Posted on 02/11/2006 12:30:34 AM PST by kathsua
A Local Family Facing A Life Or Death Decision For A Toddler Feb. 9
The power of prayer and the race against time. The family of a local toddler who nearly drowned is fighting a new battle, one that may require a life or death decision.
Life hangs in the balance for two-year-old Brett Shively. Family and friends turn to a higher power for support. They have set up a website http://web.mac.com/brettjr/iWeb/Pray%20for%20Brett%20Jr/Welcome.html dedicated to the toddler and the power of prayer.
His family makes a passionate plea for people to pray like they've never prayed before. The doctor told them, "I am here to serve the living." He has already written off Junior as dead.
Two-year-old Brett Shively nearly drowned in a bathtub at a Haysville home on Saturday. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, not breathing. At Wesley, doctors revived him and he has been critical ever since.
Pictures on the website show his tiny body with tubes keeping him alive. Now Brett's family says they are in a race against time.
Paperwork states that the hospital or parents can get a second opinion from another doctor according to the web log. If that opinion lines up with the first doctor's then the first doctor can override what the parents say and do what he wants.
Wesley Medical Center says that is not the case. All of this is in reference to little Brett's life support. Online, the family says they now have 72 hours to find a second opinion that says Brett will live.
We tried to contact the Shively's through their church. The Living Word Outreach on Hillside has supported the family around the clock. A spokesman said nobody could speak on camera.
We also contacted Wesley Medical Center, which gave us this statement:
"We understand this tragic accident has left this family distraught, and patients and families are entitled to a second opinion if they disagree with their attending physician. The medical staff will use appropriate testing to determine the Shively baby's level of functioning and will discuss the results with the family before any action is taken."
Brett's family calls him a very affectionate child, loving hugs and never turning away kisses. He has an older brother & sister, ages four and five. They and thousands more are praying for a miracle.
Thursday doctors will sit down with the family and go over options at hand. Bret will turn three years old on February 24th.
This doc should have gotten a second opinion on vocational choices.
...that link doesn't work :(
I can't see how anyone would let a 2y/o drown in the bathtub. Looks like the baby was not breathing for a long time.
Those poor parents. What a personality shattering thing.
I also pray that a doctor that would make a statement such as this The doctor told them, "I am here to serve the living." He has already written off Junior as dead put a knee down and ask forgiveness before he ever touches another child, and that much wiser and competent physicians take his place.
Even if the child's prognosis is dire, he should immediately recuse himself from this case, if for no other reason than to save the hospital millions of dollars.
Put the question in front of a jury, was the doctor likely to exert every option, seek guidance from every expert, conduct every test to save this child, or did his comments betray the fact that he had given up and wasn't going to bother anymore.
Looks like keeping the parents alive may get tough. Can expect cycling depressions of the most extreme sort. Someone will have to watch them continuously as they fully realize what has happened.
Looking back I can see I sound callous. This is not the case. If a doctor (I am not one) cannot write off the dead he won't last. Doctors see people die every day that they care about.
The little lad's parents are different. The "what ifs", the "if I had been doing the my job he would still be alive" times will never end as long as life endures.
What you say about lawsuits is correct.
It is obvious to me that the doctor is really suffering over this, by the way. Nothing like the parents are, of course.
Bet you a nickel the young doc (most everybody is young nowadays, or maybe I am getting old) has worked really hard to save the child. Indeed, he is here to serve the living, because he cannot serve the dead. He has to be ready to help the next person as much as he is able.
Most hospitals (larger ones, anyway) have a designated person who is good at helping grieving family in times like this. That job would tear me to pieces.
BioDeathics ping...
I don't know whether he'll make it or not, but he just got a "stay" for 72 hours. 3 days, and hundreds of people praying for Junior, count me in.
This family appears to be in Wichita, Kansas. Do you have any contacts there who could help them navigate the minefield?
Prayers from TX
Please post your replies to kathsua
kathsua, My prayers going up for Brett Shively and his family. God's healing for Brett...God's comfort for his family.
Blessings,
trussell
If you want on/off my prayer ping list, please let me know. All requests happily honored.
Thank you for the ping.
Big prayers up for Junior!
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