96 replies to this topic

[hunnyfire]

I don't no Moon, life isn't fair sometimes. But will that ever change, no. Have violence stopped, no. Have people learn to forgive and forget, no.


What a game...

[bardo]

the problem is there is usually not alot of time to react.
Vamp I think I know the case you were speaking of .The parents refused to have their child receive cancer treatments.The government stepped in  via the Childrens Aid Society .The child rec'd treatment and the family was followed by C.A.S. for awhile.I don't think any charges were layed.
I too beleive in reincarnation and there fore we choose our parents but I'm not sure it would be right not to do what you can to help your child live.I know I sound judgemental sometimes but I'd really rather know the situation first.
Anyway I guess we all get to be judged in the end.

[Vampchick21]

I think that's the one bardo....but I seem to recall that it was one parent that wanted to refuse the treatments (they were divorced), and the girl herself was of the same mind, but being under the age of legal consent, the courts and C.A.S. stepped it.  My details might be wrong due to this having been several years ago though.

[bardo]

Vamp that's right now that you mention it the child didn't want treatment either.She was a teenager I think.I wonder what happened to her.
I'm not sure how I would handle it if my 16yr old refused treat. due to a religious believe .I might have to hog tie him if I thought it would save his life.Really makes me glad it's not me in these cases.

[Vampchick21]

Good question.  If I could remember something more solid, I'll do a search on it.  

[hunnyfire]

Since the child was old enough to make a decision on her own then all hands to her. If the child was not old enough to make a decision like that I think that in that situation it wouldn't be fair for the parent to make it especially when it comes to illness or death.

Hunny

[Vampchick21]

She was not considered to be a legal adult in Canada.  She was 16 as I recall, and legal adult in Canada is 18 (19 to drink).  So if a child is under the age of 18 here, it is up to the parent or guardian in terms of medical treatment (since that's what this thread is about), and since the one parent was refusing the treatment for his daughter, the Children's Aid Society stepped in and it went to court, because refusing needed medical treatment is seen as a form of child abuse, religious convictions aside.  

[Justa]

Most, if not all of us, have agreed on one thing... if one of our children was injured or ill and needed medical attention, we would do what was necessary to make them healthy again.  But there are religions that forbid certain medical acts, if not all.  To these people, it is like asking them to foresake their religion, and everything that they believe in.  To them, God is the all powerful, and everything that happens, is His will.  So it would be like asking them to spend an eternity being damned for going against His will.  

[bardo]

Now I have a question. What would you do if it was someone you love like a mother,sister that sort of thing.If it wasn'your belief system, how would you cope with that knowing they could and most likely would survive if they did the treatment but wouldn't take it?

[freyjasdottir]

I had a friend who died like that and not because of religious reasons.  She was 54 and had breast cancer.  She cared for her parents and two of her uncles when they had cancer and saw what the treatments did to them, she didn't want to do that.  She kept in from her elderly aunts and the only family that knew was her brother, outside the family only 3 friends and her priest. That was her decision and she was at peace with it.  She will be gone two years on the 24th

[bardo]

You do have to respect that even though it is hard to let go.

[Justa]

To be honest, I would find it extremely frustrating and I would be upset by the fact that they are pretty much giving up without a fight.  However, it is ultimately their decision to make.  I know I would try to point out all of the positive reasons for undergoing the treatment.  

Another spin on the question, how would you feel if it was you that had refused the treatment, and people were trying to change your opinion?

[anasuya]

Well, it depends on what context the decision was made. As with Masq's friend, if I were suffering from a terminal or possibly terminal illness, at that age, I'm not sure I would take the treatments. My kids would be grown and I'd have had many a fine year with my husband. I could understand why family and friends would want me to seek treatment, but at the same time, I'm not sure that would sway me, as I know what treatments would do to my psychology AND the family pocketbook. (I'm practical, through and through, lol)

However, I can't say anything about this case if it were religious preferences keeping me from seeking medical care since I DONT hold those beliefs, and my response would be biased. I mean, I can't even imagine a situation like this, nor how I would handle the responses of family and friends. But you pose an interesting question.

BB, Ana

[Justa]

I think most of the time when people try to sway your opinion one way or the other, it is for personal / selfish reasons.  You know, "if you die, I will be sad... I will miss you... I have to stand by helplessly and watch" etc etc.  

I have to agree though, if I was elderly and had a terminal illness, and the treatment was going to cause me to suffer and there was no guarantee, I think I would just make my peace and go out with grace.

[bardo]

If it was me I would try and live.Not because I'm afraid of death.But because I have two children and I feel I would have to show my boys the best example I could of how to fight and maybe how to die.
Both my parents died of cancer.Both tried to fight it.I learned alot from those days.
If I was told right from the start that fighting would only give me an extra few months ,After a second opinion I would try and make the best of the last days I have.