Connecticut teen with cancer forced by state to undergo chemo treatments

Fox ^ | 1/5/15

[workerbee]

***SNIP***

Cassandra was taken into temporary custody by DCF in November, and her mother was ordered to cooperate with medical care administered under the agency’s supervision, after the hospital reported her to the agency.

Cassandra underwent two chemotherapy treatments before running away from home. When she returned, she refused treatment.

The teen’s doctors testified at a trial court hearing, after which it was decided that she was to be removed from her home and remain in DCF custody— and that DCF was authorized to make medical decisions on her behalf.

***SNIP***

“It’s a question of fundamental constitutional rights-- the right to have a say over what happens to your body-- and the right to say to the government ‘you can’t control what happens to my body,’” Cassandra’s mother’s attorney, Michael S. Taylor, told Fox CT. A public defender represents Cassandra.

***SNIP***

[Rodamala]

Rule Number 1 of going to the hospital - do not sign anything.
Rule Number 2 of going to the hospital - Never let them take your clothes and shoes from you.
Rule Number 3 of going to the hospital - Don’t go to the hospital.

[MeganC]

What happened to a ‘woman’s right to choose’?

[napscoordinator]

That is only before birth. After they care about everything. Of course they say the opposite for us. We only care about kids before birth and then kick them to the curb after. lol. Both sides are a hoot sometimes.

[Ray76]

Have you noticed the trend that hospitals no longer have “admitting” or “admissions” but now have “intake”

[Gasshog]

lol. so true.

[demshateGod]

People like to live near family, they have good jobs, or like whatever it is about their state. I like living in a free state.

[Amendment10]

"'It’s a question of fundamental constitutional rights [emphasis added]-- the right to have a say over what happens to your body-- and the right to say to the government ‘you can’t control what happens to my body,’ ..."

The activist attorney seems to be using the vague, PC term “fundamental constitutional rights” because, other then self-defense protections evidenced by the 2nd Amendment, the states have never amended the Constitution to expressly protect a person’s body. So this is basically a constitutionally unchecked 10th Amendment-protected state power issue, imo, roughly comparable to the Terri Schiavo case but with the hopefully opposite outcome.

Am I overlooking anything?

[Red_Devil 232]

Are all the Chemo costs and hospital costs payed by the State?

[ncalburt]

Fox New pushes out some real crap like this gem.
This piece has so few facts and mostly bluster.

Is the hospital on the hook for a huge lawsuit in Conn if a 17 dies not get treated for cancer easily treated by chemo?
Can dear Mom sue the Hospital after-wards ?

Hospital staff usually do not go to court over cancer unless they think they can be sued for not treating or the parents are flakes and the kids are getting untreated due to their parents personal agenda . Why is Mom so big on not doing chemo ?.
Is she a Christan Scientist or some other religious cult ?
Or is she a crazy new age ?

This story smells to high heaven and reads like a agenda piece as usual from Fox Leftist News!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

They want to be able to euthanize you if you get too old or expensive, but you aren't allowed to voluntarily forego chemotherapy.

It would deprive the pharmaceutical companies of revenue.

[jocon307]

She’s only one year short of adulthood, so I suppose they can jerk her around for a year, but not beyond that.

[ClearCase_guy]

Much irony.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3165509/posts

Many will remember the recent case of Justina Pelletier, the young CT woman who unfortunately ended up a prisoner in a MA hospital. After many legal struggles she was allowed to escape the hospital and finally return to CT.

But I guess CT plays much the same game.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

“Intake?”

That’s what they call being admitted into jail, too.

[roadcat]

Successful treatment of cancer depends in large part, the state of mind of the patient undergoing treatment. Stress can aggravate a person’s ability to recover from cancer. The state is doing a huge disservice to this young teen, and most likely is going to make her health deteriorate. My wife has been undergoing years of surgery, chemo and radiation therapy to fight off cancers, which has for the most part been successful. She attributes that to a positive state of mind and reduction of stress. That teen should not be forced into receiving treatment; the stress can kill her.

[combat_boots]

I am sorry.

[erkelly]

Poor little girl. I made the adult decision to stop chemo after 4 rounds. You have to be allowed to listen to your own body, whether you’re 15 or 50. Sometimes chemo is just not worth it.

[roadcat]

She's happy to be alive and be around to see and take care of our grandchildren. She's a fighter, been through a lot. Had surgery nearly twenty years ago for a hysterectomy, uterine cancer. Later surgery for removal of part of her colon. Other surgery to remove lymph nodes. Radiation was brutal, one time every day for a month. She calls the chemo treatments "taking her poison", which it is. A toxic mix of five to seven different chemicals that kill cells. Whenever regular scans reveal cancerous lymph nodes, she begins chemo treatments until they clear up. Not all chemo treatments result in loss of hair, just certain chemicals. She's been through loss of hair, but has retained hair in recent treatments.

So just because someone appears normal and healthy, doesn't mean they aren't fighting cancer. The stereotype is that everyone loses hair during every treatment; not so. People need to understand that the teen's fear of chemo is very real. It is a mix of toxic poisons that cause various side effects and greatly reduce immunity to other disease. Chemo is not something I would wish on anyone. It should be each person's choice whether to undergo treatment or not.

[workerbee]

God bless your wife; she's been thru the wringer. My father-in-law underwent chemo last year. He lost his hair but otherwise had almost no side effects - no nausea at all, and he actually gained weight because they had told him in advance "eat what you feel like" (assuming of course, he would be sick and lose his appetite). I never knew until his experience how "individualized" the cocktails were, but as you say, it's definitely poison. I still think some day in the future, chemo will be looked upon about as favorably as we look back on blood-letting.

[sarasmom]

This is sickening!

And it will only spread and get worse, now that government at all levels, have power over everyone’s “health care”, everywhere.