State Intervention when parent and doc disagree on treatment

by purplesofa 5 Replies latest watchtower medical

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080261/

    Interesting the percentage of yes and no. I actually thought there would be more for YES.

    purps

    Should the state intervene when a parent and doctor disagree over a child's treatment? * 7322 responses
    Yes
    49%
    No
    51%
    Thank you for voting. Click to send us an e-mail to share your thoughts. Plus, see past voting results.
    Tune in to MSNBC for the latest analysis. This is not a scientifically valid survey. Click to learn more.

    FREE VIDEO
    Launch
    Losing custody
    June 9: Michele and Edward Wernecke and their attorney Luis Corrona talk to "Today" show anchor Matt Lauer about losing custody of their daughter after refusing radiation treatment for her disease.

    Today show

    Kerry Sanders
    NBC News

    A 12-year old Texas native who is battling Hodgkin’s disease is also celebrating the success of the first part of her cancer treatments.

    “I have been fine for two months since the last chemo treatment”

    Now doctors say she needs radiation, but Katie and her parents say, enough.

    Her father Edward Wernecke says, “If the cancer is not active right now and growing, there's no evidence that it's actually alive even, from the last report 30-days ago, why are we going to do this barbaric treatment which will injure and damage her."

    Katie herself in a statement recorded by her parents says, “I am gaining weight and my hair is coming back. I feel great. I don't need radiation treatment and nobody asked me what I wanted. It's my body.

    Texas child protective services says she’s in no position to decide what she wants and they’ve taken Katie into custody.

    “This is a life threatening illness and she could die if she doesn’t get this treatment,” said Darrell Azar of Texas Child Protection Services.

    Who gets to decide what is good for Katie?

    Her parents say this is an issue of parental rights, but Texas state officials say those rights do not include the right to gamble with Katie’s life.

    “We're trying to protect Katie. She's my only girl. I love her and I don't want this for her,” Katie’s father said.

    But the government has a different view, “It’s always difficult and it’s upsetting when the government has to get involved in the inner-workings of a family. And we understand the family being upset, but our position is that we have to protect the well being of the child, and their interest comes first.

    A Texas judge issued an order preventing the state of Texas from beginning radiation without first analyzing a new scan of Katie’s chest.

    That scan is now scheduled for Friday.

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  • Aude_Sapere
    Aude_Sapere

    I caught part of this on TV this evening.

    There was a history of these same parents refusing blood for i think the same child.

    I think this situation is not so cut and dry - court taking custody because of medical decisions. There are often conflicting medical advise given by different doctors.

    I remember a friend who had twins. One was born with a heart defect. We called him 'cryin' ryan'. One pediatric cardiologist wanted to do surgery right away. Second opinion gave them very different advise: Wait until after 2 because better chance of child surviving the surgery.

    BOTH parents loved the baby. One sided with one doctor and the other favored the other's advise. It drove a terrible wedge in the parents' marriage and one parent gave serious consideration to taking the baby into hiding to prevent the surgery.

    Stories like these make me leary to let the government intervene. JWs and their blood policy help me lean the other way.

    I can completely understand the 51% v 49% poll results.

    -Aude.

  • crazyblondeb
    crazyblondeb

    A couple years ago I had the priviledge of helping the hospital were I worked to take guardianship of a toddler with leukemia. The elders were ruthless with the young couple. (Got to have security escort them out of the hosoital!) Later, the mom thanked me for getting the heat off them. The elders had even tried to talk them into removing the child.

    I'd help do that again if I had the chance!

    shelley

  • Funchback
    Funchback

    purps-

    Thanks for this. Sorry that I missed this before, and I'm sorry that I posted a new thread about the update to this. If I had known, I would have simply posted it here (which is what I'll do now).

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/14/92398/1.ashx (update of the story).

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    hey no worries..........thanks for the update!!!

  • estrelasb
    estrelasb

    Shelley,

    Could you give me some more information on that story, links etc...????

    I want to present it to my family including those who are not JW´s but still have no clue what goes on within the church.

    Thanks

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