'Baby Joseph' in London, ON

[athanasios]

Now you compare a triple bypass with tracheostomy and taking care of a disabled patient...

Your medical knowledge surprises us.

At least can I dare ask if you have ever seen a triple bypass from inside the operation room?

[Dragoon Knight]

Now you compare a triple bypass with tracheostomy and taking care of a disabled patient...

Your medical knowledge surprises us.

At least can I dare ask if you have ever seen a triple bypass from inside the operation room?

[colour=#005FFF]The comparison was not direct. Why would you even think it was meant to be?

What Dante was saying is that it's a waste of money. Spending funds on something that will do nothing but make a family feel better about where their offspring will die, when that same money could be better spent elsewhere. Like saving someone's life.

Maybe something like... a triple bypass? Do you understand now? It's like wasting your money on filling up the petrol tank of a car about to get scrapped. And no, before you try it, I'm not belittling the value of a human life or any such tripe. I'm just using a metaphor.[/colour]

[Dante]

It wasn't a comparison, stupid. But you try and tell me that both procedures don't use anaesthetic, surgical teams, life support equipment... money. No, I've never watched a triple bypass, and even if I had, it would have been from the observation room. Is this at all relevant?

The child isn't disabled, ath, it's dying. You seem to be having trouble with this notion. There is no long goodbye, no years of steady decline. Now is it sensible to throw money at a person who could be dead in a month, or spend it on someone with a chance of living to see next christmas?

Edit: Oh, hey, Dragoon got here first. Well nevermind, at least this shows that we don't coordinate everything.

[SandChigger]

And as Yoda would say, "...Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering

As in "I hate to suffer fools even a little, and never ever gladly"?

[ErasOmnius]

Edit: Oh, hey, Dragoon got here first. Well nevermind, at least this shows that we don't coordinate everything.

Yeah, you think you guys would yell down the hallway in your 2-bedroom apartment... or is it 1-bedroom?

[Dante]

Finally came out with your suspicions, I see. I was wondering when you'd get around to that. FYI, Dragoon and I live a good thirty or so miles apart and haven't met in person for about a month (and before that it was Hallowe'en). Given that, as previously stated, Dragoon is straight, I'm not sure what gave you the idea that we might be anything other than what we say we are. Believe me, the thought of being anything closer than friends repulses us both.

Silver lining: it's just one more thing for you to be wrong about.

[athanasios]

Draggon straight? (thanks for info-anyway it is not my business). Personally let me express my doubts if you are human beings.

[Dante]

Oh don't worry, I always thought I was better than that.

[Dragoon Knight]

Draggon straight? (thanks for info-anyway it is not my business). Personally let me express my doubts if you are human beings.

[colour=#005FFF]What? Do you find it surprising that someone who is straight can have the opinions I do? Can argue just as vehemently against this sort of idiocy?

I find this assumption by yourself and Eras very telling.

Also, it's Dragoon. As for your doubt about us being "human beings"? What else would we be? People make these sorts of decisions every day. They're called doctors.[/colour]

[athanasios]

Machines that traveled through a time-wormhole. ;-)

[ErasOmnius]

Thank God he can have a dignified death.

[athanasios]

Agreed.

[ErasOmnius]

Baby Joseph is back in the Windsor-London, ON, Canada area after having to go to St Louis , MO, USA to get a tracheotomy. What a lot of bother just to get a simple procedure for the poor child. Hopefully he will be able to live out the rest of his days in peace in SW Ontario.

[athanasios]

Now he can rest in peace in a dignified manner.

[Andrew]

There are 2 parts to this argument.

1. Parental right to prolong life as long as possible for their son who can not give consent. Knowing no chance of normal life.

I'd have to agree with parental rights to a certain extent. Although Doctors usually know what they are talking about and should take their counsel.

2. Ethically why they would want to prolong the babys apparent suffering. They can't detach themselves from him?

This I would have to disagree with. Baby will turn into nothing at all, why prolong it? I do agree with having option of baby at home to die (such as take off ventilator etc), but there would have to be doctor supervision to ensure no long term suffering. They should definitely have a "Do not resuscitate" clause in effect. Otherwise they are heartless parents.

[ErasOmnius]

That's a good point Andrew. Hopefully the parents have all of those 'Do not Rescuitate' orders on file, as well being able to make the decision to refuse him all artificial life support [beyond food and water].