13 Year old gir declared brain dead has now officially died

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

I think it is sad that the family does not want to accept the medical opinions given that she is brain dead and will not wake up no matter what. They seem to be under the impression that she is just in a coma and may possibly wake up. I can't believe they are actually going to put her in a long term care facility and keep her on life support. I would never do that to my child. I think that is selfish.

If I am not mistaken they have had 3 different doctors examine her and her records, one just for the court, and all 3 of them recommended removing her from life support.

I don't know of many private insurance companies that would agree to pay for long term care for someone brain dead so I am assuming, possibly wrongly, that they have her on Medicaid. You can probably get by with something so ridiculous with Medicaid.

I can understand possibly wanting to wait a few days before you unplug them just so you can have time to accept what is coming, but to try to go to court to keep the hospital from unplugging her is, as someone else said, just delaying the inevitable.

 

[rickybobby]

There was only one "rule'. Anyway, no if someone is brain dead, they cannot survive without artificial life support. Without brain activity, breathing will cease as will heart beats. Just do a search on brain dead/death and you will get your answers.

Please proof read my post. I stated, "can someone survive ON life support and continue to regenerate cells, all that jazz, when the brain has been declared to be dead?" I am quite smart enough to know that they will not survive OFF life support, even if I don't know the rules.

 

[bdcp]

I think it is sad that the family does not want to accept the medical opinions given that she is brain dead and will not wake up no matter what. They seem to be under the impression that she is just in a coma and may possibly wake up. I can't believe they are actually going to put her in a long term care facility and keep her on life support. I would never do that to my child. I think that is selfish.

If I am not mistaken they have had 3 different doctors examine her and her records, one just for the court, and all 3 of them recommended removing her from life support.

I don't know of many private insurance companies that would agree to pay for long term care for someone brain dead so I am assuming, possibly wrongly, that they have her on Medicaid. You can probably get by with something so ridiculous with Medicaid.

I can understand possibly wanting to wait a few days before you unplug them just so you can have time to accept what is coming, but to try to go to court to keep the hospital from unplugging her is, as someone else said, just delaying the inevitable.

Yes, there have been at least 3 doctors and they all agree. I doubt insurance would pay given the diagnosis. They are in denial.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

This case is playing out about 40 miles up the road from me, and I've been following the coverage everyday. There was a very compelling letter to the editor in the newspaper this morning written by an ICU nurse. She wrote about the cycle of grief that people go through when losing a loved one. The girl's mom feels very guilty about authorizing the surgery the ended up taking her daughter's life. Reasonable or not, that's how she feels. The family is determined to fight to the end for their daughter.

Unfortunately, several doctors have run extensive tests and determined that there is no brain activity whatsoever. The family is holding out for a miracle. I can't blame them for that, but I believe they are postponing the inevitable. They are hoping to get her transferred to a care facility and see if she improves. According to the judge's order, the hospital currently has until 5:00 p.m. on Monday and then they can remove the life support. The family is hoping to have her out of there by then.

I really feel for the family, but I think the outcome will be the same whether they remove the life support now or later. Their way of dealing with their grief is to fight. Perhaps they will see things differently when they are able to think more clearly.

 

[DebbieB]

Not to be insensitive, but who pays for her care? Surely the insurance company would not want to keep paying if she has been declared brain dead.

 

[bdcp]

Please proof read my post. I stated, "can someone survive ON life support and continue to regenerate cells, all that jazz, when the brain has been declared to be dead?" I am quite smart enough to know that they will not survive OFF life support, even if I don't know the rules.

OMG. Why? What are you looking for exactly? Google is your friend. This is not a medical site. We have all tried to help, but you must be looking for something we can't give you.

Read your original post. You asked for people's thoughts. We gave them to you.

 

[rickybobby]

OMG. Why? What are you looking for exactly? Google is your friend. This is not a medical site. We have all tried to help, but you must be looking for something we can't give you.

Medical questions asked here all the time.

 

[rickybobby]

Medical questions asked here all the time.

You should go find another thread to scan for rule violations.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Please proof read my post. I stated, "can someone survive ON life support and continue to regenerate cells, all that jazz, when the brain has been declared to be dead?" I am quite smart enough to know that they will not survive OFF life support, even if I don't know the rules.

Of course the body can continue to live on life support....that is kind of why it is called life support in the first place...it supports life.

Chances are, the family just needs some more time to process what is going on before they can make the very final decision to pull life support.

If nothing else I doubt they will be able to afford life support for much longer since insurance is not likely to pay for it.

 

[bdcp]

You should go find another thread to scan for rule violations.

Quoting yourself.

The "rule" isn't a real rule. It's a rule that we follow because too many posters change their posts because they can't handle the answers they get. You should understand that.

As I said, you asked a question, it was answered, then you changed up your question.

 

[SLP958]

You should go find another thread to scan for rule violations.

Chill out!

 

[SLP958]

Not to be insensitive, but who pays for her care? Surely the insurance company would not want to keep paying if she has been declared brain dead.

We will pay for it. When insurance refuses to pay and hospitals can not collect from families, insurance costs for other go up, hospitals costs for other rise etc.
the family could never pay for that type of care out of pocket.

IMO, I am amazed that they would want that kind of life for their child.

Brain cells do not regenerate. She will not "wake up" and if she did the quality of life would be so poor.

 

[minniecarousel]

I'm with LuvBunnies - I live pretty close to Children's Hosp, Oakland where this happened. One of my kids had minor surgery there 33 years ago. It's a very well-respected facility. That said, I really feel for the girls Mom. I believe that she is dead, but I understand the family's resistance to this. It's just a very sad situation. I felt like the family just wanted her thru Christmas, but they're really adamant about finding another place or her. I don't think they have any idea how hard it is to see someone you love in this state for a long period of time.

 

[sonnyjane]

We will pay for it. When insurance refuses to pay and hospitals can not collect from families, insurance costs for other go up, hospitals costs for other rise etc.
the family could never pay for that type of care out of pocket.

IMO, I am amazed that they would want that kind of life for their child.

Brain cells do not regenerate. She will not "wake up" and if she did the quality of life would be so poor.

The family did say that their insurance was willing to pay for her sustained care. Whether or not that's true I'm not sure.

 

[hegsag]

I cannot imagine what the family is going thru. I can only hope that I would make the right decisions if it were my child. Honestly, it's easy for me to say that I would take her off life support and donate her viable organs & I hope that is what I would do. But the devastation might not allow me to think clearly...

 

[rickybobby]

Taking my ball and going home.

 

[RN_Mom]

Sad! And I don't think insurance will step up since time of death on death certificate will be when she was declared brain dead.

 

[sonnyjane]

Sorry I'm not sure why that double-posted!

 

[SLP958]

The family did say that their insurance was willing to pay for her sustained care. Whether or not that's true I'm not sure.

Interesting...

I wonder if the reason they are willing to continue is due to all the publicity the story has received.

 

[moon]

Please proof read my post. I stated, "can someone survive ON life support and continue to regenerate cells, all that jazz, when the brain has been declared to be dead?" I am quite smart enough to know that they will not survive OFF life support, even if I don't know the rules.

I read on another site where someone claiming to be a nurse said that no, that someone who is brain dead can't be kept alive long on life support. that the organs start to shut down and everything start to go awry fast

I have no idea if that is true or not