Decision hinges on patient's ability to pay, prognosis
March 21, 2005
Sun Hudson, Terri Schiavo Media Politics Rights, Law
Six days ago, a 6-month-old baby boy named Sun Hudson died when Texas Children's Hospital disconnected his life support, against the wishes of his mother, because they decided that further treatment was "futile" and Wanda Hudson, the boy's mother, had no medical insurance. The Houston Chronicle reported:
Sun's death marks the first time a hospital has been allowed by a U.S. judge to discontinue an infant's life-sustaining care against a parent's wishes, according to bioethical experts.
More:
http://www.pastpeak.com/archives/2005/03/sun_hudson_terr.htmSee also:
Culture of life clashes with anti-tax movement
http://www.holmencourier.com/articles/2005/04/08/opinion/00edit.txtExamining the alive, the dead and the line that divides them
http://www.dailycollegian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/04/07/42548b53c8d04Where was the outrage?
http://www.atmoreadvance.com/articles/2005/04/04/opinion/editorials/col1.txtO'Reilly Flip-Flops, Defends Texas Law That Allows Baby Sun Hudson to Die
Bill O'Reilly ran a segment yesterday (3/23/05) on the state-sanctioned termination of the life of 5-month-old Sun Hudson over the objections of his mother, Wanda, an indigent African-American resident of Houston, Texas. O'Reilly interviewed William Winslade, Ph. D, a bioethicist at the University of Texas-Galveston and Mario Caballero of Lone Star Legal Aid, who is Ms. Hudson's attorney.
http://www.newshounds.us/2005/03/24/oreilly_flipflops_defends_texas_law_that_allows_baby_sun_hudson_to_die.phpMother -- has never wanted life support to be taken. With the law, the parents/guardian have 10 days to find another facility to take the patient if doctors want to end life support. No facility wanted Sun. So, on March 15th, life support was ended.
http://cbs11tv.com/localstories/local_story_074205328.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/2005/US/03/15/lifesupport.baby.ap... George W. Bush signed a law in Texas that expressly gave hospitals the right to remove life support if the patient could not pay and there was no hope of revival, regardless of the patient's family's wishes. It is called the Texas Futile Care Law. Under this law, a baby was removed from life support against his mother's wishes in Texas just this week. A 68 year old man was given a temporary reprieve by the Texas courts just yesterday
http://onoekeh.blogspot.com/2005/03/remove-life-support-says-george-w-bush.htmlQ: Who signed a Texas law allowing hospitals to cut life support over a family's objections? A: GWB.
Why does the media not discuss this Hypocrisy. Is this supposed to be a state secret or is it just more of our RW GOP controlled media?
In 1999 then governor Bush signed a law which allowed hospitals to withdraw life support from patients, over the objections of the family, if they consider the treatment to be nonbeneficial.
Hospitals can end life support
Decision hinges on patient's ability to pay, prognosis
By LEIGH HOPPER
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3073295Hospital ends life support of baby
1st U.S. case of its kind is against mom's wish, in accordance with law
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/healthscience/stories/031605dntexbaby.bc467.htmlTerminally Ill 6-Month-Old On Life Support Dies
OUSTON -- A terminally ill 6-month-old baby, who a Houston hospital wanted to remove from life support, died Wednesday morning, Local 2 reported.
Officials with Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital released the following statement Wednesday morning:
"The staff of Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital, particularly those who have cared for Knya, are saddened at her death from leukemia at 5:40 a.m. today. Knya's struggle with cancer began when she was just five weeks old. In the months that followed, she received ongoing treatment for both the leukemia and a related life-threatening bacterial infection. Her family was with her at the time of her death and full medical treatment was being provided. Our hearts go out to Knya's family in their time of grief."
http://www.click2houston.com/news/4447471/detail.htmlA San Antonio hospital has decided to withdraw life support from the Friendswood invalid whose family successfully fought a Houston facility with the same plans last month.
snip:
Spiro Nikolouzos' case attracted significant attention in Houston in March, the same time the Terri Schiavo drama reached its climax. It shone a light on a seldom-used Texas law that allows hospitals to remove a patient from life support 10 days after notifying family of its intentions. The family has that time to find an alternative facility.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3157837