Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Crying Shame...
Thanks to a commenter for the link to this story.
I have personally watched a child die of leukemia, it is a painful, tragic, gut-wrenching event that I hope to never repeat. It is a pain I would wish on no parent or caregiver.
This is a tough one, much tougher in my opinion that Schiavo. Schiavo was NOT DYING. This child is. That creates a real moral dilemma. The pain of leukemia in a terminal stage patient is terrifying. In the case I witnessed, the child was older and able to communicate that pain. He hurt so bad he made me want to hasten his death -- sometimes still, in my darker hours, I wish I had. While this baby has a slim chance of survivial, the pain between here and there that the baby would suffer would be incredible, and perhaps unbearable.
It is criminal that money plays a role in the care decisions of this child. If there was a charity listed to provide for this child's care, I would donate. I would urge you to as well, hopeless as the situation may be. However, despite the intimations of my commenter I do not see a role for race or politics in this story. I only see tragedy. And before any more arrows are slung my way, I should point out that the leukemia patient I worked with was of a different race than I. I should also point out that I am among the top ten historical donaters of blood products for leukemia patients at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, having donated nearly 30 gallons.
My heart aches for everyone involved in this tragedy. My prayers are with them all as well.
A baby's life support battle continues but time is running out for baby Knya. The five-month-old is on life support at Memorial Hermann Hospital. The deadline to stop treatment is Sunday.This story points out one of the very great tragedies of all these circumstances --- money. While it goes unspoken in the story, it is obvious what is happening. Charity hospitals with limited budgets have to decide on which treatment candidates can those limited budgets have the greatest effect. Thus a child with a relatively hopeless case, such as this one, gets passed from hospital to hospital.
Could the sad case Knya Dismuke be entering a new phase? Her parents are certainly hoping so. The child is currently slated to be removed from medical treatment at Memorial Hermann Hospital next Monday.
Knya was diagnosed with leukemia in December. She underwent treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center, but was later returned to Hermann Hospital, about three months later.
A committee at Hermann Hospital has decided to discontinue medical care. With chemotherapy, doctors say the child has about a 5% chance of survival. Without it, she has about two weeks to live.
I have personally watched a child die of leukemia, it is a painful, tragic, gut-wrenching event that I hope to never repeat. It is a pain I would wish on no parent or caregiver.
This is a tough one, much tougher in my opinion that Schiavo. Schiavo was NOT DYING. This child is. That creates a real moral dilemma. The pain of leukemia in a terminal stage patient is terrifying. In the case I witnessed, the child was older and able to communicate that pain. He hurt so bad he made me want to hasten his death -- sometimes still, in my darker hours, I wish I had. While this baby has a slim chance of survivial, the pain between here and there that the baby would suffer would be incredible, and perhaps unbearable.
It is criminal that money plays a role in the care decisions of this child. If there was a charity listed to provide for this child's care, I would donate. I would urge you to as well, hopeless as the situation may be. However, despite the intimations of my commenter I do not see a role for race or politics in this story. I only see tragedy. And before any more arrows are slung my way, I should point out that the leukemia patient I worked with was of a different race than I. I should also point out that I am among the top ten historical donaters of blood products for leukemia patients at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, having donated nearly 30 gallons.
My heart aches for everyone involved in this tragedy. My prayers are with them all as well.
