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http://aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,765563,00.html
I just read this in a swedish newspaper. It's a really sad story.
This man in Norway (Oddmund Hjartåker) lost his wife when their house was demolished by a landslide. His four-year old daughter Kristina survived, but barely so. She's now deaf and blind. The doctors believe that she'll never again be able to breathe without the respirator, so they want to shut it down.
Now, the father is devastated. He claims that he has made contact with her, and he naturally wants to keep her alive. So, next week the doctors will end little Kristinas life, unless the fathers attorney can convince the supreme court otherwise.
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Now, what do you guys think? Should the girl be kept alive although she can't see or hear anything? The doctors claim she's not even aware of her own existence, yet Oddmund claims that she has made eye-contact and that she can move.
Originally posted by stockenI thought the family had the final say in such matters. Why are the
http://aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,765563,00.html
I just read this in a swedish newspaper. It's a really sad story.
This man in Norway (Oddmund Hjartåker) lost his wife when their house was demolished by a landslide. His four-year old daughter Kristina survived, but barely so. She's now deaf and blind. The doctors believe that she'll never ...[text shortened]... her own existence, yet Oddmund claims that she has made eye-contact and that she can move.
doctors allowed to force their way on people in such a way?
Is Norway a socialist country like Sweden? Does the medical profession
there have that much power over life and death that they can
ignore the wishes of the parent?
We are going through something like that here, Grandma is obviously
dying but here in America, the family has the say as to whether
extraordinary means are used or not to keep someone alive.
Grandma in this case said no to that and its called a DNR
(Do Not Resuscitate)
Originally posted by sonhouseDoctors don't make such descisions lightly, but at the end of the day, if they believe she is not going to recover, they are better using the resources to help others who can be helped.
I thought the family had the final say in such matters. Why are the
doctors allowed to force their way on people in such a way?
Is Norway a socialist country like Sweden? Does the medical profession
there have that much power over life and death that they can
ignore the wishes of the parent?
We are going through something like that here, Grandma is ob ...[text shortened]... someone alive.
Grandma in this case said no to that and its called a DNR
(Do Not Resuscitate)
Originally posted by sonhouseI don't think this is a political decision. According to the doctors Kristina's treatment is hopeless and therefore the director of the hospital came to the conclusion that the treatment should end.
I thought the family had the final say in such matters. Why are the
doctors allowed to force their way on people in such a way?
Is Norway a socialist country like Sweden? Does the medical profession
there have that much power over life and death that they can
ignore the wishes of the parent?
We are going through something like that here, Grandma is ob ...[text shortened]... someone alive.
Grandma in this case said no to that and its called a DNR
(Do Not Resuscitate)
In Sweden (according to a footnote in the same article) this can't happen. We have laws against shutting down a respirator. The only reason allowed is if the patient is declared braindead.
Personally, I think it's a waste to end her life. Who knows what science will be able to do for her in five or ten years from now? And if Oddmund says he's made contact (although that could certainly be wishful thinking), the hospital should at least give it some time. To tear her away from him like this will create wounds in him that will take a long time to heal, I think. So, there's not just the girl to consider, but Oddmund (and the rest of the family) as well.
Originally posted by stockenIt sounds more like a topic for the Debates forum - don't expect to get many serious replies in the General forum.
http://aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,765563,00.html
I just read this in a swedish newspaper. It's a really sad story.
This man in Norway (Oddmund Hjartåker) lost his wife when their house was demolished by a landslide. His four-year old daughter Kristina survived, but barely so. She's now deaf and blind. The doctors believe that she'll never ...[text shortened]... her own existence, yet Oddmund claims that she has made eye-contact and that she can move.
I hadn't heard about this yet, so thanks for pointing me to it. For those who are interested, the Aftenposten (a Norwegian newspaper) has an article in English about it: http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1201821.ece
I know it's impossible to know what's really happening in a case you only have heard about through the media, but it does sound quite disturbing to me. There are countless examples of patients whom the doctors had given up, and who nevertheless recovered, or patients who regained abilities the doctors said they would never regain. Many doctors tend to be very pessimistic, and they tend to believe what they have learned more than what they see. One of my teachers in music therapy who works with coma patients told us about a patient who made a movement during music therapy which the doctor said he was unable to do. When she showed him the video of the session, he said it must be a mirror image! So if the doctors say this girl won't regain consciousness, or that she doesn't feel anything in her current state, I am not willing to just accept that as the truth. They may be right, but they may also be wrong, and that should a good enough reason to keep her alive.
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Originally posted by welsharnieOf course these are hard decisions for a hospital director to make. And, yes, the resources can be put to help other patients. Still, I think they're making the wrong decision here.
Doctors don't make such descisions lightly, but at the end of the day, if they believe she is not going to recover, they are better using the resources to help others who can be helped.
The good news is that the hospital has agreed to let her live until the appeal court has had their say on the matter. We'll see what happens.