Family wants to keep life support for girl brain dead after tonsil surgery #9

[wendiesan]

FB entry says - in Nailah's last - letter, the details vent status, vitamens, flawless skin, weekly mani-pedis, etc .

Sounds to me, exactly same as the TV interview Jahi's mother gave way back when.
Maybe Feb or Mar. About same time as announcement that
Schiavo foundation selected Nailah for 2014 award?

Virtually verbatim.
Imo, nothing new but I may be wrong.

FWIW, here is a little comparison I just did. It's a bit rough.

So, I took a cursory look at the Facebook entry 05/24/14 written by Latasha Spears-Winfield and articles, and raw footage, of the interview done with Nailah Winkfield 03/28/14.

FB opened with an invocation, followed that by thanking Judge Grillo, the Mcmath-Winkfield attorney, the Life and Hope Network, the care facility and staff where Jahi is currently in residence. (FB)

In the section regarding Jahi's status as of that date, there are several assertions that were made that were similar, if not identical, to claims made in the 03/28/14 interview. (I)

<modsnip>

(I) "She's still asleep."

<modsnip>
(I) "Physically, she is healthy and stable."

<modsnip>
(I) "she doesn't have any IVs, no PICC Lines, no catheters, anything like that"

<modsnip>
(I) "Jahi's not on any medications to maintain anything."

<modsnip>
(I): "She gets a regimen of vitamins and fish oils through the feeding tube&#8230;"

<modsnip>
(I) "she moves around way more than what she did when she was in California."

<modsnip>
(I) "She's just way more responsive."

<modsnip>
(I) "Jahi &#8230;moves her head from side to side"

<modsnip>
(I) "her ventilator's on room air"

<modsnip>
(I) "Her skin is flawless"

<modnip>
(I) "I give her a manicure and a pedicure every Friday"

<modsnip>
(I) "physical therapy three to four times a week"

<modsnip>
not found at this reading''

FB compliments Jahi, then thanks readers (and donors), ends with a blessing.

The information I used for March 28 information appeared in some of the following articles:
ttp://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/28/local/la-me-ln-brain-dead-jahi-mcmath-mother-speaks-20140328
http://articles.philly.com/2014-03-29/news/48666381_1_brain-death-death-certificate-mcmath-family
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Family-says-brain-dead-Jahi-McMath-showing-signs-5319514.php
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...er-Says-of-Brain-Dead-Daughter-252700851.html 03/28/2014

 

[jjenny]

I don't think Jahi will just wake up one day and be able to run and play like an average child.

Just because a certain life is not one that you would like, it doesn't mean that it's a life not worth living.

She is considered legally dead, so she isn't exactly living.

 

[ArianeEmory]

wendiesan: Oh snap, I thought that whole thing felt very familiar.

On "parents being allowed to decide what to do with their child's body". I'm not going to get into that, as I'm not a parent and blah blah blah. However, I do wonder how many people who are speaking up for the parents' rights in this situation would actually do the same thing if their child (parent, spouse) suffered brain death.

Not whether you think you deserve the 'right' to keep their body alive: whether you actually would.

And finally: I'll just point out that if Jahi was doing anything physically that was consistent with anything other than brain death, Uncle Omari would have pictures and videos all over his social media.

 

[wendiesan]

RE FB post.
Top photo was taken at the Life and Hope awards ceremony.
Bottom row photos were C. Dolan, Judge E. Grillo, and what looks like a photo of the "peaceful" demonstrators.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

If I had known sooner, I would have posted earlier today that an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, "Shaken", will be airing on USA at 4:00PM (EDT).

The second half of the hour-long episode is about the painful decision that a mother must make to remove her young daughter from life support. There are arguments for and against heroic medical efforts to save the life of a child who has little hope of recovering from severe head injuries.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season 5, Episode 10

Shaken (25 Nov. 2003)

A toddler seems to have been abducted from a park while her babysitter is several yards distant talking to a nanny. Searching detectives shortly after arriving on the scene find the child unconscious behind nearby bushes.

 

[katydid23]

I don't think Jahi will just wake up one day and be able to run and play like an average child.

Just because a certain life is not one that you would like, it doesn't mean that it's a life not worth living.

Is her current situation a 'life' worth living?

What about her siblings? How is this circus affecting them? They have no mother in their lives now as she is all consumed with sitting at Jahi's bedside, giving her manicures.

The whole thing is astounding and tragically, neverending.

 

[al66pine]

Wendiesan,

TYVM for doing the line by line comparison, a lot of work.

The May 24 FB post reciting Mother's 'last letter" re Jahi is not verbatim per Mother's March 18th TV interview, but I see no new info.


What a sad situation.

 

[Mystymiss]

My opinion if the parents believe Jahi is alive why not turn off the vent. I personally don't think her body will continue on its own very long. Everything is not fine...

 

[pukasonqo2]

I don't think Jahi will just wake up one day and be able to run and play like an average child.

Just because a certain life is not one that you would like, it doesn't mean that it's a life not worth living.

what kind of life are we talking about? being connected to a machine that is helping to push air through your lungs is considered living?

there is no brain activity, jahi is not going to wake up and be mildly disabled, her brain is dead, not hibernating, asleep or on suspension but dead

we are not talking about a person in palliative care, in an induced coma or brain damaged. we are talking about a child that will not recover, whose organs are very likely deteriorating and for whom, sadly, there is no recovery. there is no life but machines that help to give the impression of life

i don't wish what jahi's family is going through on anybody but i think there comes a time to let go, when you have to accept that the person you love is gone and there is only an empty shell left behind



lupus est homini , non , non quom qualis sit novit

 

[txsvicki]

Jahi's Mom will never just turn off the ventilators no matter what the criticisms are. If Jahi's organs start failing then she may have to consider things though, but will probably hold out until the heart finally stops even with the ventilator.

