TX: Parents battle doctors as critically ill newborn fights for her life

[rainbow4321]

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/042805_local_babybattle.html

At five months old, a local baby girl is already caught in the middle of a life or death debate. The little girl has leukemia and a rare type of flesh-eating disease, and her family is fighting to keep their baby alive.

Little Knya Dismuke Howard is only five months old. She is still fighting for her life at Memorial Hermann Hospital. But while she's in the intensive care unit, her parents are fighting against doctors.

But Charles says Knya's doctors don't want to continue treatment. Born last November, Knya was diagnosed with leukemia a month later. First she received chemotherapy from MD Anderson Cancer Center. Then, two months ago, she contracted a bacterial skin infection and was transferred to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Her condition is critical.

Memorial Hermann Hospital officials released a statement that reads in part, "In certain unfortunate cases where the death of a patient is unavoidable and medical experts believe that continued treatment will only increase pain and suffering, the physician may ask for a meeting of the Committee for Review of Medically Inappropriate/Futile Treatment. That committee is meeting today to examine the case of little Knya."

[NNN0LHI]

1. She has maxed out her $250,000 dollars worth of care she is allowed

Where are the priests at now? Where is the media? Where is the special session of congress? Where is Tom Delay? Where are the Boosh brothers?

Don

[NNN0LHI]

8. Where did all the "SAVE TERRY SHIAVO" DUers go?

:shrug:

[pop goes the weasel]

24. And what are you doing to help?

So, what are you doing? Writing a letter? Sending money to help the girl's family? Or just making gratuitous insults?

[hector459]

30. Better question: Where is the MEDIA that spewed Terri all the time?

But then with this administration this little black child is not a political benefit to them.

[LeighAnn]

26. Not a Fetus Anymore

The baby is in that in between stage - somewhere between fetus and adult, the no-man's-land of compassionate conservatism.

[deadparrot]

2. There's no room for them black people

in the CULTure of life.

[Melodybe]

3. Well thanks to Bush she'll be dead soon.

[iamjoy]

4. We Need To Watch These Incidents

This hospital is not an HCA facility, but if we come across a similar case where there is debate about end of life care and it does involve an HCA facility, we must make extra noise about it.

[rainbow4321]

10. Here is an HCA case

It's one where the family wanted no resuscitation done but the HCA facility would not follow their wishes.


http://www.hatchellpc.com/waco_tribune040402.html

Attorneys for the parents of Sidney Miller, who is blind and mentally retarded, contend the Millers should have been allowed to withhold treatment from their child, while a Houston hospital countered that its employees were obligated to do otherwise.

The Millers gave oral instructions, 11 hours before the birth, that no "heroic" measures should be performed to save the child. The doctors noted it in medical records, but later told the family that it was the hospital's policy to resuscitate any baby born that weighed more than 500 grams. The fetus's weight had been estimated at 629 grams. The hospital asked Mark Miller, the father, to sign a consent form allowing resuscitation. He refused.

The family says the treatment resulted in brain hemorrhaging that left Sidney severely disabled and needing round-the-clock care. Hospital officials say the disabilities resulted from “massive internal injuries” unrelated to resuscitation. The Millers sued the hospital and its parent company, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., for negligence and battery. Despite the hospital’s claims that it was doing its duty, a Harris County jury awarded the Millers $60 million. That judgment was overturned by an appeals court, which said the parents could refuse treatment only if the baby’s condition were terminal.

Mike Hatchell, the appeals attorney for the Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA, countered that under the Texas Family Code, a child has the right to life-saving treatment.

[Carolab]

29. This line...

"...countered that under the Texas Family Code, a child has the right to life-saving treatment."

When they took that little black baby off support last month against his mother's wishes, really makes me ill.

