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February 17, 2005
Apparently Euthanasia is legal in Boston
This woman is not in a coma. She is unable to speak because of Lou Gehrig's disease. There is no talk of her being brain dead.
But because a doctor believes she is suffering, a hospital believes the right thing to do is to remove lifesupport and let her die a death of suffocation while she is awake and conscious.
We are not dogs to be "put to sleep" because we are suffering. Doctors should not be doing this - it is different if a person is brain dead.
Lovely.
From the Boston Globe:
Hospital plans to remove patient from life support despite daughter's wishes
Hospital plans to remove patient from life support despite daughter's wishes February 17, 2005 BOSTON -- Massachusetts General Hospital said it will take a 79-year-old woman off life support next week -- against the wishes of her daughter -- and this time a judge has declined to block the move.Barbara Howe has advanced-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, an incurable and degenerative muscle condition. She has been in a hospital bed on a ventilator since 1997. She cannot speak and can barely move, but remains mentally alert, says her daughter, Carol Carvitt.
"Her face lights up when you talk to her," Carvitt said. "I visit her four times a week, and my sister visits her every single day. You can see the eye move back and forth and her mouth starts moving."
The hospital went to court last year to get permission to remove Howe from life support, but probate court Judge John M. Smoot ruled in Carvitt's favor, barring the hospital from disconnecting her. But the judge also advised Carvitt to consider what was in her mother's best interest, not what she believed her mother would want.
Dr. Britain Nicholson, Mass. General's chief medical officer, said Wednesday that he ordered Howe taken off life support next week following an evaluation that determined her condition had worsened and she was suffering. He said he informed Carvitt with a phone call and a letter earlier this month.Carvitt's lawyer, Gary Zalkin, went back to probate court seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the hospital from removing life support, but was turned down last week.
According to Zalkin, Smoot left Carvitt the option of renewing her motion after getting more information from the hospital. Zalkin said the family was reviewing its legal options.
"I'm devastated and I'm angry," Carvitt said. "Devastated because they're trying to terminate my mother's life. And angry because they're violating a court order."
The hospital said it plans no further legal action.
"This situation is very sad and enormously difficult for all those involved," the hospital said in a statement Thursday. "Everyone is focused on trying to do the right thing for Barbara Howe, but in this case, there are differing views about what the right thing is."
Posted by Beth at February 17, 2005 5:34 PM
Comments
*thinks, really hard*
Hang on... She's awake, aware, plenty of brain activity, the family representative opposes the removal of the equipment sustaining her bodily functions, and the hospital is trying to pull the plug?
In essence, making a living person into a dead one, right?
Isn't that called MURDER?
Maybe I'm just a dumb grunt, but that ain't right!
Posted by: Sgt. B. at February 17, 2005 6:11 PM
Hmph. And yet, Stephen Hawking is still allowed to live? How shocking!
Seriously, it would be one thing if she had a living will that explicitly stated that she wanted to have life support measures removed once she was completely incapacitated (FWIW, though, she probably won't suffer; in patients on a DNR who are in respiratory distress, hospitals generally give lots of morphine, which will minimize discomfort and hasten the inevitable).
Barring that scenario, I can't see how the hospital has any rights whatsoever in this situation. The judge that allows this to move forward should be removed from the bench.
Posted by: Kathleen at February 17, 2005 7:07 PM
I remember that when my Dad signed the death papers for my Mom, back in '01, that I insisted that he first cross out "withdraw" but leave "withhold." I think her brains were pretty much gone, at the time but I was not the least bit comfy with turning off the support she was already getting. The nurse guy seemed a bit annoyed with that. [shudder]
Posted by: Justthisguy at February 18, 2005 1:12 AM
Couldn't the daughter have her transfered to another hospital?
Posted by: Amy at February 18, 2005 4:17 PM
Amy-
That's exactly what I was thinking, but it may be a Medicaid issue at this point. Her care has undoubtedly cost tons of money by now.
That being said, THIS DISGUSTS ME. Even if she had a DNR in place, I don't see how her condition would qualify. Same with Terri Shiavo. This is murder. Plain and simple murder.
Posted by: AFSister at February 18, 2005 6:53 PM
Absolutely murder.
I shouldn't have read this. I just get infuriated.
Posted by: Alexa at February 19, 2005 9:12 AM
The bit I shuddered at the most was the following: "But the judge also advised Carvitt to consider what was in her mother's best interest, not what she believed her mother would want."
What THE!!? Surely that her mother wants to live should be a factor!!
Posted by: Amanda at February 20, 2005 4:29 PM
It is unfair to let her go this way. Leaving this existence could be a blessing given her circumstances but medically deserting her is a crime against medical oath.
Posted by: carolyn at February 20, 2005 10:02 PM