Last month, 13-year-old Jahi McMath was declared brain dead after a tonsil surgery. She was released Sunday from Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland. "We're very relieved that she got safely to where she needed to be, because we were all very afraid, given the fragile condition as she wasted away at Children's, that she might not make it," attorney Chris Dolan told reporters Monday. The move ends one chapter of a weeks-long struggle between the hospital, which sought to remove Jahi from a ventilator after doctors and a judge concluded she was brain dead, and her family, who fought in court to keep her on the ventilator and contended she showed signs of life. The hospital released Jahi on Sunday to the Alameda County coroner, who then released her to her mother's custody, said Dr. David Durand, the hospital's chief of pediatrics. The hospital had previously said it needed the coroner's consent for the transfer because Jahi was legally dead.
What do you think of this story? Would you let your loved one stay on a ventilator if they were pronounced brain dead? Would you yourself want to be kept on a ventilator? Read the full story here.
Replies
Very interesting story! Good job replying!
I would take my family member off of the ventilator because it does not really matter anyways when she is pretty much dead. Although i would take her off of the ventilator i would not take her out of the hospital because that is just a little weird when she cannot do anything and is on her death bed.
I don't think I could make the decision to take someone off a ventilator. I think it would be a very tough decision for anyone to make. However, I think if there is absolutely no chance of them living I would probably choose to pull the plug. I personally would want to be let go when my family is ready.
I wouldn't want to be on one. I would rather go to a better place. I don't know what I would do if a loved one was in that state. I wouldn't be able to make a choice on my own.
that would explain a lot. that has to suck for that kid. even at a young age that must of sucked
If I knew that they were suffering the I would take them off of it because they would have wanted it that way. but otherwise I would have still taken them off because it would save them in the long run
I wouldn't be able to make that decision if I had to decide for my family or friends because it's a very big and important one. Although if it was me I would have wanted to be taken off the ventilator to save my family money and make the pain stop. Even though I would be very upset that I will never be able to see my friends and family again I would never want them to see me like that. I feel bad for that poor girl to have such a short life and I hope her family if coping well.
I think that it is nice that her family still had faith in her to keep her alive on the ventilator. Being that she was only a 13 year old, it would be hard to let her die. If one of my family was brain dead then I think I would probably let them go peacefully and not let them suffer any longer. As for me on a ventilator, if I was still young like the other girl and had a chance to live I would want to be kept alive.
I would be so heartbroken to be brain dead, but then again I would be brain dead so I probably wouldn't know? I don't think I'd want to live, or want my family and friends to have to take care of me when in all truth, there's not much left to me besides my body.
I don't think you would know but in retrospect it would be heartbreaking to be unable to do anything and need constant help.
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