This is a difficult and very personal subject for me, but it is an important one for everyone.
Infant euthanasia.
National Review has an outstanding article on the state of the argument. It seems that The Dutch government is very close to sanctioning the practice, also known as the Groningen Protocol. This set of guidelines set a “standard” for which some lives are worth living and some are not. At first blush, they seem very reasonable:
The protocol says that a newborn can be euthanized if his diagnosis and prognosis are “certain,” his suffering is “hopeless and unbearable,” and his quality of life is “very poor,” according to the child’s parents and “at least one independent doctor.”
But what this means is no doctor can be wrong. Ever. Do you believe that happens?
This is the part that turns personal.
After my son was born, I brought him in for the usual vaccinations. No big deal. As a repeat mom, I knew there was going to be some anxiety and stress connected with them because they hurt. If only that was it.
As my son was given his first shot, I noticed the area did not stop bleeding. The nurse paused, and did her best to stop it and said something about how unusual this was; she thought she hit an artery. After she left the room, I noticed that his second shot was really bleeding. I knew this was wrong and started running down the hallway to alert the doctor and nurse with my son in my arms and blood dripping all over.
A long story short and a lot of doctor visits later, my son was diagnosed with not one but two VERY rare forms of hemophilia: Factor IX and Factor XI deficiencies. Both of them by themselves were not very severe. However, the doctor and staff warned me of a lot of dire things that could happen. The thinking was since not one but two areas of the clotting “cascade” were defective, this could lead to very terrible consequences.
Every time my son hit another development stage, I panicked. The more he moved around, the more at risk he was to getting hurt or bruised, thereby bringing on a “bleed”. The reason I was so panicked (and the doctors so concerned) is because there was no “factor” shots to give him in case of a “bleed” to make it stop. Factor XI hemophilia is so rare, that it doesn’t show up in most of the literature. The only method they have to stop a catastrophic bleed is to give my son a whole blood transfusion. (You know the risks inherit in that.)
My son spent most of his infanthood and toddlerhood in a helmet. When he tried to crawl, I tried to stop him. Not being able to, I made him knee pads (and later bought some from a place I found that specialized in children with hemophilia). I don’t even want to talk about him learning to walk. Every step was met with dread. I put signs on his car seat to alert any first-responder on who to call and what his problem was in case we were in a car wreck and we were not able to advise anyone of my son’s condition.
I just knew my son was going to die. I was scared to death.
Guess what. The doctors were wrong. My son has had many bumps and bruises and has been just fine. No joint bleeds. No bleeds requiring an emergency blood transfusion.
We are blessed. We really are. As bad as this could have been, it isn’t. As far as we are concerned, it’s a non-issue. Don’t worry, we keep all of the phone numbers and info handy, just in case, but so far, my son has been pretty “normal”. By the way, he just turned 6.
The point is this: the doctors overstated their concern. They went on what their experience was, as much as possible, and they were wrong in the severity of the diagnosis as well warning us what to expect. Were they wrong to do this? No. Do I blame them at all? No. Given my son’s excellent outcome, I am grateful. Given the outcome (which is good), I have no beef with the doctors, far from it. I think they did the right thing.
But what if the Groningen Protocol had been in effect? What if the doctors looking at this and consulting with each other said: what a rare combination! It will be catastrophic to the child! He won’t be able to run and play or act like a “normal” boy. He would never be normal. He will be a drain on medical resources. Think of how many children that could be vaccinated with the same amount of money spent on one transfusion. What if he got an inter-cranial or chest bleed? It would be excruciatingly painful! Besides, this family has two children already, they can handle not having this one………
And my son could be dead.
Well, actually, my son would not be dead because my husband and I would have fought to keep him alive.
But then again, the problem with the Dutch euthanasia laws has been not what the families want, but what the doctors think. It has been well documented that the doctors will proceed on with euthanasia even if the families and the patient want something else.
Here is the real problem with euthanasia overall: at first it is a “humane” option. Then it becomes the “norm”. Then it becomes “expected”.
That’s why it is personal to me and should be to you too.
Filed Under Uncategorized · · · · 
Print This Post
··
Comments
24 Responses to “Infant Euthanasia the Dutch Way”Search
Our Sponsors
Poll
Loading ...
Thou shalt not kill.
Enough said.
Unless it is a dutch doctor with a big syringe of KCl, then fire away.
Some lives are of such poor quality and there is so much pain that an option for euthanasia should be an option. I agree that the family or individual, if they are capable should make that decision.
Once there was this Austrian guy who lived in Germany that decided it was a good thing to get rid of some people that he felt were not “normal” or as good as he and others like him. Now… what was his name????
luv2hammer:
I am all about making pain go away. I do not believe in allowing people to live in pain.
