Baby Isaiah will remain on ventilator until at least March 11

Justice Michelle Crighton has decided that Baby Isaiah will remain on the ventilator until at least March 11 to provide time for Dr Richard Taylor from Victoria BC to examine Isaiah.

Baby Isaiah was born last October after a 40 hour labour with the umbilical cord around his neck. He experienced oxygen deprivation and the doctors stated that he was brain dead. Baby Isaiah has physically thrived and is trying to breath on his own. He is likely to be significantly cognitively disabled, but he is not brain dead and he is not dying.

Isaac and Rebecca May have been searching for a paediatric neurologist to examine Baby Isaiah.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition opposes the withdrawal of the ventilator from Baby Isaiah May because the ventilator is beneficial for the child, the child is thriving, and the legal precedents that may be set by removing the ventilator from a child who is not brain dead and who's parents wish the care to continue.

A precedent that allows the removal of the ventilator from a person who is benefiting from its use, not dying and not brain dead, and against the wishes of the person or the family could allow the courts to end treatment for people with dementia or Alzheimer disease.

We also oppose futile care theory that has changed in the last few years from mandating that futile treatment be stopped to establishing which patients are considered futile and mandating that treatment be stopped.

Link to article about Baby Isaiah:
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/thewest/Baby+Isaiah+parents+await+results+assessment/2587211/story.html

Baby Isaiah Case - Euthanasia or not?

The case of Baby Isaiah May has been discussed in Canada and internationally. Baby Isaiah was born with the umbilical cord around his neck after a 40 labour in Alberta. He was not breathing when he was born but was revived and sent to the Stollery Children's hospital in Edmonton Alberta.

After approximately 90 days of receiving care, the parents of Baby Isaiah - Rebecca and Isaac May, were told that the hospital would withdraw the ventilator from Baby Isaiah.

The parents went to court to request another 90 days of care to give Baby Isaiah a chance to further improve. When speaking with Rebecca May, she made it very clear that they hoped to be able to bring Isaiah home and care for him. She understood that Isaiah may not survive very long and if he survived, that he may be profoundly disabled, but she was willing to care for him and love him, no matter what happened.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition has supported the wish of the May family to give Baby Isaiah a chance to improve to the point where they could bring him home.

The very first email we sent out to support the family stated that if Baby Isaiah were removed from the ventilator, that if he died, it would not be euthanasia but rather a natural death. This comment remains correct.

The reason the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is supporting the May family is that the precedent that would be set if the court did withdraw the ventilator against the wishes of the family would have very wide ramifications.

Modern bioethics has bought into futile care theory. Futile care theory originally focussed on withdrawing treatment when it became futile, burdensome and ineffective. Over the past decade, and more, futile care theory now focusses on withdrawing effective treatment from patients that are deemed to be futile.

The ventilator is effectively providing oxygen for Baby Isaiah, who is growing and physiologically thriving with the care. The hospital and the physician view Baby Isaiah as being futile and believe that they are wasting the resource of the ventilator on a futile patient.

If the May family loses this court case consider where the issue may go next. People with alzheimers or dementia, people with profound disabilities, and more.

Next consider how such a legal precedent could be used if euthanasia ever became legal in Canada.

We need to support the May family. They have asked that Baby Isaiah be given 90 more days on the ventilator and they are wanting him to have a chance to improve to the point where they can take him home and love and care for him. What is so wrong with that?

If you have not joined the facebook page, Prayers for Baby Isaiah James link to: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?v=wall&gid=167085117294

Baby Isaiah James Facebook site re-appears.

The Facebook page for Baby Isaiah mysteriously dissappeared on Friday. The supporters of his cause quickly started a new site.

Then suddenly this morning the Prayers for Baby Isaiah James Facebook site re-appeared.

They now have more than 31,000 supporters.

Join today at: http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=167085117294&ref=ts

Baby Isaiah May Facebook Page

Facebook suddenly removed the Prayers for Baby Isaiah James Facebook page yesterday. This was shocking considering that in two weeks the Facebook page had grown to 30,000 fans.

This facebook page needs to grow quickly.

Become a fan of the Prayers for Baby Isaiah May facebook page now at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=297823340801&ref=search&sid=553540995.1929219980..1&v=info#/group.php?gid=297823340801&ref=ts

Watch the video of Baby Isaiah moving.

