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Netherlands Hospital Carrying Out Euthanasia for a Few Terminally Ill Babies
Netherlands (AP) - A hospital in the Netherlands - the first nation to permit euthanasia - recently proposed guidelines for mercy killings of terminally ill newborns, and then made a startling revelation: It has already begun carrying out such procedures, which include administering a lethal dose of sedatives.
The announcement by the Groningen Academic Hospital came amid a growing discussion in Holland on whether to legalize euthanasia on people incapable of deciding for themselves whether they want to end their lives - a prospect viewed with horror by euthanasia opponents and as a natural evolution by advocates.
Examples include extremely premature births, where children suffer brain damage from bleeding and convulsions; and diseases where a child could only survive on life support for the rest of its life, such as severe cases of spina bifida and epidermosis bullosa, a rare blistering illness.
Originally posted by Dr Love
What happens in the case of divorced parents with one parent wanting to end their child's supposed suffering and the other disagreeing?
Originally posted by FredT
Continue flogging her with drug and CPR, Place her on heart lung bypass, or do nothing. The parents chose the latter
Originally posted by Nygdan
[I'm not understanding something here. This patient was brought in with a respitory infection, things went bad and what happens now, what are the choices? The heart lung bypass is permanent and no matter what
Originally posted by FredT
Let me leave you with this story: most details will be ommited to comply with HIPPA laws. Emily was a 7 year old. Mental retardation made her the equivilent of about a 3 year old according to her mom. Around Thanksgiving she developed a cold. Several trips to the ED and finaly on the night of the 29th she presented to the local hospital in respiratory distress. The ICU at the community hospital realizing that they were in trouble made arrangements to transport her to the nearest childrens hospital. The team via lifeflight chopter arrived and judging her condition to be critical immedialy loaded and took off for home. Halfway home and with communications with the hospital blocked by a coastal range Emily suffered respiratory arrest. The nurse intubated (put in a breathing tube) however, even with a ventalator Emily was in trouble. Her heart went into a dysrythmia known as Ventricular Tachycardia (caused by the global lack of oxygen) she was shocked several times before landing and a heart rate was returned after 3 minutes of shocking and CPR in the chopter On landing she was taken to the PICU. The team worked on her for hours. We got to the point where the parents were presented with thier options. Continue flogging her with drug and CPR, Place her on heart lung bypass, or do nothing. The parents chose the latter. Quoting the mom "shes suffered enough" We stopped, the life support was removed, and the breating tube taken out. a dose of morphine was given to help with any pain and ease her out so she did not have to suffer. She died a few minutes later free of any pain being held by her mother and father and surrounded by family. This event was real, and I was the nurse that intubated her and stayed with her till the end. I will always remember one thing. Before we sedated her to intubate, she mouthed what could only be "mommy" and she looked scared.
This family made a choice. The chose the best option for thier daughter not FOR them. As noted in the article, the religious groups are already up in arms and no doubt the pope will have negative things to say. But taken in context and with the consent of the parents What is the real issue here?
Originally posted by edsinger
First, sorry about the extra thread, did not see it.
First abortion , now this. When you do not value the innocent it starts one down a path. That path leads to getting rid of the sick, the mentally Ill, any life that is not respected....it is what Hitler tried in his perfect race.
This is absolutely heartbreaking!
Originally posted by jukyu
Therein lies the problem, who decides who is "beyond hope?" Remember, the path to hell is paved with good intentions.
Originally posted by knights5629I just hope that the politicians stay out of making a decision and let the family and the doctors make all decisions period.