She is a true child of God and let me tell you, God is very good! Even now the doctors cannot explain and are always amazed that she has not progressed and still walks. She can even run.
Last year at age 13 they finally decided to do bone surgery on her very deformed ankles, but before they did, the surgeon told us no one really goes this long without ending up in a wheelchair, and he just didn't see putting her through the surgery because she would be in a wheelchair soon anyway. But he ordered the scans and guess what - she has not progressed in her disease since she was five.
They cannot figure it out. They reluctantly did the surgery. Actually that was about 2 years ago.
You can really see the differences in doctors at times. I mean the surgeon at Childrens was probably a nice guy and all but he just saw no hope for my daughter at all, or for the future.
In contrast the neurologist we had, the one who ordered and did the scans, was a really great guy. He spoke very positively about my daughter and her future and nearly celebrated personally when he told me the good news about her lack of progression.
Most of you paid very little attention to the thread above which I posted a few days ago, but let me explain to you why this is so important, for those of you staying in this country. :-)
The thread is about a new trend in ending life support, which is all about the feelings of the physician.
In 1806, German physician Christoph Hufeland wrote "It is not up to the doctor whether life is happy or unhappy...and should he incorporate these (personal) persepctives into his trade, he could well become the most dangerous person in the state".
133 years later in Germany, this is exactly what happened.
Actually the idea of euthanasia, history shows us, is gradually introduced and accepted in a culture. Wesley writes about this also in his book, how an idea becomes settled in a culture, how it goes from the unthinkable to debatable to justified and finally to unexceptional.
The first place the guidelines are loosened is in the healthcare field itself. There are debates and philosophical discussions, all usually outside the public sphere, until the first test cases begin ( which is where we are now in some states). In the test cases, the judges rely on the same medical people who are bucking the system to make legal decisions, which then bring the issue in as a precedent. After which the media begin to pick up the issue, and finally the public agree.
I think there is still a small chance for this country because the media are not completely sold yet, but the legal system is a goner for euthanasia. And so is the medical field. I can give you personal examples, but trust me on this. For the last 10 years I have seen the incredible hatred of the disabled in my own workplace. A diabetic is brought in about to seize and the paramedics are at the nurses station talking loudly about how the man is faking it, and what a jerk he is. I get a blood sugar of 32 on the man. (32 is usually the number at which most people are already in a seizure.)
And that is just one example. Before all this came up, I have long been worried for my son, who has diabetes. The medical field hates diabetics, even if you don't think so. It's all their fault if they can't control their disease perfectly, which is an impossible task for the most brilliant person.
Anyway, it's coming here, the cultural swings. For those of you staying I hope you are ready.
I used to think for years that what happened in Nazi Germany was about Hitler, but you know what? It was all there ready to be hatched before Hitler stepped up to the plate. The doctors were already euthanizing the disabled kids of parents, who were willingly bringing them in to be killed, and it was accepted practise. There was very little dissent.
If you think this is unbelieveable you should read about the recent killing in Canada of a child with cerebral palsy by her father. He gassed her in the garage with the car running. When they went after him, the public outpouring defending what he did was overwhelming.
Because the child was disabled, people thought he did the right thing. There was another case here very recently where a family starved a 17 year old of their own with CP. It is picking up speed, and it is following all of the same paths that were present in Germany, though admittedly much slower.
We must learn from history. You know what happens when we don't.
I'm very happy to hear that your daughter is doing well, MarMema.