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

[Elley Mae]

Erick Muñoz said Marlise did have one life goal, and that was to fly in an F-16 fighter jet. Marlise’s father was in the military, so it was a conversation that came up often.

Erick hopes to one day make Marlise’s wish to ride in a fighter jet come true.

“She made me a better man, and I thank her for it. I thank her very much,” he said.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Erick-Munoz-discusses-his-familys-heartbreaking-ordeal-242326941.html

 

[wendiesan]

http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Texas-husband-named-brain-dead-wife-s-fetus-5180907.php

Munoz said his wife will be cremated and there are no plans for memorial or funeral services because the family is concerned that protesters would show up.

How sad is it that people with no connection to this family believe that they have a right to a vindictive display of condemnation, and cloak it under the guise of "free speech". It gives an even nastier shading to agents provocateurs who greedily take away that same freedom from those whose hearts are breaking.

Does anyone have the link to the digital candle site we were able to access for Baby Elaina?

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

How sad is it that people with no connection to this family believe that they have a right to a vindictive display of condemnation, and cloak it under the guise of "free speech". It gives an even nastier shading to agents provocateurs who greedily take away that same freedom from those whose hearts are breaking.

Does anyone have the link to the digital candle site we were able to access for Baby Elaina?

That is just his thinking? Or has someone promised to picket?

 

[wendiesan]

That is just his thinking? Or has someone promised to picket?

I think the family believed that protestors would show up. If I've read other articles correctly, a protest vigil was being held at the hospital during the weekend. JMO, but even if no specific protest had been announced, there was certainly a strong implication that one could happen.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ive-pregnancy-speaks-reveals-named-fetus.html

http://news.yahoo.com/texas-husband-named-brain-dead-wife-39-fetus-060715367.html

http://www.texasmonthly.com/burka-blog/life-and-death-and-case-marlise-muñoz

 

[SwampMama]

How sad is it that people with no connection to this family believe that they have a right to a vindictive display of condemnation, and cloak it under the guise of "free speech". It gives an even nastier shading to agents provocateurs who greedily take away that same freedom from those whose hearts are breaking.

Does anyone have the link to the digital candle site we were able to access for Baby Elaina?

BBM: Here is the site. http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm?l=eng

 

[txsvicki]

Imo, situations like this should be handled quietly without all the media and protest groups. Common sense and his medical training probably told the Dad that the baby was severely affected by the death of Marlisse, but on the other hand, he should have known that law or no law, the state would not force the baby to be born once doctors found out that there were severe abnormalities. I'm glad that fetuses have some protection in Texas, just in case.

 

[wendiesan]

Pie Jesu,
Qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona eis requiem.
Pie Jesu,
Qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona eis requiem.
Agnus Dei,
Qui tollis peccata mundi
Dona eis requiem,
Sempiternam
Sempiternam
Requiem

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

The baby was named Nicole..

http://news.yahoo.com/brain-dead-pregnant-woman-39-husband-names-fetus-232934305.html

My apology if this was already posted.

 

[faw720]

I think the family believed that protestors would show up. If I've read other articles correctly, a protest vigil was being held at the hospital during the weekend. JMO, but even if no specific protest had been announced, there was certainly a strong implication that one could happen.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ive-pregnancy-speaks-reveals-named-fetus.html

http://news.yahoo.com/texas-husband-named-brain-dead-wife-39-fetus-060715367.html

http://www.texasmonthly.com/burka-blog/life-and-death-and-case-marlise-muñoz

Protesters did show up at the hospital on Sunday afternoon despite knowing that life support had already been removed. TV clips revealed them acknowledging that they DID know that life support had been removed but they still felt that their protest was appropriate. IMO, under these circumstances, it was nothing more than calloused, insensitive, & hateful.

 

[jjenny]

Imo, situations like this should be handled quietly without all the media and protest groups. Common sense and his medical training probably told the Dad that the baby was severely affected by the death of Marlisse, but on the other hand, he should have known that law or no law, the state would not force the baby to be born once doctors found out that there were severe abnormalities. I'm glad that fetuses have some protection in Texas, just in case.

Judge didn't make his decision based on fetal abnormalities. Decision was based on the fact that Marlise is dead. Presumably it would have been exactly the same if fetus didn't have any abnormalities. And if Marlise was not brain dead (but in a coma or PVS), then it appears the life support would have continued regardless of any fetal abnormalities. There appears to be no protection for the fetus if mother is brain dead.

 

[Ladylub]

Judge didn't make his decision based on fetal abnormalities. Decision was based on the fact that Marlise is dead. Presumably it would have been exactly the same if fetus didn't have any abnormalities. And if Marlise was not brain dead (but in a coma or PVS), then it appears the life support would have continued regardless of any fetal abnormalities. There appears to be no protection for the fetus if mother is brain dead.

