYONE knew that fetal cells were used in vaccines. I have not been KNOWINGLY vaccinated with any fetal cells.

If you've had your MMR, it was made thanks to aborted babies. Sick, right?

Nice straw man though.

You have been all over this thread pushing for the death of a disabled teenager, rather than acknowledge that you were incorrect you continue to push an agenda.

If Jahi McMath was truly "brain dead" with her organs decomposing I would be the first to say it was time to take her off any type of life support. However, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. It's been two years, the fact that her organs aren't liquefying is absolute proof of brain function. Her heart is beating, that CANNOT happen when the brain is dead.

EVERYTHING you have said on this thread is DEMONSTRABLY FALSE, yet you continue to support killing Jahi.

[trisham]

A person is either pro-life from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death or they're not, there are no "nuances" or "loopholes" or "exceptions," it's all or nothing.

*********************

Amen. Well said, wagglebee.

[wagglebee]

I hope gas_dr replies, the Grand Inquisitor would have a good time with him.

[goodwithagun]

No, I’ve been pointing out that the author wrote that the surgery was routine. It was not. It is my practice to question the rest of the article if the author lies or lies by omission.

Don’t accuse me of pushing for death on this thread. I haven’t done that. Because you lie about this, I now question your validity on anything that you post.

Have a nice day.

[trisham]

I don’t know if this has previously been posted:

https://www.facebook.com/keepJahiMcmathonlifesupport

[wagglebee]

No, I've been pointing out that the author wrote that the surgery was routine. It was not. It is my practice to question the rest of the article if the author lies or lies by omission.

Tonsillectomies have been being performed for thousands of years, it is one of the most common surgeries performed in the United States. Yes, there are far less now than fifty years ago, but there are still over a half million a year. AND the removal of adenoids and the uvula is NORMAL with tonsillectomies AND the vast majority of tonsillectomies are performed on children with sleep disorders.

Don't accuse me of pushing for death on this thread. I haven't done that. Because you lie about this, I now question your validity on anything that you post.

From straw man to ad hominem, why am I not surprised.

Why EXACTLY are you on this thread if not to push the pro-death position? Your assertion that you check if "author lies or lies by omission" only holds up if you routinely do this on threads and from what I can tell you don't.

If you want to tell yourself that you aren't supporting a pro-death position, that's fine; however, the fact remains that you ARE repeating falsehoods contrived to support the murder of a young girl.

[goodwithagun]

Whatever helps you sleep at night.