Court forcing 16 yr old with cancer into chemo

[Nephythys]

Yes- they could. It's been done before where a parent was held responsible for not allowing or providing appropriate medical care for their child.

Frankly if the guy was 18 this would be moot- for 2 years he may be screwed- it's amazing how the state (social services/courts) can intervene.

[mousepod]

I'm all for people making their own decisions about what to do with their own bodies. I'm also sure that many of the "alternatives" to medicine are pure BS.
However sad this case appears, what Neph brings up is fact: he's a minor, and the reason that these kinds of courts even exist is to try and guarantee the best possible life for minors. To put it another way, I'm not sure I can even see some nefarious reason or hidden agenda behind the judge's decision, other than he thinks that chemo is the best way to pursue this particular type of cancer.

[scaeagles]

I do suppose you and Moon are right, Mousepod. There is just something that doesn't sit right with me about it.

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I do suppose you and Moon are right, Mousepod. There is just something that doesn't sit right with me about it.

I don't disagree. But for some reason someone has brought this case, and the judge is acting on what they perceive as the best interests of the child.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I do suppose you and Moon are right, Mousepod. There is just something that doesn't sit right with me about it.

It is not an easy case and my initial reaction was in line with yours. Where do you draw the line? Should we be forcing all Amish women give birth in modern neonatal units? Should the state take custody of obese kids? Should smokers be banned from having children at all?

What role should the state play in keeping kids safe from their own parents? Parents that are loving, concerned and looking out for the well being of their child's health and soul no matter how misguided they may be.

[tracilicious]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

It is not an easy case and my initial reaction was in line with yours. Where do you draw the line? Should we be forcing all Amish women give birth in modern neonatal units?

I know I shouldn't post this but I just can't not. I'm really not trying to start a fight, Moonie.

Given that the US is 36th on the list of infant mortality, meaning that 35 countries have better survival rates for babies than we do, I'd say not. The top countries have a birth system completely run by midwives and a huge number of homebirths. My dislike for our sub-standard American medical system is intense.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by tracilicious

I know I shouldn't post this but I just can't not. I'm really not trying to start a fight, Moonie.

Given that the US is 36th on the list of infant mortality, meaning that 35 countries have better survival rates for babies than we do, I'd say not. The top countries have a birth system completely run by midwives and a huge number of homebirths. My dislike for our sub-standard American medical system is intense.

In an effort to help SCA and myself come to grip with why this case is upsetting, I was posting those concepts as extreme examples of where government interference in our lives could lead us. Evil examples and certainly not as a suggested course of action. So I don't think any fights are brewing over this between us. Unless of course you do think the government should get more involved with our personal heath care decisions. If that's the case then bring it on

[tracilicious]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

In an effort to help SCA and myself come to grip with why this case is upsetting, I was as posting those concepts as extreme examples of where government interference in our lives could lead us. Evil examples and certainly not as a suggested course of action. So I don't think any fights are brewing over this between us.

Good, and I understood that. But being that the atrocious birth system in our country bothers me a lot, I just couldn't not post those facts.

[mousepod]

Originally Posted by tracilicious

My dislike for our sub-standard American medical system is intense.

tracilicious - I hear what you're saying, but I'm not exactly sure what you mean by the "American medical system". If you're talking about our fairly lopsided delivery of medical care, the misguided and profit-driven "insurance" business, or the absolute misunderstanding in DC about what Medicare should be, I'm with you all the way. But I think that the medical professionals in the US get a bum rap from all sides. From my own experience, I think that America's doctors and nurses rank among the best in the world.

As far as the thread topic goes, I guess I would try to put myself in the judge's position, and I just don't see how he could have decided otherwise.

I have know many people people who have dealt with cancer, some who beat it and some who didn't - and no matter what, this is a difficult and ultimately sad case.

[tracilicious]

Originally Posted by mousepod

tracilicious - I hear what you're saying, but I'm not exactly sure what you mean by the "American medical system". If you're talking about our fairly lopsided delivery of medical care, the misguided and profit-driven "insurance" business, or the absolute misunderstanding in DC about what Medicare should be, I'm with you all the way. But I think that the medical professionals in the US get a bum rap from all sides. From my own experience, I think that America's doctors and nurses rank among the best in the world.

I'm talking about all that and more. I'm talking about the "system" in general and not usually specific doctors. I think often specific doctors are the problem, but that would be the medical colleges fault and not their own. They are doing what they are taught. It's the system that chooses treatment based on insurance, the system that gives you a vicodin for a headache instead of figuring out what's really wrong or even if treatment is necessary, the system that immunizes babies for a disease against a disease acquired from sex and shared needles when the immunization only protects until age 10, the system in which women can schedule elective C-sections and dr.s will induce labor because they are going on vacation.

I think in general Dr.s are good people who want to help others. Nurses too. Their jobs are hard and they even manage to be right sometimes , but if our system were what it should be we would stack up to the rest of the world more favorably. It's truly frightening when you compare survival and disease rates for many things. I think it's getting better. Very slowly.