[AnneD]

32. there is a difference

between life saving and life prolonging. Sun Hudson was fortunate to have the time he did-his condition was fatal regardless of how much money and man hours were applied. Leukemia (which lowers the immune system, and effects all systems) and then to have a nasty staff infection is a bad break and may indeed be the death kneel for this child. Depending on the amount of internal organ damage, I would be more incline to give the kid a shot, even with the underlying leukemia. BUT people need to come to grips with death and the fact that there are NO guaranteed outcomes in health care. Even if more money is thrown at the problem, some problems will have the same outcome.
Say this child had internal damage, are we willing to pick up the tab to give organ transplant (and all the immunosupressing drugs to an already depressed system) to a child that has leukemia and a shortened life span, or should we give the organ transplant to a healthy child that happened to have a strep infection that targeted a heart and if that is replaced, might have a better shot at a longer life. These are the choices that are made every day on the front lines of medicine. Are we happy about having to say no----of course not, we know the outcome of our decisions. But we have limited resources and have to benefit as many as possible.

[iamjoy]

33. No, We Need The Other...

where the family wanted the person kept alive, but HCA pressured them into disconnecting.

We need as many examples as possible of Frist's hypocrisy.

[Maat]

5. I'm praying for that little one.

May the Hypocrites get the karma they deserve!

[benddem]

6. much as I would love to bash bush

on this one.. That little girl is suffering. She's not brain dead. She feels every poke, every stick. They would most likely have to amputate the limb or limbs if the infection is on a limb. Let her go to Jesus.

[Matilda]

12. The effect of chemo on such a tiny baby is heartbreaking

to think of. It's impossible for outsiders to adjudicate on a case
like this, but truly, perhaps the suffering is just too high a price
to pay. I really think I would wish a speedy end for her, poor
little thing.

[NNN0LHI]

13. Shouldn't that decision be left to the babies next of kin?

Where does this end? Should anyone who can't afford hospital care be allowed to die against the patients or the families wishes? That is the deal here. I don't like what this kind of thing could lead to next. Not one bit. I have an open mind. Convince me otherwise.

Don

[benddem]

16. lots of people

react like Terri Schiavo's parents did. No parent wants to let their child die. This shouldn't be a matter of money...but of how much the child is suffering and what is the outcome. I've seen this WAY too many times. The kid is what in medical parlance a "train wreck" every thing you do to solve one problem creates another. It isn't fair to the child.

[NNN0LHI]

18. My question was...

...shouldn't this decision be left to the babies next of kin rather than a group of people who do make this decision based on the financial burden rather than what is best for the child?

That is the question I am interested in knowing your answer to. I am going to bed now, but I will follow up on this thread in the morning. Take care.

Don

[rebecca_herman]

21. Well

The parents shouldn't be allowed to torture the baby when survival isn't possible either. It shouldn't be about money but treatment that is painful and serves no purpose is basically child abuse. This poor baby is probably going through hell and is going to die, and has no clue why she is suffering so much, and the parents just seem to wanna extend her time here even if it means she suffers more.

[AnneD]

34. It should not be totally left up to the parents...

although their opinon should carry much weight. Their judgement can be so clouded that it is difficult for them to accept the inevetable. I see things you wouldn't believe at the end of life (fist fight among adult siblings, ex wife baring the girlfriend from visiting---you name it). What I have noticed is that those people with unresolved issue with the loved ones (things they don't want to/ haven't confronted) can sometimes be the the ones pushing aggressive care-even though there will be no posititve outcome. It is hard to lose a loves one and to lose a child is the hardest thing of all. But the reality is this infant has had several strikes against him and there come a point where to prolong life is to prolong pain. One has to have the strength to let go and for the parents of an infant, that is difficut indeed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. At least she wasn't aborted

Pro-life my ass. Where is Randall Terry now??

[NYC]

9. Houston.

Again Texas is "unplugging" a baby that the parents want kept alive.

This morning on the radio, I heard that a 13 year old boy in the Bronx had been on life support for a week, all stemming from unconsciousness which originated from an infected tooth. It was a short report, but the interesting part was that a judge in the Bronx had ruled that the child could not be "unplugged" without the permission of the parents.

[thethinker]

11. How did the child get this infection?

Did she contact it in the hospital?

[NYC]

14. Brief report, but my understanding is

This was a dental infection that was not diagnosed and treated. I suspect septicemia developed from it. That is possible. I have heard of it happening.

The child went to the hospital as a result of the dental infection, as I understand it. Dental infection led to septicemia, septicemia led to hospitalization.

