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‘Brain dead’ Quebec woman wakes up after family refuses organ donation
LifeSiteNews ^ | 7/7/11 | Rebecca Millette

Posted on 07/07/2011 3:55:43 PM PDT by wagglebee

DROMMONDVILLE, Quebec, July 5, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Last week, Madeleine Gauron, a Quebec woman identified as viable for organ donation after doctors diagnosed her as “brain dead,” surprised her family and physicians when she recovered from a coma, opened her eyes, and began eating.

The 76-year-old woman was hospitalized at the Hospital Sainte Croix de Drummondville for an inflammation of the gums, which required a brief operation.  During her recovery, hospital staff gave the elderly woman solid food, which she had been unable to consume in her family home for some time, and left her unattended.  Choking on the food, she fell into a coma, after unsuccessful resuscitation.

Medical staff contacted her family, explaining to them that their mother was “brain dead,” with no hope of recovery.  Citing Gauron’s eyes as particularly viable, the doctors asked if the family would agree to organ donation.

While supporting the possibility of donation, her shocked family first demanded further medical tests to prove Gauron was really dead. 

The next day, the family was astonished to learn that Gauron had awakened.  Shortly afterwards, she sat up in bed and ate yogurt.

“If we had decided to donate her organs, they would have killed her,” said her son.

“It makes no sense to treat people like that. Although she is 76 years old and is ill, she did not have to suffer all this,” insisted her daughter.

Madeleine Gauron is now able to eat, walk and talk, and immediately recognized her family. Her children have decided to take legal action against the hospital.

As anecdotes similar to Gauron’s continue to pile up, “brain death” as a legitimate diagnosis of actual death is increasingly being questioned by concerned family members and medical professionals, some of whom have charged that the “brain death” criteria was created simply to ensure that harvested organs are fresh.

Currently, more than half of Swedish intensive care nurses who care for purportedly brain dead patients have doubts about methods for establishing brain death, according to a recent survey released by Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg.

While regulations require Swedish physicians to ascertain brain death through particular clinical tests, further analysis in conjunction with brain x-rays are only done for select patients.

The author of the thesis, Anne Flodén, a registered nurse and researcher at the Institute of Health and Care Sciences, said the outcome of the study was problematic, indicating the need for clear guidelines surrounding the process of diagnosis and organ donation.

“This problem was raised by many of the ICU nurses in several of the studies,” said Flodén. “They were disappointed in the lack of structure and guidelines and are therefore calling for more support from management on these issues.”

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No ‘moral certainty’ that brain death is really death: prominent Catholic ethics professor Brugger

“Brain Death” is Life, Not Death: Neurologists, Philosophers, Neonatologists, Jurists, and Bioethici

“Brain Death” Test Causes Brain Necrosis and Kills Patients: Neurologist to Rome Conference

“Brain Death” as Criteria for Organ Donation is a “Deception”: Bereaved Mother


TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: moralabsolutes; organharvesting; prolife
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To: kabumpo

I never liked the idea and the more I’ve learned the more I detest it. Plus I found out that people who have transplanted organs always (or maybe mostly?) have to take strong drugs to repress their immune systems to prevent their bodies rejected the foreign organs. Sounds grotesque.


21 posted on 07/07/2011 4:57:11 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: wagglebee

Some more “benefits” looming from Obama Care......

BTW, “Brain Death” was created as a legal response to improvements in “extremis care”, (i.e. life support), to answer the plaints of family wishing for some dignity for their kin. Its a process fraught with pitfalls, and conflicting requirements and obligations as I can attest. >PS


22 posted on 07/07/2011 5:07:32 PM PDT by PiperShade
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To: kabumpo

I am on the marrow donor list and have often had second thoughts. If I’m a match for someone ‘above my class,’ what are the chances that something could ‘happen’ to me? There was an old TV show called ‘The Immortal’ I believe. Kind of like the fugitive, a guy whose blood had special restorative powers was stalked by an old dude who had been rejuvenated by a transfusion. Was far-fetched at the time, but now...