I have a very long history with different doctors about pain because of my Mother-in-Law’s health difficulties. The poor women was in horrible pain up until the day she died.
The reason they did not do more is because of the “trouble” they would get into with the DEA. The “war on drugs” has totally screwed up our relationship with our doctors and our meds. The reason: we don’t want our people “addicted”.
But that is another post another day.
If a child is born into pain, give the child pain meds. Even if it means putting them into a coma or state that cannot support a “normal” life. If it means that in order to take away the pain, the meds will eventually kill them, so be it. They will die, but it will be in their own time and will die painlessly. Same for adults.
But do not Kill them outright. That part I disagree with.
Ree-C,
I know what you have and are going through. This is how I know. I moved to the Houston area when I was 4 years old, we moved from Ohio to the Clear Lake area. This was in the early 1970’s, at that time Clear Lake City was about the size of Hitchcock is now. We moved into our house and as things would go the family next door had a son who was exactly 2 days older than me. Talk about Devine intervention. We grew up, as brothers, we did everything that little boys would do, almost. You see Eric, suffered from Christmas Disease, another rare form of hemophilia. See Eric needed plasma transfusions on an almost regular basis,an ofcourse the doctors had told his parents the same things about being careful, however they also warned his parents that children “suffering” from Christmas disease usually had abnormally short lives. They would hear he may not make it to be 6, he may not make it to be 10 and so on. That being said, from the very first time we met, I was taught to be careful when playing with Eric. The kids in the neighborhood were all taught how to help Eric if he developed a nose bleed or other problem with relation to is condition (I have since decided it is not a disease). Well Eric was my best friend, I grew used to going over to his house and playing board games while he had a blood or plasma transfusion. He got to the point of giving them to himself by the time he was in High School. It was never out of the ordinary for me to come over to his house and have to wait for his trasfusion to complete before we went out and did what boys would do. Granted Eric never played football, or basketball, but he swam compteativly for 12 years, he became a very acomplished guitar player (of course he had plenty of time sitting around to learn and practice), Well about the time Eric and I graduated from High School (1986), his condition had improved to the point that regular transfusions were not necessary. Of course at that time AIDS was just starting to really rear it’s ugly head. As fate would have it one of Eric’s last whole blood transfusions was tainted. He developed ARS (never tested positive for HIV as far as I know) however his immune system never was the same. Fast forward 6 years, I have graduated from college and am engaged to be married. I had found a job in Dallas and was moving out of my parents home for the last time (as far as they were concerned). They threw me a going away party with all of my friends from my previous job as well as Eric and a couple of other dear friends that I had growing up. That was the last weekend in February 1993. Eric was there, he had just gotten out of the hospital where he had been fighting a case of pneunomia. Little did I know then but that would be the last time I would ever see him alive. He passed away on Easter Sunday, about 6 weeks later. Eric was the most tallented, and artistic person I knew, he was my brother in every way. Easter is supposed to be a time of celebrating rebirth, and the lords promise of eternal life, however for me there is always a twinge of sorrow because that is the time when I lost my brother. His parents made an Aids Quilt section in his memory it is here.
http://155.229.46.62:591/FMRes/FMPro?-db=search%20the%20quilt.fp5&-sortfield=block%20number&PMDB%20Online%3a%3aPanel%20Listing=Matt%20Thomas&-format=ZFormVw.htm&-lay=Large%20Display&-max=1&-skip=4&-token=25&-find
May god bless you with a healthy and long lived child.
Ree-c I have done some research and found a couple of interesting facts,
1) dyslexia is something that historically comes from the father, (I am living that right now with my oldest daughter)
2) hemophilia is historically comes from the mother.
BTW Christmas disease is Factor IX Hemophilia, just found this out.
I wake up everyday with gratitude that both my children are healthy. I hug em, love em and play
with them like each day will be my last day with them. Thanks be to God, I am blessed in every way.
Ree-C
I read the article in horror! This is what socialized medicine will do to a country where medical “costs” need to be kept low. Absolutely sick! God Bless you Ree-C and your kids!
Smacktle
God bless you and yours. If only more people felt like that, there would be no crimes against children in our society. Society just seems to take our children for granted. Murdering a child or raping a child is called child abuse.
Ree-C I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t want to be put into a medically induced coma just so I could “die in mine own time”. The point I am making is that we often sustain the physical life when in fact the persons brain activity has ceased to give that person any form of life at all.
Since I wouldn’t want to live like that shouldn’t I have the option to end the physical life?
I agree that government interference, along with a whole bevy of lawyers has caused the medical community to think twice when managing pain. But wouldn’t a law preventing euthnasia in certain instances be the same thing? Yours or anyone elses personal ideology should not dictate to me or my love ones to sustain a life of pain or lack of human interaction.