They did not say "septicemia", but implied that his unconsciousness was the result of the dental infection.

I'll look around on Google. If I find a story, I'll let you know. I heard it on 1010 WINS Radio.

[NYC]

15. Here's the story:

Fight for life ends today.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news%5Cwabc_042805_comateenNOON.html

... Teron had a dental infection last week that quickly spread to his brain, and according to Montefiore Hospital it killed him...

That's the only mention of the medical part of it.

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43958

Teron Francis was taken to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital on Monday, following complaints of a severe headache and toothache. A CAT-scan revealed a dental infection that had spread to the boy's brain, causing it to swell, the family says. When the young Francis went into convulsions and became unconscious, doctors transferred him to Montefiore Hospital for surgery on Tuesday.

The following day, according to the boy's mother, Marcerlyn Francis, Montefiore's doctors told her the teen's lungs had to be stopped from functioning in order to complete an operative procedure. Within hours they were back, informing her that her son was brain dead.

[Horse with no Name]

23. This is another case in New York I believe

the case being discussed is in Houston.

[NYC]

25. Yes, this is the case where the judge ruled

that the child could not be unplugged without parental consent. (I had posted that earlier.)

[burrowowl]

27. An infection (or abcess)

especially of a canine tooth can go directly to the brain. If you look at a skull you will see a hole above the canine area which is a nevre conduit.
I know a lady whose father refused to go to the dentist with a raging toothache in that area, he was dead within a few hours.
This also shows that people don't go to doctor or dentist because they can't afford it and many times can't get an appointment until it is too late.

[all.of.me]

31. i know a guy this happened to

he had very poor dental hygeine and one day started having bad headaches and convulsions. his sister had died from a brain tumor, so doctors were suspect. he went into the hospital and they opened his head. he had pockets of infection all through his brain! it was also in his lungs. they fixed him up, and he is still alive, several years later. they pulled four teeth out, too, while he was under, because they were so rotten.

oh yeah... he was on disability and medicaid, so money was not an issue.

[AnneD]

35. When I saw dental infection...

my first thought was of brain infection...It is uncommon due to blood brain barrier, but it has been known to happen. Sad outcome... a bit of a fluke, but it happens. Life has no guarantee folks, so live well. Bills, money, work, those are transitory whereas love, relationships those are the things that count.

[Horse with no Name]

22. I haven't seen it posted

but she was treated at MD Anderson when she acquired it. My guess is that the chemo killed her immune system and she must have come into contact with it in the hospital.

[lavenderdiva]

17. here is another thread about a similar topic that I started earlier today

link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1430046&mesg_id=1430046

it is about Spiro Nikolouzos and his family's battle to maintain his life support system. It was another case fought here in Houston based on the 1999 Shrub signed into law that allows hospitals to terminate life support. This man's case was ongoing at the same time as the Terry Schiavo mess, and received nowhere near the same coverage, except locally. St. Luke's Hospital notified the family that they would discontinue Mr. Nikolouzos' treatment within 10 days, unless the family could find another facility to move him to. They managed to do so, but unfortunately, he suffered a bout with pneumonia and was moved to another hospital in San Antonio, and now that hospital is giving the family another 10 day notice before they 'pull the plug'.

What I want to know is: where is the MSM on these cases? Why is there no coverage of this, and Shrub's involvement in signing this law? Where is the Terry Schiavo circus? (including jugglers).

The hypocrisy is mind-blowing and infuriating.

[fleabert]

19. I figured the real story before I got to see the picture.

fuckers.

[AlCzervik]

20. yup, like that other baby in Texas at the same time as Schaivo

they are both brown. Where the fuck is Dobson and the others now?

[wellst0nev0ter]

28. I Think They Helped WRITE The Original Law

Or at least the National Right To Life organization did:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3079622

[NNN0LHI]

37. I doubt this would be happening to a white baby either

The whole crew would be down there if it was. The priests, Randall Terry, the Boosh brothers, Tom Delay, and all the rest of the freaks.

Don

[liberalitch]

36. It's the law Bush signed as gov.

Now what?

I feel horrible for everyone involved