As time runs out for Archie B should his life support be switched off ?
I’m sure any parent would emulate the actions of his mum and family but shouldn’t the advice of medical experts be respected, however had it maybe to accept ?
I’m glad I don’t have to play God in such a heartbreaking situation.
Indeed!
It has made me think of those who, if allowed, would choose to end their own life by euthanasia.
Surely they should be allowed to play god if that is their choosing?
god with a small ‘g’ purely as a reference as a non believer.
3 Likes
I think any parent would be devastaed - I know I would were it my son, especially as he seems to have been an outgoing, fit & healthy lad who suddenly and without warning was found to be collapsed at home. I haven’t seen any reports as to the cause, it’s not even clear if the medical staff know.
Edit: I see that I was mistaken in my view that the cause was unknown - I had read some early reports which described it as an accident, clearly I didn’t pick up on the TikTok craze thing.
I think that the hand of god, or destiny if you prefer, has already been played and it is only modern medical technology that has hit “pause”. By all accounts the prediction that he would not recover is being proven true as he is moving to organ failure having been kept on life support for such an extended period.
4 Likes
I believe the cause was a computer game which went wrong so, seemingly self-inflicted in a horrible kind of way.
I recall in my youth a colleague of our home bread delivery driver whose wife fell into a coma which lasted 25 years on life support (this would have been in the '60’s). ISTR she eventually died (natural causes - whatever that meant in these circumstances) and whilst there was great sadness of course, there was also great relief because it is very likely that her quality of life would have been considerably compromised after such an extended period with internal organs at the point of failure.
Its too hard to contemplate but extremely distressing of course for the family who have my complete sympathy. The situation has been tested in the Courts at multiple levels and both sides have been able to make their pleas but, at the end of the day, some decision has to be made.
I can well see both sides of the divide but, sad though it is, a decision surely has to be made in the wider interest and I’m only glad that it is not mine to make.
Learned minds have been tested and I’m certain that they have been guided by whatever beliefs they hold. I agree with @Peter_Bird that the advice and good counsel of the medical experts should be respected.
2 Likes
The Secret Barrister has a good chapter on this in his/her book.
2 Likes
Sadly it isn’t Archies fight to live Archie isn’t alive anymore. There is talk elsewhere on social media that his naturally distraught parents are being manipulated by people with a less than wholesome agenda
It is a terribly sad situation but I cannot help feel that the parents are making it harder for themselves in the long term. All the effort and emotion that they are putting into what I think is a futile legal battle, must be so stressful and painful and exhausting, before they can even start the grieving process. And if they are going to forever blame the courts/the medical profession/the “experts” for Archie’s death, I do not see how they will ever find peace. I know it is a trite thing to say but I think there has to be acceptance before there can be closure.
9 Likes
Just like any parent Archie’s mother is blaming herself for not protecting him from harm and is now doing everything she can to somehow ‘put things right’. Unfortunately, until she can come to terms with the fact that Archie tragically caused his own death and there was nothing she could have done to prevent it I fear her life will be destroyed as well.
What I don’t think has been given enough attention is how the boy died and how many other children of a similar age have also been killed and injured from participating in this crazy social media game.
3 Likes
Apparently the family has received two offers, from Turkey and Japan of possible treatments to help Archie. The ‘system’ however seem to ignore these offers insisting they will unplug him when the appeals have finished.
There may well be no hope but the family have the right to have the body released ?
This reminds me of the similar case a few years back when Spanish treatment saved a boys life when he had been condemned by UK doctors.
Ashya King… however whether it was the skilled and complex surgical removal of the tumour by NHS doctors, or the subsequent additional radiotherapy that saved his life is impossible to prove. And whether the radiotherapy proposed by UK doctors would have altered the outcome in any way is also impossible to prove. He was not “condemned by UK doctors”, but advised a different type of treatment.
Doctors are required to make decisions based on their best knowledge and experience. Set against this case are hundreds of others where people were persuaded to abandon conventional treatment and spend a lot of money on alternatives, and which did not have good outcomes.
3 Likes
Such a sad case.
You can’t compare an hypoxic brain injury with cancer treatment,
2 Likes
Of course not but the point is that a parent should be entitled to try alternative treatment when offered rather than one medical opinion having the final say at such an important moment.
It may well be offering false hope but I reckon the vast majority of parents would cling on to any hope which may be offered.
Of course, but they can’t expect the NHS to support and pay for it.
4 Likes
Agreed but I think ‘sponsors’ would be lined up to help out.
Has the family actually tried to make arrangements to have him transferred him to another country and has this been refused? I have not read anything about that.
In the circumstances I just cannot get my head around this argument about breaching his “right to life”.
It seems that most SF posters agree the child should be allowed to die, but very few would question the understandable passion and reluctance of his parents’ fight. Hopefully, the issue will soon be brought to a sensible and dignified legal conclusion.
1 Like
This relates to a previous young child - Aysha King.
1 Like
Apparently his mum has now accepted the inevitable. She wants him moved to a hospice but the medical professionals think it’s risky. Can’t see the logic in this if he’s going to die anyway.