TX - pregnant wife unresponsive on life support, husband hopes to fulfill her wishes

Softail

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2011
Messages
12,513
Reaction score
-9
Such a sad story. I can certainly see both sides of this. What a tragedy. :cry:

With pregnant wife unresponsive on life support, husband hopes to fulfill her wishes

Erick is talking about the moment he saw his wife, Marlise, unconscious on the living room floor at around 2 a.m. Nov. 26. As a paramedic, Erick rushed in to do CPR and later called 911.

Marlise Munoz, who was 14 weeks pregnant at the time, was taken to JPS in Fort Worth. Family members say doctors suspected she suffered a pulmonary embolism, but didn't know with complete certainty.

"You just never think it's going to be you," Erick said.

Marlise has been on life support since that day in November. Erick tells News 8 she has not regained consciousness and is "simply a shell." Tests are done daily on the fetus, and results show a normal heart beat.

Both Marlise and Erick are paramedics in the Tarrant County area, and both have had serious conversations about what to do if the worst happens. Marlise's mother told News 8 that conversation started when Marlise lost her brother tragically four years ago.

"We knew what her wishes were," Erick said. His wife told him she never wanted to be kept alive by machine.


http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/With...and-hopes-to-fulfil-her-wishes-236654371.html
 
wow, this is a very difficult situation! In one regard, I think people should be allowed to make their own decisions regarding DNR and life saving practices. However, the law is clearly stated that a pregnancy should be protected and that supercedes the mother's wishes. I think the husband is being painted as heartless, which I doubt he is. If the decision were mine to make, I would be advocating fiercely for my unborn child. I hope this man does not resent this unborn baby, and that he has the support he needs to raise baby.
 
Did they discuss what the wife's wishes would be in case something happened to her while pregnant?

Because motherhood may change some things and women who ordinarily would not want to be kept alive by a machine might prefer to do anything and everything if it saves the life of their baby.
 
From the article (husband speaking):

"They don't know how long the baby was without nutrients and oxygen," Erick said. "But I'm aware what challenges I might face ahead."

Well, how do we feel about any other parent, who, upon learning that their child might (not for certain) have cognitive limitations, wishes to abort the pregnancy? If he knew for certain his child would be born healthy, would his view be different?
 
I can't understand him not wanting a child that he and his wife created. There may or may not be anything wrong with this baby but regardless, it is a part of his wife. They are not wanting to keep her on life support forever just long enough to give the baby a chance. I think he doesn't want the responsibility of this baby. Whether there is something wrong or not. Just my opinion.
 
I can't understand him not wanting a child that he and his wife created. There may or may not be anything wrong with this baby but regardless, it is a part of his wife. They are not wanting to keep her on life support forever just long enough to give the baby a chance. I think he doesn't want the responsibility of this baby. Whether there is something wrong or not. Just my opinion.

I agree with you.
 
I can see it. If she was 14 weeks pregnant when she had whatever happened to her happen then that's 26 weeks being hooked to a machine. The cost of that alone would be immense, now how often has this happened before? That a brain dead woman has a baby? Can her body really develop a healthy child without any brain activity from the mother? How will the baby be born?

This sounds like an expensive nightmare and honestly I think that the husband feels that his wife is just being used as a guinea pig right now. That's what I think at least. If she were not pregnant he would be allowed to make the decision, now that she's with child he can not have any say in this? I hope that if he doesn't have any say in it that he at least doesn't have to pay for it.
 
Did they discuss what the wife's wishes would be in case something happened to her while pregnant?

Because motherhood may change some things and women who ordinarily would not want to be kept alive by a machine might prefer to do anything and everything if it saves the life of their baby.

I can't understand him not wanting a child that he and his wife created. There may or may not be anything wrong with this baby but regardless, it is a part of his wife. They are not wanting to keep her on life support forever just long enough to give the baby a chance. I think he doesn't want the responsibility of this baby. Whether there is something wrong or not. Just my opinion.

I agree with you.

I quoted all the above to illustrate the difficulties, decisions and looking at all the cost measure when making such decisions..In the end prior to her pregnancy..she didnt want to be kept on Life Support.....However her support will allow developement of a "NEW LIFE"...and Im sure that takes precedent...NOW it comes down to how can this man, husband, father AFFORD to pay for the costs to maintain his wife's Body to allow their childd to become viable???

i sure Hope he has insurance :please:
 
I find it nightmarish that the state of Texas can override a woman's own wishes merely because she is pregnant. This is dangerous territory. A woman's body does not become the property of the state once she becomes pregnant.
 
I find it nightmarish that the state of Texas can override a woman's own wishes merely because she is pregnant. This is dangerous territory. A woman's body does not become the property of the state once she becomes pregnant.

Has the Government stepped in to take decision making out of the hands of husband??? Havent seen anything about that as yet....Im scratching my head now just what is implied by this comment.....Texas should insist to pull the plug or insist..to maintain her until birth??

Sorry..are you concerned about Texas imposing their influence???

