Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Brain-Dead Woman Kept Alive in Hopes Her 21-Week Fetus Survives (VA)
AP ^ | AP-ES-06-16-05 1037EDT

Posted on 06/16/2005 8:15:30 AM PDT by TheOtherOne

Brain-Dead Woman Kept Alive in Hopes Her 21-Week Fetus Survives
The Associated Press
Published: Jun 16, 2005 ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - A brain-dead woman is being kept on life support in hopes that her 21-week-old fetus survives, and the woman's husband said he is certain that's what she would have wanted.

Jason Torres said doctors believe the fetus could have a chance if Susan Torres lives another month and her cancer stays away from her uterus.

He said he decided to keep his wife on life support when doctors at Virginia Hospital Center offered him the chance to disconnect the machines after concluding she would not recover.

"I hate seeing her on those darned machines, and I hate using her as a husk, a carrying case, because she herself is worth so much more," Torres said in an interview in Thursday's USA Today. "But Susan really wanted this baby. And she's a very - how should I put this? - a willful lady. That's probably why she's made it this far."

Hospital officials are not discussing the case, the newspaper reported.

Susan Torres, a 26-year-old researcher at the National Institutes of Health, lost consciousness from a stroke May 7 after aggressive melanoma spread to her brain. Jason Torres said doctors told him his wife's brain functions have stopped.

Torres said the fetus appears to be thriving, but his wife's doctors have told him they know of no cases in which a brain-dead mother with melanoma has delivered a baby.

If his wife and her fetus live until mid-July, or about 25 weeks' gestation, the fetus could survive delivery, though with a heightened risk of brain damage and other problems, Torres said. A full-term pregnancy is about 40 weeks.

"There's not a glimmer of doubt in my mind that this is what she would have wanted," Torres said. "Any chance at all to save the baby, and Susan would have said, 'Let's go for it.' "

Torres quit his job as a printing salesman and has moved into his wife's hospital room. The couple's 2-year-old son, Peter, is staying with grandparents.

AP-ES-06-16-05 1037EDT


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: cancer; cultureoflife; fetus; tinybaby
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-105 next last

1 posted on 06/16/2005 8:15:30 AM PDT by TheOtherOne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne

Fetus? Alive? Preposterous. It's a mass of tissue.

And starve the little freeloader woman into Nirvana.


2 posted on 06/16/2005 8:17:27 AM PDT by AppyPappy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne

Prayers for baby Torres. His/her father is one incredible man.


3 posted on 06/16/2005 8:18:55 AM PDT by HanneyBean
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne
Torres said the fetus appears to be thriving, but his wife's doctors have told him they know of no cases in which a brain-dead mother with melanoma has delivered a baby.

Could that possibly be because the doctors always pulled the plug before she could?

Just a thought.

4 posted on 06/16/2005 8:19:35 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws spawned the runaway federal health care monopoly and fund terrorism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne

Tragic but inspiring.


5 posted on 06/16/2005 8:19:57 AM PDT by Sarah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy

Let's being throwing "Fetus Showers" rather than "Baby Showers". I demand stores quit advertising to Expectant Parents and instead advertise to People Expecting Fetuses.


6 posted on 06/16/2005 8:20:25 AM PDT by zerosix
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne

I will keep these people in my thoughts and prayers.

Strength for the mother
Luck for the unborn infant
and courage for the father


7 posted on 06/16/2005 8:21:19 AM PDT by SouthernBoyupNorth ("For my wings are made of Tungsten, my flesh of glass and steel..........")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne

Amazing story. I hope she can live long enough that she delivers a healthy, happy baby. The baby deserves to live. I hope this child someday finds out just what his other went through for him/her. How sad.


8 posted on 06/16/2005 8:21:55 AM PDT by Halls
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne

Wow this is a twofer in the eyes of the commie/fascist/socialist Dum. Euthanasia and abortion.


9 posted on 06/16/2005 8:22:14 AM PDT by marty60
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne

What a incredible testament of love.


10 posted on 06/16/2005 8:25:09 AM PDT by Millee (So you're a feminist......isn't that cute??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TheOtherOne
Published: Jun 16, 2005 ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - A brain-dead woman is being kept on life support in hopes that her 21-week-old fetus survives, and the woman's husband said he is certain that's what she would have wanted.

What about him wanting his son or daughter?

11 posted on 06/16/2005 8:26:00 AM PDT by frogjerk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum; All

Good point.

I imagined during the Schiavo case a situation in which a pregnant woman was unable to speak for herself, and the husband said that the wife would want to carry the baby to term EVEN IF it meant losing her own life (as opposed to the situation here). How would those who wanted the parents and the government to "mind their own business" in the Schiavo case feel about that?


12 posted on 06/16/2005 8:28:02 AM PDT by cvq3842
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: frogjerk
What about him wanting his son or daughter?

I think it was implied. Or at least I inferred it.

13 posted on 06/16/2005 8:28:12 AM PDT by TheOtherOne (I often sacrifice my spelling on the alter of speed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: zerosix

Fetus is a Latin word for child or offspring. The pro-death abortionists adopted it to trick the people into believing that what the women were carrying in their uterus wasn't really a baby.


14 posted on 06/16/2005 8:28:20 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Brad's Gramma

Prayers needed for this family and baby. Please do your magic ping list, BG.


15 posted on 06/16/2005 8:28:40 AM PDT by Texagirl4W ("I am too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SouthernBoyupNorth

Yes.


16 posted on 06/16/2005 8:29:38 AM PDT by cvq3842
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: frogjerk

You know that the father's wants are irrelevant. Abortion is a female's ABSOLUTE right. If whe decides to do it, it doesn't matter what the situation is, how old she is, what her parents want if she is a minor, what the father wants, or even if she is 1 minute from delivery or anything else.


17 posted on 06/16/2005 8:31:48 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Actually the cause is unknown, but there is a failure to thrive. I am aware of a case in Germany where the mother was farther along in her pregnancy. Many lifesaving efforts were made to save the fetus, however it perished in utero.

This having been said, I pray for a miracle.


18 posted on 06/16/2005 8:33:16 AM PDT by timsbella
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Faith

This needs a prayer ping. I'm not sure who keeps the ping list.


19 posted on 06/16/2005 8:33:55 AM PDT by Nita Nupress
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kayak


20 posted on 06/16/2005 8:35:29 AM PDT by Nita Nupress
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-105 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson