I was impatient. Born 3 months early, I entered this world silently and was rushed to the Special Care Baby Unit. My parents then began an agonising 10 week vigil, watching me cling to the fragile thread that was my life. My home was an incubator and my sole companion was a teddy bear that dwarfed me. My hands still bare scars from numerous tubes and wires, all of which were used to monitor any fluctuations in my condition. Without medical science I would not be writing this blog, however when is it right to let nature take its course?
The tragic case of baby Charlie Gard has been splashed across the news for the past 5 months, highlighting the conflict between merely existing and genuine quality of life. We have all seen images of his desperate parents outside countless courts, fighting to keep their son alive. An incredible amount of money was raised to pay for experimental treatments in America, nevertheless judges ruled that Charlie was too ill to be transported. No one can condemn Charlie's parents for battling on, just as mine did. That said, I believe that the mass hysteria whipped up by the media and celebrities is utterly counterproductive. What right do the likes of Donald Trump have to offer false hope, purely to score cheap political points?
Similarly, members of Charlie's medical team have received vile hate mail, apparently for keeping him prisoner! We are living through baffling times, where experts and professionals are ridiculed for their intelligence. The green eyed monster of envy is rearing his ugly head, in ever more vicious ways.
The debate is about what quality of life Charlie would have. He cannot eat, see or swallow without medical intervention. Can any of us imagine how that would feel? Totally unable to experience the word or express yourself. The sanctity of life is not an absolute. Quality of life should be paramount.
See you next week,
John x
Comments
Post a Comment