Teen transplant patient dies after setbacks

Raleigh News and Observer ^ | Saturday, February 22, 2003 6:20PM EST | By EMERY P. DALESIO, The Associated Press

[AlwaysLurking]

"the family declined to donate any organs from Jesica's body, including the heart and lungs that she received in the second transplant."

[Ken522]

Can the parents sue the hospital on this one? Just curious ...

[ewing]

Why am I not suprised that the family is not donating Jessica's organs?

[WellsFargo94]

I found this to be very interesting too.

[Catspaw]

The transplanted organs can't be reused. As far as anything else in her body being used, she was on kidney dialysis, so her kidneys were out as donated organs, and she was on so many drugs that most, if not all of her organs were unusable. The only thing that could possibly be used were her corneas and possibly her skin as skin grafts, and that's a real stretch.

[upchuck]

My sympathy to the girl's family.

But once again the press dances around the fact that this girl and her family are criminal aliens.

I was playing pool with some friends last night and this story came on TV. My friends were all saying, "What a shame," etc. I said "Are you aware she and her family are illegal aliens?" Their demeanor changed pretty dramatically. One said, "I hope none of my tax dollars were used for this."

[AlwaysLurking]

I just can not tell you if they can sue. They are illegal aliens. They have been living for three years off the kindness of family and friends.

I can only imagine that some "john Edwards" type lawyer is already circling to get a piece of this action.

[Trust but Verify]

I'd be extremely surprised if any of the organs would have been suitable for transplant to begin with. It could be this is a moot point.

[Agent007]

Well, this is no surprise. Good reporters, instead of going with the flow of sensationalism, should be asking three major questions:
1. Were these people , illegal aliens , entitled to such medical favors? 2. Why was this guy Mahoney,who barely can speak any spanish, so attached to Jessica and why he took her under his wing for the past 2 plus years? and 3. How was he able to become the power of attorney and who now controls/orchestrates all their legal matters and tort spoils, of which there will be a windfall for sure.....Any good reporters out there?

[OldFriend]

CNN stating that the family declined to allow any of their daughter's organs to be donated..........is ridiculous on it's face. I would doubt that any of her organs would be suitable for transplant.

[AlwaysLurking]

I think that all the "good reporters" are on the hot Michael Jackson nose story! LOL!

But your questions are good.

[AlwaysLurking]

Well...I do not know if her organs were viable but I can tell you that as a mother, if my precious daughter had just been cut stem to stearn TWICE in a month, you would cut her open again over my dead body!

[Agent007]

Illegal aliens , now numbering about 20 million from Mexico, cost the US officially about 400 million dollars per year in MEDICAL services alone...that's the official amount....it does not include other benefits for the illegals, of which there are MANY....including forms of welfare and social security.

[Agent007]

Thank you....they are esential questions I think, indeed.

[ewing]

I believe the corneas are always available for donation.

[woofer]

I can only imagine that some "john Edwards" type lawyer is already circling to get a piece of this action.

I can guarantee you that John "Is That A Waaah-bulance Ahead?" Edwards will argue that the family has every right to sue as long as the carrion eat...um..lawyer that convinces them that a 50-50 contingency is a good deal agrees to donate to his campaign.

[Tacis]

Yeah, but how about the two Americans who were murdered because of Duke's efforts on behalf of a criminal illegal alien? There are a limited number of heart/lung organ donations and the life span of each is very short. Further, the need is much greater than the supply.

Thus, when the first heart/lung donation was given to affirmative action Jessica, someone else didn't get them and is either still waiting or has died. The same is true with the second set.

I assume that some sort of visa would be available for a foreigner who wanted to come to the US for health care. Why wouldn't Duke have required that? The answer probably is, "Time was very short." And, that is true but it is also true for the two Americans who played by the administrative rules and got on a list and are still waiting or have died.

Why would Duke have run this criminal to the top of the line? Even though I'm certain the is federal taxpayer money involved here, I hope Duke and the medicos involved get their respective butts sued off. Maybe Mexico will help pay their liabilities.

[octobersky]

Good questions! And to add to your first question I would like to know how much priority (if any) she was given over law-abiding citizens with the same level of need.

[Darksheare]

"Puff did not know if the hospital had the Santillans' consent to turn off the machines."
Uh oh.
Lawsuit if they didn't.
*In Mr Rodgers voice* Can you say 'murder' children?

What a dopy chain of events....
Tragic as well.
The parents have my prayers.
the Hospital has my emnity.

[AndrewC]

Illegal aliens , now numbering about 20 million from Mexico, cost the US officially about 400 million dollars per year in MEDICAL services alone...that's the official amount....it does not include other benefits for the illegals, of which there are MANY....including forms of welfare and social security.

That would be $20 per person per year. I wonder if they pay that amount in various sales taxes and unclaimed income taxes? Let me see, my casio says that they would have to spend $250 per year/per person at a tax rate of 8% to accrue that amount. Seems "unreasonable" to me, however, the question is really a question of respect for the law not economics.