topic Re: The latest on Jahi. in Community Chat

The latest on Jahi.

Cecily Gerard — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 06:08:49 GMT

The attorney for the family of Jahi McMath is defending their actions in a new op-ed that criticizes "self-righteous commenters" and praises the 13-year-old brain-dead girl's mother for her courage despite "incendiary, hateful public rhetoric."

The op-ed by San Francisco attorney Christopher Dolan, published in the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, comes after medical ethicists and physicians have criticized the decision to keep Jahi on a ventilator despite her being declared brain dead on Dec. 12 -- a decision affirmed by at least three neurologists.

Medical experts have said the decision to allow the family to transfer the girl from Children's Hospital Oakland to an undisclosed facility has only perpetuated misconceptions of brain death that have dogged the Jahi case since her family went public.

Neurologists told an Alameda County Superior Court judge that Jahi was unable to breathe on her own, had no blood flow to her brain and had no sign of electrical activity three days after she underwent surgery Dec. 9 to remove her tonsils, adenoids and uvula at Children's Hospital Oakland and went into cardiac arrest, causing extensive hemorrhaging in her brain.

The judge issued an order keeping Jahi on a ventilator until her body could first be transferred to the county coroner, and then to a private facility.

Dolan, though, has been widely criticized as having fed false hope to the McMath family that somehow their daughter -- who was issued a death certificate by the Alameda County coroner -- will recover.

PHOTOS: The Jahi McMath case

In his op-ed, Dolan hit back, contending that those who have "attacked" Jahi's family do so arguing several "simplistic, uninformed points: The family is either stupid, misled by their lawyer or trying to exploit the system."

He noted that elsewhere in the U.S., such as New Jersey, there are personal religious exemptions for those who object to brain death, suggesting Jahi's case would not have been such a spectacle had it occurred there.

But experts point out that the money the McMath family received from supporters to transfer their daughter will eventually run out, and no amount of artificial help will stop Jahi's body from decomposing.

Bodies of the brain-dead have been maintained on respirators for months or, in rare cases, years. However, once cessation of all brain activity is confirmed, there is no recovery, said Rebecca S. Dresser, professor of law and ethics in medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, to The Times.

Even so, Dolan wrote that the McMath family "are not fools."

"They know the odds," he wrote. "They want time, free from the threats of the hospital to pull the plug."

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-jahi-mcmath-family-attorney-20140121,0,4696764.story#ixzz2r64nJpeN

Re: The latest on Jahi.

JaneMarple — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 06:11:09 GMT

No comment

Re: The latest on Jahi.

brii — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 14:00:10 GMT

"They want time, free from the threats of the hospital to pull the plug."

Wow..,

Re: The latest on Jahi.

loveschocolate — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 14:26:41 GMT

Time? How much more time do they need? I feel so badly for the child. It's time to let her go.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

biancardi — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 14:55:33 GMT

so based on Dolan's own words in his op-ed, it looks like the family knows this is hopeless, they just want the "time". And I won't say anymore on that. I am just furious at this cheap (as in ethics) lawyer.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

Marianne1 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 14:59:47 GMT

Prayers for Jahi.

It is a horrible thing for anyone to go thru, but postponing it is not helpful (I think).

Re: The latest on Jahi.

apple1964 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 15:06:42 GMT

I agree .. it will be harder for the family.. when they finally come to terms with this horrible reality. I think the hospital and the doctor and nurses should take responsibility something horrible happened.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

Wild Cherry — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 15:08:40 GMT

Postponing the inevitable is foolish on their part but hey they're the ones who have to deal with it, not me.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

rondell — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 15:09:41 GMT

On 1/22/2014 Marianne is said:

It is a horrible thing for anyone to go thru, but postponing it is not helpful (I think).

Without a doubt, it's a horrible thing to go through. However, sooner or later, we have to admit to the truth to ourselves. There's no way out of that one. And as much as the grieving process hurts and takes time, you have to go through it. We've all lost someone that we love, and at least grief is a similar situation for all of us, so that we can unite on that front.

I am still concerned for the overall health of the Mother and her other children.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

benzgirl — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 16:59:28 GMT

I would like to know if the family is receiving spiritual counseling. I have not read of a pastor speaking on behalf of the family so I am left to conclude that they are relying on this 15-minutes-of-fame lawyer. My opinion is that if they were talking to a pastor/minister they might be better able to see the inevitable and find peace to let Jahi go.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

terrier3 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 17:21:42 GMT

On 1/22/2014 benzgirl said: I would like to know if the family is receiving spiritual counseling. I have not read of a pastor speaking on behalf of the family so I am left to conclude that they are relying on this 15-minutes-of-fame lawyer. My opinion is that if they were talking to a pastor/minister they might be better able to see the inevitable and find peace to let Jahi go.