 

[K_Z]

I'm just very glad that Jahi's parents have been able to make their own decision on continuing to provide medical care for their daughter.

This is a very heartbreaking case.

I do agree with you that the parents should be allowed the make the decision.


* as long as they are providing the funding for medical care costs.

I don't think Jahi will just wake up one day and be able to run and play like an average child.

Just because a certain life is not one that you would like, it doesn't mean that it's a life not worth living.

I am glad that a compromise was reached that incorporated both the legal state of death, as well as allowed her family to take her body, and do what I have been considering as "ritual care" of the body. It helps me to consider the insanity and futility of all this as just peculiar "personal family death rituals". Like a cultural thing, KWIM?

I am fine with people taking their brain dead loved ones home for personal "ritual care", as long as the public isn't paying for it in any way, and it is legally clear the person is considered "dead". Caring for the dead person should be funded somewhat like a family's personal costs for funeral expenses, IMO. No health insurance or public funds. If churches want to donate, or individuals that's fine with me. Just no public funds.

I think it is really necessary that when someone has experienced brain death, that if the family chooses to take their body somewhere, they conform to all existing laws about moving bodies, coordinating with coroner, etc. It's just too murky of a situation otherwise, when you think about the trach or vent becoming detached in a different city, transporting the dead person back to an ER, etc. Give the families a provisional death certificate, and complete forms to move the body, and coordinate and communicate with the coroner, then let them arrange transportation and care if they really want to. I don't think there are many of these cases, so monitoring and managing them wouldn't be too onerous.

What is worrisome, as I ponder this, is that certain nefarious entities could rise up (pun intended) to promise all sorts of improvements, as well as potential resurrection for the brain dead loved one, "if only" the family of the dearly departed were parted further from some hard, cold cash. It is a business potential for exploitation of vulnerable, grieving families. (I already have serious concerns about the group in New York, as well as the Terry Schiavo group.)

Imagine the "opportunity" for businesses like "Billy Bob's Pretty Good Care Center for the Brain Dead". "Welcome to Resurrections ~ A Perpetual Care Center". "Vents R Us". etc. :facepalm:

 

[wendiesan]

txsvicki "Jahi's Mom will never just turn off the ventilators no matter what the criticisms are. If Jahi's organs start failing then she may have to consider things though, but will probably hold out until the heart finally stops even with the ventilator."

Sadly, Jahi's so young, it could be a long time before that muscle gives up.

Probably, the family keeps saying the same things because, if there have been changes (and in two months surely something would have changed), the family didn't want discuss them in a public forum.

How much time do they have to bring an action against the hospital (now UCSF BCHO)?

 

[Tssiemer]

I don't know. This case brings up a lot of feelings and memories of Teri Shiavo. Her husband decided to starve her to death because she didn't need a ventilator. I feel like I can't be all "Teri deserved to live" and then say "they need to let Jahi go".


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[jjenny]

Jahi is already legally dead. The only thing that remains on life support is her body. Her brain is gone. Schiavo was in PVS so she was not legally dead. Schiavo had some brain function and didn't need a ventilator.

 

[Public_Hysteria]

wendiesan: Oh snap, I thought that whole thing felt very familiar.

On "parents being allowed to decide what to do with their child's body". I'm not going to get into that, as I'm not a parent and blah blah blah. However, I do wonder how many people who are speaking up for the parents' rights in this situation would actually do the same thing if their child (parent, spouse) suffered brain death.

Not whether you think you deserve the 'right' to keep their body alive: whether you actually would.

And finally: I'll just point out that if Jahi was doing anything physically that was consistent with anything other than brain death, Uncle Omari would have pictures and videos all over his social media.

Having been in this situation myself, I can tell you right now that my family and I decided the kindest thing would be to take away the life support. The only thing keeping my family member alive were the machines, without them she was gone in an hour or two. Once hearing she was brain dead, it was an easy (albeit emotional) decision to remove support - she was no longer with us, her body was a shell, she was no longer alive.

I don't agree with Jahi's body being held in suspended 'functioning', when this sweet little girl has already passed. I understand that it's a hard decision to make, but I don't think it's right that this has dragged on for so long. Her poor family need to grieve.

MOO :moo:

 

[EmmaliLucia]

I don't know. This case brings up a lot of feelings and memories of Teri Shiavo. Her husband decided to starve her to death because she didn't need a ventilator. I feel like I can't be all "Teri deserved to live" and then say "they need to let Jahi go".


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Terri lived for about a week without her feeding tube. If you cut off Jahi's vent her heart would probably only beat for a few minutes at most.

 

[EmmaliLucia]

I want proof that her heart's still beating.

Do we have that? We don't get pictures, we get the same old "Look at how well she's doing!" Message every couple of months. But we never see pictures..

 

[ArianeEmory]

I want proof that her heart's still beating.

Do we have that? We don't get pictures, we get the same old "Look at how well she's doing!" Message every couple of months. But we never see pictures..

Do you remember the pics that one of her young relatives posted showing Jahi's hands, and the skin around the nails wrinkled and pallid? That's the last picture that ever came out, IIRC, months and months ago, and now they are always careful to say her skin is "flawless". But no more pics.

 

[Quester]

... and it's now about FIVE MONTHS post death certificate having been issued. :thud:

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Is her current situation a 'life' worth living?

What about her siblings? How is this circus affecting them? They have no mother in their lives now as she is all consumed with sitting at Jahi's bedside, giving her manicures.

The whole thing is astounding and tragically, neverending.

I, too, wonder about Jahi's siblings and how they are coping with their sister's ongoing "medical condition". NW seems consumed with caring for Jahi at the expense of her other children.

I check this thread every few days for updates, but there really isn't much to say that hasn't already been discussed.