Only god has the right

Boz33 said:
Nee way of saying, and not coming across as a twat, but at the end of the day the kids quality of life has to take precedence over people's feelings. The poor kid will most likely die, what's the point in prolonging the little lads suffering, but I suppose people have different reactions and grab onto any forlorn hope even though I suspect deep down they know it's maybe not the right choice.

I think Janey summed it up pretty well with her real life experience and making the shit choice for the benefit of the kid.

@janey, I'd have liked your post but it's one of them awkward posts where never sure whether to like or not if you know what I mean :(
Click to expand...
I know exactly what you mean x
 


janey said:
I’ve got every sympathy, and please don’t think I’m harsh, I fully understand why parents would want to cling to any hole, but is it in his best interests if he’s suffering, and being told there is no hope.
When me niece was in neo-natal we knew she wasn’t going to make it, the doctors wanted to give it another day, they were brilliant and because we’d lost me sister wanted to do absolutely everything they could.
But me mam told them “you promised you wouldn’t do this, you promised if she was suffering you’d not let it go on”
They switched off her machine, heartbreaking though it was it was a decision that had to be made for her, not for us. :cry:
Click to expand...
I’ve liked this but not cos I like it but because from what you have said, it was the right thing to do.
 
Some Random Guy said:
Not to sound like a **** but isn't it intense medical intervention that's keeping him alive right now rather than god?


I find it really easy to sneer at parents in cases like this, fuck knows how I would react in a similar situation. My heart goes out to them, it just an awful case for all involved.
Click to expand...
Please don’t think I’m sneering but I do think they ( the parents)are getting this wrong, very wrong.
If got was so ace, the kid wouldn’t be like this and if “god” got his was, the kid would have died quite a while ago.
 
cornish mackem said:
Please don’t think I’m sneering but I do think they ( the parents)are getting this wrong, very wrong.
If got was so ace, the kid wouldn’t be like this and if “god” got his was, the kid would have died quite a while ago.
Click to expand...
I have the same view mate. As an atheist that has no emotional involvement in the case it's easy for me to take my blinkers off and be objective though.
 
Some Random Guy said:
I have the same view mate. As an atheist that has no emotional involvement in the case it's easy for me to take my blinkers off and be objective though.
Click to expand...
It’s painful reading the story never mind living it in real life.
I’ve been on the pointy end of palliative care and imo is the best aspect of modern day medicine as we know it. We are not going to stop people dying but we can make it better.

yorkyexile said:
As cold and uncaring as it sounds I can`t see how a parent can make an objective decision in those circumstances
Click to expand...
Some people can. I don’t know if I’m one of them mind but I’d like to think I would be
 
yorkyexile said:
I am a parent and i`m saying it now. I couldnt be objective about it. I`m fucked with a stubbed toe let alone something as enormous as this
Click to expand...
Everyone would have difficulty making the choice, but when it gets to the point your going to court to fight the medical advice it must occur to any parent, you know maybe the docs and nurses do know what's best.
 
Frijj said:
An informed decision is a decision taken in full appreciation of the evidence. You don’t have to take the evidence-based route, but likewise if you have total misinformation ruling your judgment I cannot see how this is an informed choice.

A patient who chooses to go without cancer therapy in full appreciation of the evidence of the costs and benefits is making an informed choice.

A patient who chooses homeopathy over chemotherapy based on bad science isn’t.

For me the same principles apply here. Their judgement is based on a belief in religion which I cannot accept is a reliable source of evidence, and thus their decision cannot be “informed”
Click to expand...

I dont accept their view is the right decision, probably the opposite from the little bit of info in the article. The obvious flaw is they believe god should make the decision but if that was the case this child wouldnt be alive now. I just think they believe they are making an informed decision on what they have available to them. If they give more weight to religious beliefs than scientific evidence then thats up to them. Luckily we have a legal process where complex cases like this can be considered from an independent point of view, making sure the best interests of the child are priority.

I'm not sure I would be going along with what the medics told me if I was getting some responses from my child as she says she is. Must be horrendous for the parents
 
Last edited:
Frijj said:
I don’t think they can. But I’m not a parent and I’m sure parents would feel entirely different...
Click to expand...
You don’t have to be a parent. Could you make the call on a sibling or parent?
I did make a similar one on my dads care a few years ago, standing in front of a nurse who wanted to give antibiotics to him when he was dying. It’s tough.
 
Frijj said:
I thought that too. Sometimes the decision needs to be taken out of the parents hands, when the parent demonstrates to medical professionals they can’t make an informed judgement.
Click to expand...

The patient is the child, not the parents.

The Doctors ultimate responsibility is to the child, not the parents. Tbey are obliged to act in the childs interests, not the parents.
 
janey said:
I’ve got every sympathy, and please don’t think I’m harsh, I fully understand why parents would want to cling to any hole, but is it in his best interests if he’s suffering, and being told there is no hope.
When me niece was in neo-natal we knew she wasn’t going to make it, the doctors wanted to give it another day, they were brilliant and because we’d lost me sister wanted to do absolutely everything they could.
But me mam told them “you promised you wouldn’t do this, you promised if she was suffering you’d not let it go on”
They switched off her machine, heartbreaking though it was it was a decision that had to be made for her, not for us. :cry:
Click to expand...
That's not harsh, it's human.

The main story is human too but you're right, it can't go on indefinitely.
 
Last edited:
Tommasi said:
Is it god that's keeping him alive seeing the poor sod can't breathe for himself? Surely if the doctors removed care that's the only way they are really leaving it in god's hands?
Click to expand...
This.

Some Random Guy said:
Not to sound like a **** but isn't it intense medical intervention that's keeping him alive right now rather than god?


I find it really easy to sneer at parents in cases like this, fuck knows how I would react in a similar situation. My heart goes out to them, it just an awful case for all involved.
Click to expand...
I know exactly what i would do. I would listen to the medical experts and do what was correct for the child not for me.
 
Chappers said:
This.


I know exactly what i would do. I would listen to the medical experts and do what was correct for the child not for me.
Click to expand...
"Mr Haastrup and Miss Thomas previously submitted a claim for clinical negligence against King's College Hospital, separate to the High Court ruling.

The King's spokeswoman said an investigation "highlighted some failings" in its care.

"We apologise unreservedly to the family," she added."

Reading that bit I can see why these parents have went to court and might not just trust the medical experts at kings college hospital. I think I would have done the same.
 
yorkyexile said:
ah but what if god created the doctors to end suffering?
Click to expand...

If that's the case, they should let them do his will.
But of course they won't see it like that.

Agreed with @cornish mackem I wouldn't want to be in their position, and I hope I never am.
However, if there was no way that my child would recover or have ANY quality of life, the kindest thing to do would be to stop them suffering.
The poor kid is already having machines breath for him.
I'm not religious, but if that isn't God saying "It's time", I don't know what is.

safcsafc said:
Reading that bit I can see why these parents have went to court and might not just trust the medical experts at kings college hospital. I think I would have done the same.
Click to expand...

They have every right to take them to court if there were failings in the care which has resulted in the situation they're now in, BUT no amount of medical care is going to reverse what's happened
 

Back
Top