:blushing:
 
Has the Government stepped in to take decision making out of the hands of husband??? Havent seen anything about that as yet....Im scratching my head now just what is implied by this comment.....Texas should insist to pull the plug or insist..to maintain her until birth??

Sorry..are you concerned about Texas imposing their influence???

:blushing:

The decision making seems to be completely in the hands of the state of Texas. From the article:

Marlise was taken to the emergency room at JPS in the early morning of Nov. 26. Later in the day, the family was informed by doctors that they would provide any life-saving measures because she was pregnant. The family was told the hospital was taking that measure because of state law in Texas' Health and Safety Code.

"Section 166.049 Pregnant Patients. A person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment under this subchapter from a pregnant patient," the code reads.

Even more, in a health directive form found under the Health and Safety Code, it reads, "I understand under Texas law this directive has no effect if I have been diagnosed as pregnant."

It seems that no matter what this woman's wishes were regarding being kept alive, her wishes no longer matter once she is pregnant. Unless I am misreading this, it sounds like the state of Texas will not allow her wishes about her own body to be followed simply because she is pregnant.
 
I did not see in the article how long the wife was "down" meaning without oxygen and blood flow. It obviously was long enough to result in her brain death. The chances of this baby having severe mental retardation and other medical problems are IMO probably very high. I can't think of one couple who gets pregnant with the hope that their child isn't perfect. Fortunately, with the technology available today, they can do high level ultrasounds to see if fetal development is normal. The neurological issues may not be able to be determined until the baby is born. IMO this father is probably overwhelmed at the thought of trying to raise a possible special needs baby. While he may wish to honor his wife's wishes, nothing was stated in the article that she didn't want this baby. So in a way he is honoring her wishes by welcoming this baby into the world despite the challenges that may face him in the future. I hope for his sake, the baby is born healthy and will live a full and productive life. JMV
 
There is discussion to MAYBE take the baby at 24 weeks. Right now the child is 18 weeks. Uh, that's only 6 weeks away. There is also talk of going full-term.

I guess I'm taking the side of the State of Texas on this one. The mother did not have a written wish - only said she did not wish to be on life-support. I doubt there is any legal challenge the father can make.

IMO the father is concerned the child will not be mentally normal. Indeed, it would be a challenge for a single father, but I would think he would want the child. Prayers that the child will bring him much happiness.
 
How many moms on here have said to their SO, husband, boyfriend, while pregnant, "If anything happens, make sure you save the baby"? How many moms on here would lay down their lives for their babies/children?

I bet every single mom on here would.

Yes, the thought of raising a special needs child is daunting, however there are so many state and federal agencies that assist and have varying programs. IMO this guy sounds concerned. For his wishes, not hers. JMV
 
I did not see in the article how long the wife was "down" meaning without oxygen and blood flow. It obviously was long enough to result in her brain death. The chances of this baby having severe mental retardation and other medical problems are IMO probably very high. I can't think of one couple who gets pregnant with the hope that their child isn't perfect. Fortunately, with the technology available today, they can do high level ultrasounds to see if fetal development is normal. The neurological issues may not be able to be determined until the baby is born. IMO this father is probably overwhelmed at the thought of trying to raise a possible special needs baby. While he may wish to honor his wife's wishes, nothing was stated in the article that she didn't want this baby. So in a way he is honoring her wishes by welcoming this baby into the world despite the challenges that may face him in the future. I hope for his sake, the baby is born healthy and will live a full and productive life. JMV

Even if they do the ultrasound, it doesn't sound like it will make any difference. Per TX law, they can not turn the woman off even if they find out that the fetus is abnormal.
Meanwhile I imagine the cost of keeping her body on life support is piling up.
Is the husband going to be responsible for it?
 
Has the Government stepped in to take decision making out of the hands of husband??? Havent seen anything about that as yet....Im scratching my head now just what is implied by this comment.....Texas should insist to pull the plug or insist..to maintain her until birth??

Sorry..are you concerned about Texas imposing their influence???

:blushing:

TX has the law that if the woman is pregnant, it doesn't matter if she didn't want to be on life support. So, yes, the state of TX insisits on keeping the woman plugged in.
 
While I realize, according to TX state laws, this would not have made a difference, how do we know the wishes of his wife? There was nothing written, only a supposed discussion between the husband and wife. IMO any mother would want her child to have a chance to live.

"The couple had merely discussed their mutual desire to never be kept alive by a machine and hadn’t actually signed a do not resuscitate order."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-wants-pregnant-wife-taken-life-support.html
 
While I realize, according to TX state laws, this would not have made a difference, how do we know the wishes of his wife? There was nothing written, only a supposed discussion between the husband and wife. IMO any mother would want her child to have a chance to live.

"The couple had merely discussed their mutual desire to never be kept alive by a machine and hadn’t actually signed a do not resuscitate order."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-wants-pregnant-wife-taken-life-support.html

Her parents also say she didn't want to be on life support.
 

Staff online

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
182
Guests online
1,572
Total visitors
1,754

Forum statistics

Threads
589,974
Messages
17,928,574
Members
228,028
Latest member
Kac1991
Back
Top