“….the hospital and their doctors want her out of their hair as quickly and as cheaply as possible.”
I was with you until there…. This is not true. I know Children’s in Oakland and it is one of the finest staff and facilities around.
Look independent docs picked by the family have said their is NO brain activity. The docs at Children’s have said their is NO brain activity. This is NOT a case of ‘persistent’ vegetative state that represents heart break for the family but still has life associated with the individual. The doctors have declared her dead. Remove her from the ventilator and all mechanical means of assistance (that were put in place because of the lawyer involvement). This young girl is long gone. My heart aches for the family. My head spins at some of the families arguments as well as those here at FR.
Trust me when I tell you there is not much money in being a doc ( or a nurse for that matter). California teachers earn more than most nurses. Docs have to be for their malpractice insurance, the office staff and their insurance, the cost of facilities, and their education. The net that a doc walks away with is not that stunning. The big numbers you here of are usually those hired by the government (local, state, or fed). Private practice (group wise because solo practise is almost unheard of anymore) just isn’t that lucrative
I do know that doctors aren’t rolling in money, nor are hospitals. It’s going to be a good deal worse as Obamacare begins affecting them.
What ticked me off initially is it was reported that the hospital refused to allow whatever was necessary to move the little girl and were, allegedly, taking the moral high ground that it would be awful if they allowed a medical procedure “on a dead person”. They have since relented with a court’s encouragement. If the reporting is true, and that’s a big if, they have been considerably less than empathetic or appropriate with the family.
I do not doubt, from your info, that these are capable people. But bone deep what they want to do is to heal people and once healing is out of the question, some lose patience. I saw it a lot when I worked with frail seniors. That’s one of the reasons for hospice - a whole ‘nother conversation.
So we’re kind of in the same place for the most part. PAX and Happy New Years to you and yours.