Protection for the fetus if the mother is brain dead would come from the family fighting for their life. I'm sure if there was a fighting chance for Nicole, Erick would have wanted to try to save her. His medical background gave him enough to realize that letting his child go with mommy was best.

 

[Karmady]

Protection for the fetus if the mother is brain dead would come from the family fighting for their life. I'm sure if there was a fighting chance for Nicole, Erick would have wanted to try to save her. His medical background gave him enough to realize that letting his child go with mommy was best.

It would be up to the hospital, though. Regardless of what the family wants. There is currently no law in Texas requiring the protection of the fetus under those circumstances and there is a law affirmatively allowing the hospital to discontinue support for a brain dead person under the UDDA. The hospital would either have to agree or the family would have to take them to court and argue that constitutional issues a la McMath.

jmo

 

[jjenny]

Protection for the fetus if the mother is brain dead would come from the family fighting for their life. I'm sure if there was a fighting chance for Nicole, Erick would have wanted to try to save her. His medical background gave him enough to realize that letting his child go with mommy was best.

Mr. Munoz was saying he wants life support off from the start.
Apparently he went to court before he knew of fetal abnormalities, since he was saying he didn't know what condition of the fetus was.
Thus, I personally haven't seen any evidence he wanted to try and save the fetus. His position always was that his wife was dead and that she didn't want to be on life support. Presumably his position would still be the same if fetus was developing normally.

 

[Fairy1]

Mr. Munoz was saying he wants life support off from the start.
Apparently he went to court before he knew of fetal abnormalities, since he was saying he didn't know what condition of the fetus was.
Thus, I personally haven't seen any evidence he wanted to try and save the fetus. His position always was that his wife was dead and that she didn't want to be on life support. Presumably his position would still be the same if fetus was developing normally.

His position may have been the same all along - although we don't know that. However, I very much doubt the judge's decision would have been what it was had the fetus been even remotely viable. I really don't think we'll ever know.

In any case, it's a moot point.

 

[SophieRose]

Mr. Munoz was saying he wants life support off from the start.
Apparently he went to court before he knew of fetal abnormalities, since he was saying he didn't know what condition of the fetus was.
Thus, I personally haven't seen any evidence he wanted to try and save the fetus. His position always was that his wife was dead and that she didn't want to be on life support. Presumably his position would still be the same if fetus was developing normally.

His wife had been without oxygen for an hour, I think he knew the odds were against the fetus from the start.

 

[Karmady]

His wife had been without oxygen for an hour, I think he knew the odds were against the fetus from the start.

I thought he found her on the floor in the middle of the night. How did he know how long she'd been w/o oxygen?

 

[SophieRose]

I thought he found her on the floor in the middle of the night. How did he know how long she'd been w/o oxygen?

It was reported in the early news of the case that she had gone without oxygen for an hour, some reports said longer. She got up to give their son a bottle, maybe he looked at the clock at that time. Here's one from the family in the last few days.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/354528/250/Pregnant-woman-taken-off-life-support-husband-speaks

Erick admits he's seen a lot of negative comments about his decision, and realizes that everyone is entitled to an opinion. But he says something that was always talked about with his wife was quality of life.

Erick felt the child would not have a good quality of life if it had gone without oxygen for so many hours.

"I'm just glad they are not in my shoes. I hope every day that no one ever has to go through what I went through," he said.

 

[BeginnersLuck]

Anderson Cooper talking to the family tonight

http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/category/cnn/cnn-shows/ac360/

 

[Ladylub]

Mr. Munoz was saying he wants life support off from the start.
Apparently he went to court before he knew of fetal abnormalities, since he was saying he didn't know what condition of the fetus was.
Thus, I personally haven't seen any evidence he wanted to try and save the fetus. His position always was that his wife was dead and that she didn't want to be on life support. Presumably his position would still be the same if fetus was developing normally.

Mr Munoz has a medical background. He and his wife talked about what they wanted if this ever happened. I can not see their minds changing for their children unless there was hope. His medical awareness would give him enough to know that there was very little hope for the baby. He was able to figure out from the start that the baby would only suffer in the end. Why not let baby go with mommy.

 

[hambirg]

His position may have been the same all along - although we don't know that. However, I very much doubt the judge's decision would have been what it was had the fetus been even remotely viable. I really don't think we'll ever know.

In any case, it's a moot point.

But in the eyes of the law "viable" just means at or beyond 24 weeks gestation. It really doesn't reflect the condition of the fetus at all, as far as normal vs abnormal.