The parents of Baby Isaiah are fighting to keep their son alive. He is at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton.

For a baby who is supposedly brain dead, then how come he moves on his own? Watch the video of him moving at: http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=167085117294&ref=ts

After watching him move in the video, don't tell me that this case has nothing to do with futile care theory and cost containment.

For more information go to the - Prayers for Baby Isaiah James facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=167085117294&ref=ts

Baby Isaiah gets reprieve as judge asks for more time

CTV news reported that Baby Isaiah will get a one week reprieve while an independent expert examine Baby Isaiah to determine his actual medical condition.

The CTV report stated:

A city judge has decided she needs more time to consider the arguments in the case of an Alberta family battling Alberta Health Services (AHS) to keep their son on life support.

This means that baby Isaiah James May will not be disconnected from his ventilator Wednesday afternoon as originally planned by AHS and the Stollery Children's Hospital.

Madame Justice Michelle Crighton ruled Tuesday morning in an Edmonton courtroom she will come back with her decision on Jan. 27 after hearing from an independent expert in the emotionally-charged issue.

The lawyer for the May family wants the hospital and health authority to delay their plans for 90 days. Alberta Health Services told the court they are willing to wait only 30 days.

When Isaiah was born in Oct. 2009, he suffered severe oxygen deprivation. Doctors say they've done everything they can. But the parents believe their son is showing signs of improvement.

The boy was born in the Rocky Mountain House Hospital after a difficult 40-hour delivery. On Oct. 24th, 2009 the boy was airlifted to hospital and admitted for treatment. The boy was then placed on a ventilator in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

A letter sent to the parents by Alberta Health Services on Jan. 13stated that the boy's doctors believed all medical procedures had been exhausted. They informed the parents that the boy will never recover from a severe lack of oxygen at birth.

"The diagnosis is unchanged; your son suffered severe anoxic brain injury at birth and has irreversible brain damage. There is no hope of recovery for Isaiah," the letter stated.

It went on to say, "Accordingly, it is with sadness that we are advising you that your treatment team will discontinue mechanical ventilation support to Isaiah after 2 pm Wednesday, January 20, 2010."

Isaiah's mother Rebecka May stated in court documents that her son has continued to grow since his birth.

May said medical staff informed the family that "Isaiah would not grow." But the woman noted that Isaiah has "continued to grow since his birth and now weighs ten pounds eleven ounces."

May also mentioned in documents that her son's pupils dilate, his eyes open daily, and he moves his hands, arms and feet with "increasing frequency."

I think the family made a reasonable request. They are only asking for another 90 days to give Isaiah a further chance to improve. Will one week or thirty days be enough time to allow Isaiah the opportunity to improve?

Medical ethicists and society will honor every decision to withhold or withdraw beneficial medical treatment, upon request, unless it is clearly proven that the person who requested the withholding or withdrawing is incompetent to make the decision.

In the same way, medical ethicists and society should honor decisions to not withhold or withdraw beneficial medical treatment.

We also need to reject the current ethos around futile care theory. In the past, futile medical treatment referred to the actual treatment being futile, meaning that the physiological benefit from the treatment was questionable at best. Now futile care treatment asks the question whether or not the patient is futile.

The Alberta Health Service is not saying that the ventilator is futile, because it is in fact doing exactly what it is designed to do, allowing Isaiah to breath. The Alberta Health Service is saying that Baby Isaiah is futile, meaning that even if Isaiah were to survive, that his life would lack value. I think they are wrong.

Couple seeks injunction to keep baby alive

The continuing story about Baby Isaiah May in Edmonton. The Calgary Sun reported on the issue with this article. After speaking to Rebecka May I must say that the Calgary Sun was fair in their presenation of the story. The May family wants more time to give Isaiah a chance to improve enough to go home. What is so wrong about a family wanting to give their child a chance to go home with them.

If he does improve to the level that he could go home, then his parents would be caring for him and he wouldn't be costing the health care system so much money.

If the Isaiah May is not given the 90 day injunction, truly a tragedy would be done.

Today's Calgary Sun article by Katie Schneider:

As their baby fights for his life, a Rocky Mountain House couple are about to battle Alberta Health Services and Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital who want to take their son off the machines helping keep him alive.