23 posted on 07/07/2011 5:07:37 PM PDT by organicchemist
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To: wagglebee; All

Thanks for posting. Thanks to all posters.

life


24 posted on 07/07/2011 5:27:10 PM PDT by PGalt
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To: wagglebee

I have written on the back of my driver’s license, “Not an organ donor,” just in case the lack of organ donation card isn’t enough.

I don’t like the idea of organ transplants. The way I see it is that when someone gets placed onto a transplant list, they are actively hoping that someone else, who is alive and healthy right now, will die. I have a HUGE moral problem with that.

If I am that sick, that only an organ transplantation can save my life, what right do I have to fervently hope that a healthy person should die? Maybe, if my health is that bad, it is time to accept that my time is coming to its end?


25 posted on 07/07/2011 5:30:35 PM PDT by exDemMom (Now that I've finally accepted that I'm living a bad hair life, I'm more at peace with the world.)
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To: w1andsodidwe

“I saw this same thing happen with a 17 year old boy in the 70’s. Because of that, I will not sign the organ donor thing on the back of drivers license. “

Quincy did a show on that, decades ago. Even though the intent of the (Hollywood) producers was to convince people that ‘mistakes’ never happen - it convinced me to never trust those people, when you’re worth a lot more to them in pieces than intact.


26 posted on 07/07/2011 5:51:01 PM PDT by BobL (PLEASE READ: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2657811/posts)
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To: srmorton

First they give this poor woman food she can’t handle eating.. Then they leave the room so she can choke herself into a coma.. Then they ineptly pronounce her brain dead.. Then they want to steal her organs! UnFreakin’Real!!!


27 posted on 07/07/2011 6:54:32 PM PDT by DivineMomentsOfTruth ("Give me Liberty or I'll stand up and get it for myself!")
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To: little jeremiah

I’ve come to loathe hospitals.


28 posted on 07/07/2011 6:56:18 PM PDT by DivineMomentsOfTruth ("Give me Liberty or I'll stand up and get it for myself!")
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To: exDemMom
If I am that sick, that only an organ transplantation can save my life, what right do I have to fervently hope that a healthy person should die? Maybe, if my health is that bad, it is time to accept that my time is coming to its end?

Exactly. Keeping life in the earthly body at the expense of others is evil. There is a natural beginning and a natural end to life in the mortal coil. Death is not a tragedy when naturally occurring; sad if premature for sure, but clinging to life in the body when it's time to continue the journey elsewhere is not a happy or peaceful way to live.

29 posted on 07/07/2011 7:13:08 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: DivineMomentsOfTruth

I try to take of most health things at home with herbs and other measures. Doctors (for me) are when nothing else works.


30 posted on 07/07/2011 7:14:15 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: little jeremiah

Same here.


31 posted on 07/07/2011 7:26:25 PM PDT by DivineMomentsOfTruth ("Give me Liberty or I'll stand up and get it for myself!")
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To: DivineMomentsOfTruth

I like your tagline!


32 posted on 07/07/2011 7:45:10 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: organicchemist

I would rethink the list tbing if I were you.


33 posted on 07/07/2011 8:06:12 PM PDT by kabumpo (Kabumpo)
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To: wagglebee

“While supporting the possibility of donation, her shocked family first demanded further medical tests to prove Gauron was really dead.”

Talk about being too close for comfort.

Thank God she made it, and it’s a lesson for us all.


34 posted on 07/07/2011 11:23:48 PM PDT by Sun (Pray that God sends us good leaders. Please say a prayer now.)
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To: wagglebee

bump—they want our parts


35 posted on 07/08/2011 8:26:12 AM PDT by Taffini ( Mr. Pippen and Mr. Waffles do not approve and neither do I)
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To: All
Pinged from Terri Dailies


36 posted on 07/10/2011 11:19:21 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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