Posted on 09/14/2006 1:46:18 PM PDT by Diago
Speaking of prayers for babies, 23 Weeks, is the blog of the parents of Emmie-Rose, a little girl who was born on July 15 at only 23 weeks gestation. She has been fighting for life ever since, but at the beginning of this month, they found that she’s missing her intestine. Emmie-Rose’s parents have been looking for options or even a chance to let their daughter live as long as possible, but the hospital (in Cleveland, I gather from context) is washing their hands of her.
On September 3, they told the parents that their daughter would only live a few more days, but she’s still holding on. The hospital’s “ethics” committee met and determined that since the girl is going to die anyway that they would withhold further food and blood transfusions. But if she’s going to die anyway, why hasten her death? They’re also obstructing efforts by the parents to find another hospital to take Emmie-Rose by telling those hospitals they shouldn’t. And even though Emmie-Rose’s doctors want to try new treatments the “ethics” committee won’t let them. This is what the commmittee said:
ETHICS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
Since physicians have determined that the patients condition is terminal and incurable, further medical interventions other than comfort measures are futile and transfer to another facility does not serve the best interest of this child. Furthermore, since continued medical interventions offer no reasonable medical benefit to the patient and such interventions serve only to postpone the moment of death, the treatment team is under no moral obligation to continue life-sustaining treatment. The parent’s right to seek a second opinion has been met. Since it has been determined that no additional interventions can be offered to this child, there is no benefit in transferring her to another facility.
In other words, they have sentenced their child to die based on their own “infallible” judgment. Why not try? The baby is living and fighting? Why not even carry with normal measures such as food and blood transfusions? What do they have to lose ... except time and money?
Please pray for Emmie-Rose, her parents, and the hospital administrators. The culture of death has sunk its claws in very deep and this baby’s life is at stake.
Technorati Tags:blogs, end-of-life care, ethics, euthanasia, health care, preemie
How can one live without an intestine?
Doesn't sound like that would be an alternative for a baby.
Sadly, there are a number of young children who have to do that. My father in law sees them, and it tears him up. But I don't know how old you have to be to have that type of procedure.
Best wishes to your father-in-law. In laws are sometimes made the butts of comic jokes but mine are the greatest. When my wife passed away nine years ago today they made hell bearable.
our son also has crohns disease. he is, fortunately, doing
well and has never had to be hospitalized, never had to have
any surgical procedures, etc. he spent time taking steroids
to get it under control but is on maintenance meds only now.
i taught a little kdg. who was born with most of her
intestines and parts of her bladder on the outside of her
skin. she had many surgeries early in life and was able to
eat normally. we needed to assist her in the restroom by
inserting a tube into a stoma so she could urinate. not a
major deal compaired to this situation, but this was many
yrs ago and medical technology has come a long way since
then, i'm sure. this baby should be allowed every option .
I agree.
Prayers for this child, and her family. What may have happened is that portions of her intestine have died - a common complication of extreme prematurity, and sadly, a common cause of death.
It seems unlikely that the doctors did not discover missing intestines until more than a month after her birth. It is a tribute to the hospital's care (and the child's spirit) that she has lived so long. I do not know if the hospital is right or wrong in wanting to stop treatment - sometimes the intestines can be treated surgically - sometimes it's a losing battle.
Mrs VS
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