Rebecka and Isaac May will be in court in Edmonton Tuesday to try to get a 90-day injunction to keep their three-month-old son, Isaiah, on life support.

After Isaiah was born Oct. 24 with severe oxygen deprivation and had to be airlifted to Stollery hospital for treatment, doctors told his parents he was brain dead.

“They said he would never move, his eyes wouldn’t dilate,” Isaac said.

But as the little boy remained on life support, his parents thought things were looking up as Isaiah began to gain weight and show signs of improvement.

Then last Wednesday they received a letter from Alberta Health Services stating his diagnosis was unchanged and that the hospital would be withdrawing life support on Jan. 20, prompting the couple to take the matter to court to fight for their son’s life.

“He’s doing everything they said he wouldn’t,” Rebecka said.

“We believe he will keep improving and we just want to give him more of a chance.”

“We believe every life is a life worth fighting for.”

Holding her baby in her arms at the hospital, she continues to be optimistic.

“I will fight for him until I can’t fight for him,” she said.

“Because I love him.

“As a parent you always want to hope.”

Link to the Calgary Sun article:
http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2010/01/18/12520211.html

Parents to battle Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton Alberta, to keep their infant son on life support

A story from CTV news in Edmonton has reported about the battle that the parents of Baby Isaiah are willing to fight against the Stollery Childrens Hospital in Edmonton to give their son a chance to survive.

Link to the story: http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100118/edm_lifesupport_100118/20100118/?hub=EdmontonHome

The story states:

A mother and father from Rocky Mountain House are set to fight Alberta Health Services and the Stollery Children's Hospital to keep their infant son on life support.

Isaiah James May was born in October after suffering severe oxygen deprivation. Doctors say they've done everything they can. But the parents believe their son is showing signs of improvement.

The boy was born in the Rocky Mountain House Hospital after a difficult 40-hour delivery. On Oct. 24th, 2009 the boy was airlifted to hospital and admitted for treatment. The boy was then placed on a ventilator in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

A letter sent to the parents by Alberta Health Services on Jan. 13th stated that the boy's doctors believed all medical procedures had been exhausted. They informed the parents that the boy will never recover from a severe lack of oxygen at birth.

"The diagnosis is unchanged; your son suffered severe anoxic brain injury at birth and has irreversible brain damage. There is no hope of recovery for Isaiah," the letter stated.

It went on to say, "Accordingly, it is with sadness that we are advising you that your treatment team will discontinue mechanical ventilation support to Isaiah after 2 p.m. Wednesday, January 20, 2010."

Isaiah's mother Rebecka May stated in court documents that her son has continued to grow since his birth.

May said medical staff informed the family that "Isaiah would not grow." But the woman noted that Isaiah has "continued to grow since his birth and now weighs ten pounds eleven ounces."

May also mentioned in documents that her son's pupils dilate, his eyes open daily, and he moves his hands, arms and feet with "increasing frequency."

A lawyer representing the family will be in court Tuesday attempting to get a 90-day injunction. Court documents are requesting that the hospital be restrained from removing the boy off life support care, and direct the hospital to provide complete disclosure of Isaiah's medical records.

I have spoken to Rebecka on several occasions and I consider her to be honest, realistic and straight forward. The family is asking for a 90 day injunction to provide time for Isaiah to continue improving. Many people have witnessed Isaiah's movements with more time to improve he is likely to survive.

Isaiah appears to be a victim of futile care theory. Futile care theory suggests that even though the life-sustaining treatment is beneficial for Isaiah and may in fact lead to his survival, that he is not deserving of the treatment because even if he does survive, his life is considered futile. Another article on the CTV Edmonton website was about the possible closure of beds at a hospital in Edmonton.

The goal for the family is to bring Isaiah home and care for him themselves. They know how much work they would be required to do to care for him at home, but they are willing to accept that responsibility.

The hospital is overstepping its role by unilaterally deciding when to remove life-sustaining treatment from a child that is improving. Stories like these are particularly distressing in Canada because the Government is the sole provider of health care and is able to withhold treatment, even when the family has clearly expressed the desire to continue treatment. This baby needs more time. The family wants to care for their baby and I believe the hospital should be doing their best to allow that to happen.