She's brain dead, says the law. Kill or chill?

[Big Money]

Legally, the state of California considers 13-year-old Jahi McMath to be dead.


That’s because doctors have ruled McMath brain dead as a result of complications from a tonsillectomy that she underwent recently.


And in California, anyone who is ruled brain dead is also considered legally dead. So the state has decided that McMath is dead, even though she’s technically still alive thanks to a ventilator.


This presents a huge problem for McMath’s family and, specifically, McMath’s mother Nailah Winkfield.


That problem is that the Childrens' Hospital of Oakland is ready to take McMath off life support because of her condition.


However, Winkfield does not want her daughter to be taken off life support and wants the legal system to prevent the hospital from pulling the plug, which is what the hospital was forced to do recently when a temporary restraining order was issued.


“Despite what they say,” Winkfield said in a letter over the weekend, “she is alive. I can touch her, she is warm. She responds to my touch. Given time I know God will spark her brain awake.”




http://live.drjays.com/index.php/2013/12/23/should-this-mother-be-forced-to-take-her-13-year-old-child-off-of-life-support/

 

[Damocles]

A tonsillectomy? Dang. I had one of those.... unusual for such complications to arise. And like I said back when we argued this over Terry Schiavo, the family makes this call. In that case the husband as I would for my wife or children (with my wife if it were my kids).

 

[Big Money]

A tonsillectomy? Dang. I had one of those.... unusual for such complications to arise.

The risks are always there.

Do you think the hospital should pull the plug, or wait for a miracle?




BTW, here's a similar situation:




A Texas man said he wants to end life support for his pregnant wife.


Marlise Munoz, 33, became brain dead Nov. 26 when she collapsed from a suspected pulmonary embolism.


Her husband, Erick Munoz, a paramedic, found her on the living room floor of their home, and performed CPR before an ambulance arrived.


Erick Munoz said he and his wife, who was also a paramedic, had decided they didn't want to be kept alive by machines. He said he wants to end her life support.


Texas law, though, puts the rights of the fetus first.


"A person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment under this subchapter from a pregnant patient," the law says.


Munoz would have to get a judge to grant an injunction or restraining order in order to end the woman's life support.






http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/12/23/Texas-man-wants-to-end-pregnant-wifes-life-support/UPI-59541387805756/#ixzz2oJOfkHCV

 

[Damocles]

I think the parents need to hold that decision.

The reality is there is hope:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/10/dead-patient-wakes-up-remove-organs_n_3573215.html (a source even Desh will believe).

'Dead' Hospital Patient Wakes Up To Doctors Preparing To Remove Organs

It is no black/white decision. It may be rare, but Doctors are not perfect.

 

[Big Money]

Well, it has to be tough.

In the Cali case, the law says kill.

In Texas, it says chill.

I wonder if there will be more cases like this due to impacts of Obamacare?

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

According to liberals it is perfectly fine to terminate anyone who is not self aware.

 

[SmarterthanYou]

what constitutional authority or power does the state have over these decisions?

 

[Big Money]

According to liberals it is perfectly fine to terminate anyone who is not self aware.

Irony abounds, doesn't it?

 

[Big Money]

This just in:


A court appointed doctor testified on Tuesday that a 13-year-old Northern California girl is brain dead.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/24/brain-dead-teen-calif/4193359/

 

[Sun Devil]

Big Money you're fucking disgusting. The fact that you have those kinds of options is sickening how you could refer to a small child like this. Then again, racist cowards have no heart especially behind a computer.

 

[cancel2 2022]

According to liberals it is perfectly fine to terminate anyone who is not self aware.

Good grief they would have pulled the plug on Desh and the Dude years ago if that's the case.

 

[Big Money]

Big Money you're fucking disgusting. The fact that you have those kinds of options is sickening how you could refer to a small child like this. Then again, racist cowards have no heart especially behind a computer.

What other options are there?