Doctors at her Portsmouth Hospital decreed that this tiny infant was in such pain that her life would be a misery for however much there was of it, and that the child would not live beyond infancy. They therefore decided that if she suffered further cardiac arrest they would not resuscitate a fourth time.
Charlotte's parents, Darren and Debbie Wyatt, fought this decision on the prime basis that Mr Wyatt's profound Christian beliefs told him passionately that such a decision was wrong and 'only God's to make'. He was of course supported by the Pro-Life campaign groups.
Originally the High Court judge supported the hospital doctors and did so again a month later when an appeal was made. On the baby's second birthday, last October, the Judge changed his mind after evidence was given that this plucky little mite was showing distict signs of improvement.
In February of this year, little Charlotte developed an acute viral infection which, in her weakened state, appeared almost certain to kill her. So the doctors went back to court and once more obtained a 'no resuscitation' order. To their surprise this tough little baby fought this seemingly fatal infection, beat it and from then on until this her third birthday, this blind, deaf, brain damaged infant with damaged kidneys and a damaged heart who cannot walk or even crawl has become stronger and stronger until she is now well enough to go home to the parents who made such a stand on principle.
A happy ending of sorts? Well no not really because those same parents have now split up and neither wants the responsibility of looking after her. So passionate it seems is their committment that, having won the 'religious principle' battle, Mrs Wyatt has visited the child only three times in nearly nine months and her husband even less.
Now one cannot pass judgment on a marriage break up and nor would I try, but it seems a strange kind of faith which makes you fight to keep a desperately damaged baby alive and then walk away from the problems your victory has created.
The cost to the National Health Service, and therefore the British taxpayer, of keeping Charlotte in hospital is £6000 a month. It seems heartless to talk of money when a child's life is involved but this is one of those tragic situations where there seems to be no winner - the Hospital Trust could probably use that money on cases where there is likely to be a better chance of survival, the parents seem to have succumbed to so much pressure that it has ended their marriage and for the plucky little girl celebrating - if that is the word - her third birthday, she lies there a pain racked little vegetable with no home to go to and only Portsmouth hospital doctors and nurses to give the kind of love which should be the duty of parents. What kind of life is that?
No comments:
Post a Comment