KILLING EMILIO GONZALES

[Th1onein]

Here we go again.....The attorney who handled my sister's euthanasia case (St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston was trying to pull the plug on her) is now handling a case for an Austin, TX child--Emilio Gonzales, and we need your help.

Emilio Gonzales is a sixteen month old infant at Brackenridge Children's Hospital in Austin, TX. He has been diagnosed with Leigh's disease. Leigh's disease is a genetic malady which is caused by a lack of functional mitochondrial complexes. There is NO DEFINITIVE TEST for Leigh's disease, and physicians usually diagnose it based on symptoms, alone. There are tests which can back up the diagnosis, but let me reiterate: there are no definitive tests for this disease.

A group that practices in-house at Brackenridge Children's Hospital, in Austin, TX, called The Pediatric Physicians Alliance of Central Texas, has decided that Emilio Gonzales should die. Although not all of the test results are in, and even if they were, they would not be a definitive diagnosis of Leigh's disease, Emilio Gonzales is set to have his respirator removed this Friday.

This disease is usually treated with thiamin, but these physicians decided to take him off of treatment. It was only when his lawyer, Jerri Ward, insisted that they put him back on the treatment that they did so. These children can live, and often do live, to be about six or seven years of age. This child is sixteen months old and these physicians have decided not to give him a chance at the rest of his life, despite his family's wishes to the contrary.

We have been in touch with the Bishop of the Austin Diocese--Bishop Aymond--who you would THINK would stick up for the life of this little child, but who instead supports killing little Emilio Gonzales. I guess if you're on Medicaid, your life just isn't as worthwhile as it would be if you had good insurance. Bishop Aymond's number is: 512-476-4888. Please call him and if you can't get him on the phone, leave a message, letting him know how you feel about the Catholic Church's approval of the murder of this small child.

Please, also get in touch with Brackenridge Children's Hospital, in Austin, TX. Their number is: 512-324-8000. Let them know how you feel about their murdering Emilio Gonzales. Maybe if they get enough calls through their switchboard, they might change their mind about killing this little boy.

You may also contact the physician's group (Pediatric Physicians Alliance of Central Texas) that is handling Emilio's treatment, composed of several doctors who have actively campaigned to have this child's treatment withdrawn at: 512-324-8009.

[SharonAnn]

1. The voters need to elect people to change these laws. They're getting what

the majority in Texas voted for, non-compassionate, corporate supporting, conservatives.

The bottom line of those who'd pay for his treatment is more important than the life of a hcild. Really, I don't know how these people can say they're in the health-care "business".

[Th1onein]

2. The sick thing is

that people take their loved ones to these people so that they can save them and they are the very ones who want to kill them.

Did you make the calls?

[napi21]

3. I'm sure all of you are going to call me a cold hearted, and uncaring

bi*ch or feeling this way, but Igoogled Leigh's disease.

http://www.madisonsfoundation.org/content/3/1/display.asp?did=454

Everything you say is true, but the web site gives an even clearer picture of all the associated symptoms with this disease, and I have to askall of you...What kind of a life is this poor little boy going to have for MAYBE the next 4-5 years? When I read the symtoms of pain, vomiting, seizures, constant crying and more, and then the treatment of pain killers to ease discomfort, I have to ask if trying to keep this little fella alive isjust selfish.

Ifhe wasmy little boy, I don't think I'd want to prolong his pain.

[Th1onein]

4. Why prolong ANYONE'S pain then?

Got a headache? Death to you! Arthritis? Diabetes? Death to you!

Come ON! This is not the doctors' call! This is a VALUE judgement that they have no right to make! This is the parents' call. PERIOD.

My son was born with cystic fibrosis. He suffered constantly. But if you asked him if he wanted to live, he said YES, inequivocally!

Texas has been quietly killing these patients since 1999. This has got to stop!

And, since there is no definitive test for this disease, AND the test results are not even ALL IN, why in the hell are they going ahead with this death sentence?

One answer: MONEY.

[realisticphish]

5. Money?

treating him would make them a LOT more money.

[napi21]

6. I agreethat it should be the parents decision and not the Drs.

I guess I feel the same in this case as as I did with Terri Schiavo. I don't believe there should have been any public interference in that case either.

BTW, if Iwas diagnosed withsomething terminal, the only treatment I would want for myself is pain killers to aleviate any pain, and let nature take her course.

[Th1onein]

7. I also posted this to a certain conservative forum.......

Typically, they blasted it, because I'm a leftie.

It shocks me the nastiness and just flat out lowdown dirtiness of those people.

Make the calls, DU, please. Help save this little boy's life. His attorney asked me to post this on the internet in the hopes that we could flood their switchboard and get something done.

And the Catholic Diocese.......need I say that, out of all people, they should not be for doing something like this? Yet they SUPPORT it! It's amazing.

[AwakeAtLast]

8. K & R

How come I never hear about these stories from the fundy pro-life people? Oh, yeah, it's because they don't care about them after they are born!

:kick:

[Th1onein]

9. 512-339-9882 is the number for Andrew Rivas

who is head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, which presides over this hospital.

Please, give him a call.....

[Th1onein]

10. 512-380-9200 Dr. William Glomb's number

Please call this doctor. Put some heat on these people. They are treating this poor Hispanic woman like she is hysterical simply because she's trying to stop them from killing her son. And, by the way, this is the only child she will ever be able to have. Please help her.

[tblue37]

11. If he has six or seven years to live, there is always the chance that treatment or a cure

for his condition could be found. Of course, that is probably not something the killers want to see, since he is a Medicaid patient, and treatment would end up being covered by Medicaid. It's like the way the Pentagon wants injured soldiers to die so they won't burden the system.

[Th1onein]

12. They're not even sure he has the disease!

There is no definitive test for the disease, just a set of symptoms. AND, not all of the tests that they HAVE taken are in yet!

They always use the excuse that the patient is in pain. They did the same shit with my sister and then medicated her into a coma. This is so that the patient cannot have a say in his/her treatment. It is protocol, according to the Texas Right to Life, right before they pull treatment for a patient.

It just ASTOUNDS me that this is going on in our country. And George Bush signed it into law, but a DEMOCRAT introduced the bill (Garnet Coleman). Undoubtedly, this was forced upon the citizens of Texas by the insurance industry. How DARE these people take this basic right away! At least our death row prisoners have appeals. These patients don't even have that! If a doctor decides that they are "futile," that's it! They have ten days to either be moved (in which case, the designation of "futile" on their charts blocks acceptance by another institution) or they die.

And, you know, even if a case is "futile," WHY should a family in this situation be put through the hell of having to obtain an attorney, of having to worry about the hospital's workers doing something to bring about a hastier death? It is HORRIBLE to find yourself in this situation.