Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Tonsil surgery can kill you!


This one is sensitive, and wholly terrible. Apparently a 13 year old eighth grader, Jahi McMath, went in for tonsil surgery, a suggestion made by her doctor in hopes that it would alleviate: sleep apnea, weight gain, uncontrolled urination, short attention span and inability to concentrate. The surgery was performed and the girl was ok, asking for popsicles due to a sore throat. Then, next thing they knew she was bleeding profusely and is now declared legally brain dead. The coroners wants to go in there and take her off life support so that they can determine the cause of death. They argue that while she's on the ventilator and other support machines her body might heal and cover up any evidence if there's some sort of malpractice situation. The family on the other hand, is deeply disturbed and hopeful that a miracle will occur. They think they should determine when to pull the plug.

Have you ever been in a situation like that? Chances are pretty slim and while you might not be too inclined to believe me, the truth is, I have. You see, in 2000 my little brother was in a heinous car accident that left him with third degree burns over fifty percent of his body. It caused him to lose half of his left arm via amputation and it completely altered his facial qualities as his nose and ears were mostly burned off. That said, there was a point, during his medicinally induced coma that the doctors declared the swelling in his brain was too extensive, that he was going to be brain dead due to it (this is what they are saying about that little girl too). I sat in a room with my immediate family (and our significant others at the time) and we discussed what my brother would have us do; he was only 19. I spoke first and shared that I knew he would not want to live on a machine. Everyone agreed. Thusly, we had determined that we would indeed have the doctors disconnect him, end his life, say goodbye without him ever knowing (unless of course brain dead people can actually hear). I cannot tell you the extent of pain that caused but I was certain it was what he would want.

Here's where things got a little weird. We all sat in that room in silence. I am certain that there were prayers being lifted up. I know that I was not walking with the Lord as I should have been; I was living a life He definitely wouldn't and didn't approve of and I suspect our conversations were severely limited but I'm pretty sure I asked Him to save my brother that day. Obviously I can't tell you what was occurring in the hearts and minds of all the other silent people in that room but if I were a betting woman (and I'm not, thanks to my Pappaw, but that's another story in itself) I'd say mine wasn't the only prayer that day. Anyway, shortly after we'd made that heart-wrenching decision, the doctors came back in and told us that they'd made a mistake, that they'd misplaced the gauge, and that when they'd done a second test the swelling was nothing like they'd thought; he was OK. While the depth of relief that flooded that room was immense and quite tangible, there was a sense of, "we almost killed him." Imagine that for a little while, will you?

I know that the concept of vegetables and life-support is controversial, I get that, look at all that went on with the Terri Schiavo (it was big news in Florida). I even get how difficult the decision is when someone you love is being sustained by machines, when they can't eat on their own, when they can't breathe on their own; I get it, really and truly I do! But here's what I'm thinking, people don't leave this world without the Father's approval (and some people will be bothered by that thought I'm sure). He has to OK all deaths, all mishaps, accidents and tragedies. I'm not saying He likes them or is happy about them, but He allows certain things to happen, it's that simple. We cannot pretend to know why He does allow horrific calamities but if we love Him, then we know He has our good in mind even when it makes NO sense. When I think about this little girl and all the things she was enduring prior to the surgery, I suspect her life wasn't the most enjoyable, maybe He was taking her out of her own tragedy? Something to consider I guess. By the way, if you want to read the article here it is: Jahi McMath.

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