K_Z
Verified Anesthetist
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Several cases of children with brain death have been in the news recently, with their families challenging the hospitals thru the courts to prevent withdrawal of life support after the diagnosis of brain death.
This case in Virginia, IMO, signals a new strategy on the part of the activists, especially Dr. Paul Byrne (who is also advising this family), as they arrive and advise families in similar situations. The particular strategy in the tragic and very sad case of Mirranda Lawson is to attempt to legally prevent the hospital physicians from conducting diagnostic tests to determine brain death. As long as those tests are not conducted, the patient, Mirranda Lawson, is not *legally* diagnosed as brain dead.
Despite that, a number of hospitals in the area have declined to accept Mirranda as a transfer patient. The family is now pursuing transfer to home care as their only alternative. Mirranda choked on a popcorn kernal May 11, experienced cardiorespiratory arrest, and has been in an ICU unresponsive and on a ventilator since that time. May 31 a court order prevented docs from conducting brain death apnea testing for 10 days.
*KZ note-- if the child is not legally declared dead, she remains legally alive, and eligible for insurance reimbursement, lawsuits for continued care, and things like state and federal coverage for home care (unlike similar cases of Jahi McMath, Aden Hailu, and Israel Stinson.) There also appears to be a change in strategy to more aggressively try to challenge the laws that allow physicians to determine brain death, and try to persuade courts to rule to make it a "group decision" between parents/ NOK, docs, and courts (versus following established laws in all 50 states).
http://wric.com/2016/05/25/local-family-fighting-to-keep-2-year-old-daughter-on-life-support/
http://wric.com/2016/05/31/fight-to-keep-2-year-old-mirranda-grace-alive-continues-in-court/
http://www.nbc12.com/story/32017097...corn-family-pleas-to-keep-her-on-life-support
http://www.wlox.com/story/32026319/richmond-family-loses-court-battle-in-fight-for-2-year-olds-life
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/ne...wson-talks-keeping-daughter-life-support.html
This case in Virginia, IMO, signals a new strategy on the part of the activists, especially Dr. Paul Byrne (who is also advising this family), as they arrive and advise families in similar situations. The particular strategy in the tragic and very sad case of Mirranda Lawson is to attempt to legally prevent the hospital physicians from conducting diagnostic tests to determine brain death. As long as those tests are not conducted, the patient, Mirranda Lawson, is not *legally* diagnosed as brain dead.
Despite that, a number of hospitals in the area have declined to accept Mirranda as a transfer patient. The family is now pursuing transfer to home care as their only alternative. Mirranda choked on a popcorn kernal May 11, experienced cardiorespiratory arrest, and has been in an ICU unresponsive and on a ventilator since that time. May 31 a court order prevented docs from conducting brain death apnea testing for 10 days.
*KZ note-- if the child is not legally declared dead, she remains legally alive, and eligible for insurance reimbursement, lawsuits for continued care, and things like state and federal coverage for home care (unlike similar cases of Jahi McMath, Aden Hailu, and Israel Stinson.) There also appears to be a change in strategy to more aggressively try to challenge the laws that allow physicians to determine brain death, and try to persuade courts to rule to make it a "group decision" between parents/ NOK, docs, and courts (versus following established laws in all 50 states).
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A family is fighting to keep their daughter on life support at VCU Medical Center.
Doctors want to perform a test that could determine if two-year-old Mirranda Grace Lawson is considered brain dead. Her parents say it’s too soon and are fighting back.
“I know my little girl is still in there,” said Mirranda’s father Patrick Lawson. “They just got to give her a chance to wake back up again.”
A few weeks ago, Mirranda choked on a popcorn kernel. While doctors tell the family Mirranda is unresponsive, they say she deserves a fighting chance to heal on her own terms.
http://wric.com/2016/05/25/local-family-fighting-to-keep-2-year-old-daughter-on-life-support/
On May 11, the 2-year-old choked on a popcorn kernel, suffered a cardiac arrest and has been on a ventilator ever since. Doctors say she has a non-functioning brain stem and medicine is keeping her alive.
The parents of Mirranda Grace are fighting against VCU Medical Center, whose doctors want to perform a brain apnea test that would determine if the two-year-old is definitively brain dead.
On Tuesday, a circuit court judge issued a ten day continuance.
In that time, the hospital is required to continue to give Mirranda Grace life sustaining car and also allows the family to find another hospital willing to treat her.
The family has already reached out to Bon Secours St. Mary’s in Richmond, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore and the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk. All have denied the transfer requests saying they would provide the same treatment she’s currently receiving.
http://wric.com/2016/05/31/fight-to-keep-2-year-old-mirranda-grace-alive-continues-in-court/
When asked about the hospitals procedures in cases like these, a spokeswoman issued the following statement:
"VCU Health is governed by federal and state laws. We understand this is a very difficult time for the family and in consideration of them, we do not feel it would be appropriate for us to comment further."
But Lawson just wants to have a voice in his daughter’s future.
“The court, the doctors, the parents should decide it – but it should not just be a doctor that decides it," Mirranda's father said.
A judge has granted the emergency injunction.
That judge is now scheduled to hear the case Friday at noon, but Lawson says he hasn't been able to get an appointment with an attorney until Monday.
http://www.nbc12.com/story/32017097...corn-family-pleas-to-keep-her-on-life-support
Friday, a judge rescinded an emergency injunction, to keep 2-year-old Mirranda Grace on life support at VCU Medical Center.
And even though this court decision was made earlier in the afternoon, Mirranda's father Patrick Lawson says he refuses to have doctors perform this test on his daughter without a court order.
After a nearly 45 minute hearing, Patrick Lawson came out of the courtroom.
“They had more power than I did,” he said sadly.
This after a judge ruled to end an emergency injunction keeping doctors from removing life support for two-year-old Mirranda. The judge said there was no evidence of an inappropriate standard of care.
In essence, tests to confirm Mirranda is brain dead will move forward, which is a devastating blow to the Lawson family, who are holding out hope the toddler will somehow recover.
“The only thing I can hope is that I bought my daughter enough time to 'practice' for her test," the emotional father said. "And she's going to have to take her test now,”
But, in court, Dr. Doug Wilson, head of the pediatric critical care unit, testified Mirranda is unresponsive and has no signs of brain stem function, which controls breathing.
Wilson says, at this point, machines are keeping her alive. He said he wished that wasn't the case.
http://www.wlox.com/story/32026319/richmond-family-loses-court-battle-in-fight-for-2-year-olds-life
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/ne...wson-talks-keeping-daughter-life-support.html