https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-62424659
I now think the court system are being dicks about this.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-62424659
I now think the court system are being dicks about this.
I can’t see what difference it makes at this point, this child by any rational metric has been dead for almost four months
And his own body is going through a process of organ necrosis. There’s no argument to be made of the child being allowed to pass away in more comfortable circumstances because he’s no longer at a point where he can register comfort/discomfort or distress.
People took great exception to my comments earlier in the week, either because they are parents themselves or because they are allowing themselves to be emotionally incontinent. But at this point the only consideration is the emotional well-being of the parents, would it hurt to allow the child to die in a hospice?. Well that depends on whether the demands on staff would detract from children who may still be dying but the difference is compassionate care will make a difference to them.
Are they?
As the article says, the court is only interested in what is in his best interests (not that of hopsital or parents ) and if the risk that moving him means he dies in the ambulance or it causes him more pain, they are not going to allow it.
The whole case is tragic and its impossible to know how hard it is for the parents but i think the court system is working well here.
What can sensibly said to be in the best interests of a child who by all medical accounts has long since died by any reasonable definition of the term? The parents have in my view failed to accept this reality for too long, whilst I acknowledge how hard that must be.
But it’s pretty likely that he can no longer feel pain so the worst that can happen if they transfer him is he’d die. Given that that is the sadly inevitable outcome in all this anyway, it doesn’t feel like much of a risk. If that gives the parents the goodbye that any parent surely deserves then isn’t that the right thing.
It is right that the courts advocate for a child who can’t make decisions for themselves when there is a dispute between the parents and medical experts, but in this case when the outcome is certain the parents wishes about how and where that happens should surely be accounted for - unless the move would cause the boy further distress but I fear he is now beyond that.
The Saga is done with, the boy is now officially dead (even though he’s been technically dead for four months)
My callousness aside I would not wish that scenario on any parent, and the mother fighting tooth and nail for her child was totally understandable if futile.
I don’t know what a Tam O’Shanter is but happy to get one and learn the bagpipes
Having thought about the request for a hospice move, it actually sounds like he would have died in transit. If so then I can see why they rejected that.