Oregons law of physician assisted euthanasia has not resulted in a rash of suicides that was predicted by many sects. What I am saying is we should have the right to control as much of our destiny as possible, just as you should have the same right.
This kind of crap is why I would support a Right-To Life amendment to the constitution that would guarantee that people are not “offed” when they become inconvenient. This would cover abortion to Alzheimers. It’s not fair for the able to be able to get rid of the disabled. And even if the disabled thinks that’s what they want, it’s not fair to put that burden on their caregivers and loved ones.
Abortion and Euthanazia are WRONG!
Johnb838, are you making that decision for others, because of your own ideology? Of course handing over more control of your life to the government, via a Right to Life Amendment falls right in line with a “Total Goverment” philosophy.
#10
We have legal remedies in place in almost every state in the Country. It is called a Directive to Physicians (living will) which instructs loved ones and the physician to not sustain their lives if they become irreparably injured (brain dead, etc.). Hospitals have patients sign RNR’s (do not resusitate directives) every day. It is up to YOU to sign one or both forms. There are also medical powers of attorney which gives your loved one the right to consent to medical care if you are unable to make those decisions. These do not constitute euthanasia. Thank God I live in the U.S. where socialized medicine will never be enacted.
Luv2hammer, you’re forgetting that the protection of life isn’t just a personal choice, like whether you like vanilla or chocolate ice cream. It’s a social more and a universal truth.
I honestly don’t see where the “total government” idea comes into play. As government becomes more and more involved with medicine (being the single payer in many situations), it will naturally have more power over our lives. This amendment restrains medicine — and therefore government — from areas where it oughtn’t be.
Besides, the commerce clause of the constitution has done far more to advance “total government” than 100 years of a Right to Life Amendment ever could.
D’oh, I meant “DNR’s”
Matt nails it!
“Matt nails it” way to go Matt!!!
Make sure Matt has his hammer pointed in the right direction..
bweldon
#18
I usually step aside when Matt uses his hammer! He’s far more articulate than I am!
I want to clarify one thing here: the Groningen Protocol allows the Doctors to decide and act on Euthanasia of the children, even IF the parents/families are not in agreement.
That is point with my son: the Doctors could have killed him even if I disagreed with them. As I put it above, it is “expected”. That is also the problem with Dutch euthanasia laws overall. Elderly Dutch citizens are afraid to go to the hospital in case they get euthanized.
I don’t have a problem with advanced directives or DNRs (Do Not Resuscitate). The problem I have are the medical professionals and administrators, not following our orders.
The medical professionals being human, make mistakes. I understand that, but I don’t want a family member paying for the mistakes in judgment with their lives.
So, Ree-C what is your suggestion? To let a loved one be on life support after they become brain dead? I wouldn’t want to “live” that way and I know others won’t. I agree that government shouldn’t make the choice, but I trust my loved ones to do the right thing and that is do not resusitate if I am brain dead and am only alive because of a feeding/breathing tube. I have seldom heard of healthcare professionals not following written DNRs or Physician Directives. It would be the news de jour if that happened.
I have seen physicians who fight way beyond what was written in a DNR because they believed they could save the patient. My step-daughter is an RN working with cancer patients. She sees courageous professionals every day try their best to save their patients. She also holds them when they cry and they hold her.
I think that Ree-C isn’t speaking out against advance directives or DNR orders, but against doctors deciding when a life should be terminated.
An advance directive or DNR is an order to doctors to let someone go when they die, or to withhold treatment if they stop breathing or go into cardiac arrest.
The important differentiators are that the PATIENT has the choice, not the doctor, and nobody is actively terminating anyone’s life.
I think I need to be clearer: I am not speaking out against DNRs or Advanced Directives!
If you want to arrange this with you family and physician, that is great! I think it is important to do so.
I have a problem with doctors “banding together” with each other and to some degree the government, to decide the fate of others without regard to the wishes of the individuals or family members.
It’s a very controversial issue. Although I strongly support euthanasia for competent adults (we own our own lives, after all), I cannot agree with euthanizing infants. They cannot consent or withhold consent, and I don’t think that parents should be making these decisions for someone else. I do support Murphey’s suggestion that infants in pain should be given painkillers. Unlike some Western countries, physicians in the Netherlands are unafraid of administering high doses of painkillers.
I would also like to add that it is highly hypocritical to permit patients who need a respirator to breathe to commit suicide by removing the respirator (in many countries, this can legally be done without the patient’s consent), but not allow them to commit suicide with a lethal injection. The day may not be far off when we see terminally ill suicide bombers.