I believe they are...the court papers indicated that they received daily counseling from social workers and spiritual advisors while she was hospitalized.

Unfortunately there are many pastors/advisors whose spiritual beliefs are at direct odds with medical information and have been encouraging the family to believe that ""like Lazarus"" Jahi will be raised back from the dead.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

151949 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 17:24:01 GMT

There could be many reasons from denial (probably) to more seedy reasons like waiting to see how much money people will send them. Since we don't know this family it is impossible for us to speculate the whys and wherefors of this case.Ultimately , this child will either contract an infection or her organs will start to fail and she will die naturally, so I don't understand why everyone has their knickers in a knot over this EVERY DAY.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

brii — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 17:30:26 GMT

This case has the potential to make some crucial changes in our laws. It's an important topic.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

biancardi — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 17:50:39 GMT

On 1/22/2014 brii said:
This case has the potential to make some crucial changes in our laws. It's an important topic.

I agree. That is why people are interested in it.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

biancardi — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 17:51:45 GMT

On 1/22/2014 terrier3 said:
On 1/22/2014 benzgirl said: I would like to know if the family is receiving spiritual counseling. I have not read of a pastor speaking on behalf of the family so I am left to conclude that they are relying on this 15-minutes-of-fame lawyer. My opinion is that if they were talking to a pastor/minister they might be better able to see the inevitable and find peace to let Jahi go.

I believe they are...the court papers indicated that they received daily counseling from social workers and spiritual advisors while she was hospitalized.

Unfortunately there are many pastors/advisors whose spiritual beliefs are at direct odds with medical information and have been encouraging the family to believe that ""like Lazarus"" Jahi will be raised back from the dead.

Lazarus was only dead for 4 days before he was risen by Jesus.

And it took a physical presence of Jesus to do so. I am not sure what else to say here...

Re: The latest on Jahi.

terrier3 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 17:55:55 GMT

On 1/22/2014 biancardi said:
On 1/22/2014 terrier3 said:
On 1/22/2014 benzgirl said: I would like to know if the family is receiving spiritual counseling. I have not read of a pastor speaking on behalf of the family so I am left to conclude that they are relying on this 15-minutes-of-fame lawyer. My opinion is that if they were talking to a pastor/minister they might be better able to see the inevitable and find peace to let Jahi go.

I believe they are...the court papers indicated that they received daily counseling from social workers and spiritual advisors while she was hospitalized.

Unfortunately there are many pastors/advisors whose spiritual beliefs are at direct odds with medical information and have been encouraging the family to believe that "like Lazarus" Jahi will be raised back from the dead.

Lazarus was only dead for 4 days before he was risen by Jesus.

And it took a physical presence of Jesus to do so. I am not sure what else to say here...

Biancardi - I have been checking out the websites...started with Terri's site, then Father Pavone...even Renew America...it is scary how much misinformation is out there.

One site even said that if two brain cells are placed in a petri dish and an electric charge is created...there is a sacred life present that must be protected.

What type of HC system would THAT create????

Re: The latest on Jahi.

Linders Back — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 18:08:48 GMT

Hopefully people who are upset and outraged by this have, or will make, plans in advance so this does not occur when and if they face a similar situation.

While no one expected a routine tonsillectomy to result in this situation, you never know. Everyone (of legal age) should have a living will or DNR order in place if they don't want heroic efforts made to prolong their life. We should all determine what is to happen to our lives when decisions need to be made rather than have upset loved ones have to make the final call.

It is sad, that in the end nothing positive will result from this young girl's death. They could have donated her organs if they acted when she actually was declared brain dead and her spirit would live on. As it is now, they are prolonging the inevitible just long enough for the unscrupulous lawyers to profit.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

scotttie — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 18:12:33 GMT

SMH

Re: The latest on Jahi.

Cecily Gerard — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 18:13:37 GMT

This was not just a routine tonsillectomy.

Re: The latest on Jahi.

wowee — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:47:11 GMT

This was FAR from a routine tonsilectomy. Much mouch more was going on and being done. She was already scheduled to go to ICU after surgery BEFORE she went into the operating room. 99% of Tonsil cases are done in outpt. surgicenters So this was a complicated case to begin with. In our Childrens hospital, ONLY the complicated tonsil cases come to the OR, the rest are done in the outpt.