Heartbreaking Decision

[tiggerblue10]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-62376552

His family are in so much pain and I'm sure the decision wasn't taken lightly by the courts but what are your thoughts?

[wolf63]

I think that the family have to accept the decision and let him go. It must be awful for all his friends and family.

[bhg481]

I think it's very selfish of the family to try to keep him alive. If he survives he'll have the life of a cabbage; in the meantime he's taking up valuable NHS resources which could be used to help other people. They would be a lot better off donating his organs to several deserving people and rejoicing in the pleasure they've given to others.

[DTCwordfan]

true....who would ever want to be in this position....very, very difficult.

[Neveracrossword]

I think the family should have accepted the earlier decision(s).

[-SharonA-]

The doctors know best. If it was my son, the machine would have been turned off already. If he survived, what kind of life has he got?.
I am still unclear as what caused this.

[Bobbisox1]

My heart breaks for the family of this beautiful boy

[gness]

My thoughts are that it's easy for us to say they are selfish and should have accepted the decision earlier.
What would I do? God knows. I struggle saying goodbye to mine when they leave here for the UK. I can't imagine that final goodbye.

[mushroom25]

the original judgment is here
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dance-Battersbee-v-Barts-NHS-Trust-and-another.pdf

no sign of today's as yet, maybe because it didn't fundamentally alter anything.

[burlyshirley]

The family have dragged this out because they think they know better than the medics, but they don't. My thoughts are that as hard as it will be, they have to let him go. The son that they knew has long gone.

[bobbie22]

What a terrible position to be in and what a terrible decision to make. My son signed a DNR. But this did not need to be applied because he died anyway My deepest sympathy are with the parents

[Neveracrossword]

It wasn't 'easy' at all for me to say that the family should have accepted the decision. Personal experience counted for a great deal.

[Prudie]

I agree with Gness. I would have said what everyone else has said with a clear objective head but if it were my child I've no idea how I'd deal with it. These poor parents are not thinking what his quality of life would be, they just don't want to let go and can't get past that. I feel for them.

[rockyracoon]

It's a horrendous situation. The parents fought tooth and nail, I imagine many of us would.

They have my deepest sympathies.

[gness]

Then personal experience of making such a decision and deciding to go with it or fight it causes us to feel differently now, Neveracrossword.

[TheWinner]

The letter they were sent had the wrong date on it. Disgusting! i.e. we're turning everything off 1st August, then further down, visiting can be over the weekend 30/31st August. Extremely bad admin.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11066763/Archie-Battersbee-case-sent-High-Court-life-support-treatment-set-end-tomorrow.html

[237SJ]

It's a terrible situation. I have been there - where I had to permit the hospital staff to withdraw life support for my Dad. I guess that when the patient is really young it is harder but you have to look at the quality of life and if someone is brain dead then there is no life.

[gness]

In the early days of something like this there is disbelief and you clutch at straws and fight before finally accepting what must happen.

Of course, for some of us, that straw proves to be the right one. Rare, but it happens.

[FatticusInch]

Obviously a horrible situation that no parent would ever want to face but for the poor lads Mum to describe it as an ‘execution’ is a bit out of order.
One can only put it down to her emotional state.

[anneasquith]

At the very start of this tragedy there has been a break down in communication/ expectation for this boys life.
It’s impossible to say what I would do .

[pastafreak]

I can barely comprehend what his family is going through. The logical part of my brain says that the child they love so much isn't there any more. He's gone and what remains is a shell. I just hope they can accept and come to terms with his inevitable death.