Posted on 06/16/2005 8:15:30 AM PDT by TheOtherOne
Brain-Dead Woman Kept Alive in Hopes Her 21-Week Fetus Survives
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
I'm with you, prayers for mom, baby, and the family
WHOOOO HOOOOO Logan and ALL Tiny Babies BUMP!!!
Amen.
Saw this on the news tonight .. tragic story, very brave husband and Daddy.
This is NONE of our business. NONE.
I'm with you BG! Prayers up for both of them!
Of course it isn't. Why should we care about a baby?
I like your style, BG. I'm going to pray for complete recovery for Mom as well as a healthy birth for baby!
I join in prayer for this family!
Fetus... Latin for child.
Then stay out of here.
I had left this for a while tonight. Dear Lord, some of the hostilities here are unbelievable. Glad you're passing the word and I'm agreeing with you in prayer, my friend.
and the mother one incredible woman. I hope and pray the baby will be born and live to bring joy to this dad who is in a lot of grief as he knows as one is born and breathes live..that the other will take her last breath. It's heartbreaking but a true love story. God bless all three. My heart aches for all of them.
I know someone who totally supported Michael Schiavo and thinks this is absolutely absurd. I wonder, if he thought that it should have been Michael's wishes because he is the husband what his problem is with this case because, again, it's the husband's wishes. Ah, the culture of death.
Why are you being hostile to a few Christians who wish to pray for a baby?
You ought to think before you post.
That scenario actually happened and it was made into a movie. A woman was pregnant and went into a coma and in order for the wife to maybe recover they would have to abort the baby. The husband said to go ahead and a bunch of right to lifers got a court order on behalf of the baby. It was a huge story in NY back in the 70's I believe, and it was a nightmare for the husband. The name of the movie was ABSOLUTE STRANGERS, referring to the people who came in and intruded on this family's most painful period. Henry Winkler starred as the husband. So, it can happen...and that's very frightening.
I apologize...I did what I chastise others about which is posting before reading. I thought it was a call to activism and that got my dander up. But it's just a call to prayer...and I'm all for that!
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