Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The wonders of socialized medicine

I read something like this, and I wonder why some relative hasn't taken a bedrail and beaten in the heads of some of the 'medical' people involved in this shit.
An elderly stroke victim begged for a beetroot sandwich and macaroni cheese in hospital but no attempt was made to feed her, an inquest was told yesterday.

But, but socialized medicine will save us all!
Her grandson, Christopher West, told William Armstrong, the Coroner, at the inquest in Norwich: “The only thing that was said most of the time, as the weeks went on, was that she hadn’t died yet.

“Immediately after her admission it became clear it was their intention not to treat her.”

Mr West, 34, obtained a High Court ex parte injunction on October 6, 2003, forcing doctors to reinstate artificial nutrition and hydration, but the next day Mr Justice Forbes varied the order on an application by David Maisey, a consultant.

In the amended version, nutrition and hydration were to be reinstated only “as far as medically possible”.

Lamppost, rope, robed idiot: some assembly required.

Between September 14 and September 30, Mrs Nockels had received a daily intake of 140 calories from a subcutaneous infusion consisting of five per cent dextrose — a quarter of the 600 calories adequate for short-term starvation according to the WHO. From October 2 to 6 all artificial hydration of fluids was withdrawn.

Gee, you'd think they wanted her to die or something. Oops, I guess they did:
Mr West said that doctors told him that the quality of life of his grandmother would be so poor that “it would be in her best interests not to intervene and let her die”. He said: “You don’t just let someone die because you think it’s best for them. It’s inhuman. I would class it as starvation, actually.”

Yeah, it actually is starvation. At the hands of 'medical professionals' abetted by a judicial asshole.

Dr Payne was asked by Mr Dingemans: “If someone says, ‘I would like a beetroot sandwich’, does it help you decide on whether they need nutrition?”

Dr Payne replied: “It probably means they are hungry.” If a patient has lost the swallowing reflex as the result of a stroke he or she is in danger of aspirating, and so at risk of pneumonia, he said.

Which says nothing as to why they were starving her to death: you've already got an IV in, you son of a bitch, at worst she didn't HAVE to swallow.

I just can't write any more.

Found through The Englishman's Castle

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