I remember when my husband was at that point in his illness and they did a procedure on him as a last resort. There was some discussion from the medical professionals whether we should do the procedure. I asked if he would die without it and they said yes but he also could die doing it. There was only a slim chance of him living after a successful procedure anyway. But how can you say no to even a slim chance of survival. I authorized t he procedure and he endured it but died later that night. But had I not tried the the only slim chance, I would have agonized over not trying it. It is a tough place to be. The procedure with Baby Joseph may kill him and sending him home with a trach may only give a few more months of life but turning off the vent will bring death. Their are no villians here...but a hard place to be for sure.
Priests for Life Announces that Baby Joseph is in a hospital in St. Louis following a night of long negotiotions and personal intervention from Father Pavone.
"Priests for Life staff toiled through the night for many nights, working in concert with dozens of people to make this possible," Father Pavone said of the nighttime rescue mission. "Now that we have won the battle against the medical bureaucracy in Canada, the real work of saving Baby Joseph can begin."
Father Pavone said Baby Joseph's transfer was accomplished through the efforts of a number of people, including his parents; family spokesman Sam Sansalone; family attorney Claudio Martini; Bobby Schindler of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Dr. Martin McCaffrey, a neonatologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Medical School; the Rev. Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition in Washington, D.C., and attorney CeCe Heil from the American Center for Law and Justice, also in D.C. Father Frank also thanked the many other Canadian pro-life groups and individuals who have been consistent and heroic in their advocacy for Baby Joseph and for all the vulnerable."
Fox News Article: EXCLUSIVE: 'Baby Joseph' Gets Second Chance at Life in U.S.
9 comments:
"Now that we have won the battle against the medical bureaucracy in Canada, the real work of saving Baby Joseph can begin."
Saving Baby Joseph? Saving? His condition is fatal and he is already living in a vegetative state and would immediately die without a ventilator. There is no saving Baby Joesph. They are just using him for politics. The Candian medical bureacracy ensures that everyone receives quality health care in Canada. Meanwhile, in the states, where so many go without adequate healthcare or lose everything to cover their medical bills, a lost case like Baby Joseph is brought in. Shame on Priests for Life. Shame on Fox News. Shame on this hospital. This baby should have been taken off the ventilator and allowed to die. The London hospital had even made arrangements for this to happen at home.
Interesting Susie, I see you have deleted some past comments from me on this case and other posts.
Not so Anonymous. I had trouble with the website this AM and some of the past comments got deleted. I tried to go and recover as many as I could that were recent. Your comments are always welcome.
Susie, I'm sorry about your husband. I agree with you that some of this doesn't make sense, but I am so sorry for that family too. I just hope he isn't suffering.
Not so anonymous... I like that! Oh, I have no doubt you know who I am Susie. It's just a wonder you let me comment still.
I too am sorry for you loss. You ask, how can you not do something when there is a chance f survival? I agree, it's a tough decision. And one that is tough to make for a loved one.Another good reason to have clear end-of-life documentation , so that the decision making isn't on someone else or it is at least easier for them.
You sat there was a chance of survival. Sadly in the case of Baby Joseph there isn't. This is politicing and it's very sad.
I do not know who you but all your comments have been published. My late husband did have a living will but it does not cover every situation that can come up when faced with a terminal illness. I choose to have a medical durable power of attorney to make those calls for me instead of a living will since there is no way I could imagine every circumstance that comes up.
Good that he had the documentation Susie and obviously you would have then had some discussion about his wishes.
Sadly, too many people don't and that's what the proposed regulations were adressing. Unfortunately Sarah Palin falsely turned that into cries of "death panels!!!!". Even without the government support for/promotion of living wills and the like, hopefully more people will make a point of having them.
From Lifenews.com
“If there is a chance this boy can live, we have to explore every option. Now that we have won the battle against the medical bureaucracy in Canada, the real work of saving Baby Joseph can begin,” said Father Pavone.
Pavone and Joseph’s father appeared on a Fox News show yesterday to talk about the latest developments.
“When God wants to take his life he will take it. And nobody can say no to God,” Moe Maraachli said.
Pavone talked about the rationale behind helping the infant.
“We’re not saying that people should be kept alive at any cost. Nor are we saying that there’s any specific treatment plan here that we’re imposing,” Pavone said. “What we’re saying is ‘Give the baby reasonable care and listen to the parents who want to give the baby a second chance in an American hospital"
Ther real work of saving Baby Joseph can begin? Sorry, but Fr. Pavone is an idiot or thinks others are.
When God wants to take a life he will? Well, in that case these people shpould listen to God. The only way this poor baby is staying alive is by mechanical ventilation. Without that he will die. Why prolong his suffering? Why spend limited money and resources on a hopeless case?
Today, from News Hounds:
During this morning's "Fox & Friends," Ainsley Earhardt (another Fox "bubble headed bleached blonde?") claimed that "Baby Joseph" was "rescued from a hospital in Canada earlier this week by a group called 'Priests for Life' just hours before being taken off of life support at the orders of the government run panel in Canada". As I have reported, this is not true. While it's hard to believe that a radical "pro-life" Catholic priest would lie, it does appear that this vision of a super secret "raid on Entebbe" pro-life "rescue mission" is based on Pavone's fantasy and not the truth. But within the short soundbite, Fox was able to pack in the propaganda about evil Canadian death panels, and by promoting Frank Pavone's rescue myth, provide a shout out to their "pro-life" audience. So it was all good....
The child's case was under appeal to the Ontario's medical Consent and Capacity Board. Life support was not going to removed until the appeal was heard. According to the family's lawyer, Claudio Martini, the hospital "was co-operative and 'respectful' of the parents' decision" to move the child and "responded promptly." He also noted that the transfer "was not as dramatic as portrayed by Father Pavone and his Priests for Life group, who used the phrase 'under the cover of darkness'.” This myth plays into the rightwing meme that "Obamacare" is based on cold, heartless, Canadian health care that includes "death panels." As promoted by the radical anti-choice Pavone, it also suggests that the Canadian hospital are "baby killers" - a phrase very popular with the anti-choice right wing whose "pro-life" responses to what they perceive as "murder," get rather homicidal. So it's not surprising that the Canadian hospital has been "targeted with threats through social media and e-mail, many of them originating from “members of U.S.-based groups.”
Post a Comment