[tri-med] Re: Doctors who wanted to let child die did not act illegally

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tina Arbogast"
> I have been writing to Oprah on her website trying to get her to do a show
on trisomies.

Not to discourage you Tina, but at various times folk from the list have
tried writing to Oprah (and other shows). So far with no success but Jude
came close once!!!! (close enough that they asked her for a picture :-))

Of course they did profile Paige on the Today Show a few years back and her
story (brilliantly done) was in Hope magazine.

A word of caution though - here in Australia we did a 10 minute segment on
Trisomy on our Today Show. We weren't ready for the days of phone calls from
so many people. Make sure you have the resources on hand beforehand!!!!

>>I am also considering in my spare time (LOL) touching base with my
government officals to see if I can get something done that way.

The basic problem with awareness is that doctors really don't want the
profile of the rare trisomies raised. The official reason is that it will
needlessly scare expectant mums - I disagree and feel that they only say
that because they can't handle it emotionally when there is a problem
pregnancy and so its easier to "ignore" it. And secondly because it would
expose the medical profession to a lot of ethical debate.
Its the same reason that a lot in the media wont touch it. It can't be
"cured" so other than pity stories it has no real media value.

The bottom line in a lot of cases though is simply cost. It costs much more
to raise a child with a disability than a "typical" child. Medicine is no
longer care based but driven as a business. There is no profit in helping
our children for in the majority of cases they will not be "productive" (in
a $$ sense) members of our community. This is the big difference in trying
to "cure" someone and treating our children. If we are going to tackle this
we have to answers (or at least thoughts) on where the $$$ are going to come
from. Thats just the way society operates these days - if the money is taken
from other programs it wont be accepted.........

>>How is it going to effect us if at all should they get it passes the anti
abortion laws.  I consider myself pro choice for the most part.  But I am
curious on how the medical professionals will handle it with the trisomies
if they ban p
>  artial birth abortions or abortions period.

I doubt that they will ever totally ban terminations because then they would
have to decide morally that the child's life was more important than the
mothers. There truly are some cases where it is either mother or child.

Here in Australia terminations are illegal in most states, even though they
happen on a regular basis. Everyone just turns a blind eye. Society here
"accepts" terminations up to 20 weeks and they are not supposed to happen
after 20 weeks unless on "medical" grounds. Of course they do happen after
20 weeks but they are called induced births. Banning abortions period would
mean that there could be no early births eg for pre eclampsia etc.
Unfortunately its not all cut and dried.

My personal thoughts on the matter are that if we make termination illegal
then are we any better than those who say parents must not intervene for a
child with a trisomy diagnosis.
I don't think anyone has the right to be absolute in telling anyone else
what they must do. God gave us the freedom of choice - who are we take it
away?

My preferred way of attacking this is to get the truth out there so that
people can honestly make informed choices. Change society's attitudes to
give true empathy and support (as opposed to sympathy and pity) for those
who choose to continue on but that also says that we must be tolerant and
understanding of those who make a choice different to ours.

It is a VERY interesting debate - and stay tuned for Karen to do her own
hell raising on this issue in the near future - it may not be "ideal" or for
those who know me what you might expect but it will sure be guaranteed to
start a discussion!!!

Unfortunately I am going to have to be a mean list mum and say that we
cannot debate it here on the list. There is a forum for this type of
discussion, where you can get as areguementative as you like - its called
Choices, the same as this in that its a list. I am a member and am guilty of
firing up intense discussion on there on a number of occassions. (I love a
good arguement and I love hearing other peoples points of view). Let me know
if you want to join - they need a good topic to get them going again!!!

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson

Keep Looking for Rainbows!!!
Karen, Mum to Alex (7, T-18 mosaic)
Sydney, Australia
http://members.optushome.com.au/karens
http://www.trisomyonline.org

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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