Jesse Ramirez: Working Out Instead of Dead
I have heard from the Jesse Ramirez family--and the news is good. Readers of SHS may recall that Ramirez was badly injured in an auto accident and quickly pronounced in a PVS. His wife wanted his feeding tube pulled, but this was resisted by his family. Litigation ensued, and--he woke up. Later, when I was in Phoenix speaking, he and his family came to meet me. It was a real thrill to shake Jesse's hand.
This is the latest news from Jesse's sister, which I share in an abridged and slightly edited form with SHSers with her kind permission:
Just a brief update since it's been just over a year when we experienced our hasty ordeal in the fight for Jesse's life. Since you last spoke and saw Jesse, he has made such a miraculous recovery! He walks semi without the gait walk, but is now running and really working out at the gym 3 times a week for 3&1/2 hours. WOW, considering a year ago he was said to have been in a vegetative state.This is the thing: How ready we have become generally to write people like Jesse off. How many have died as a consequence will never be known. But before we decide the time has come for "death with dignity," let us recall the lessons of Jesse, Haleigh Poutre, and Seema Sood: When in doubt, choose life.
Why? He was not a vegetable literally speaking at all. He was a human with a life and deserved his dignity. What he has not experienced is his eye sight. He can see to some degree and he continues to get some eye sight back daily...[A]nd yet the medical staff and facility participated and agreed on what could of happened- days away to his door of death all by the means of starvation and dehydration and nothing related to the accident that could have killed him.
He wanted to Thank You for all your support on his case...Thank God for A D F [Alliance Defense Fund] they were Angels sent from up above. Again, Thank You for sharing Jesse's story to many others/organization speeches, this should inspire them to know that our family just didn't [stay] quiet there, the processing of saving brother's life, we took still another step ["Jesse's Law"] by making it clear that no one has that authority to remove hydration and nutrition from someone who is incapacitated...Our family believes Jesse was that statistic of being misdiagnosed. God Bless
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 1:21 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
Hi.. :)
First, to Jesse and his family, what wonderful news.. What wonderful, wonderful news about your progress.. :)
Then.. Wasn't sure how else to do this.. Racing across the Net for something and caught up with where a hospital is suing an elderly patient for trespassing..
Cool, huh..? Sad is my Mind is thinking it's not the first time I've heard of something like this.. :frown:
Did a quick check and didn't see her name pull up when Blogger searched your blog for me so, just as an FYI, here are the basics:
Hospital Sues Patient For Trespassing
Case Heads To Court; POSTED: 5:43 pm PDT July 16, 2008; KCRA News; Sacramento..
The patient's name is Maria Gouveia, a lady with a brain injury received from an automobile accident.. According to the story, she was 77 in 1999..
The hospital is stated to be Sutter Roseville Medical Center where she has been for the past year.. The hospital says she has stabilized and now must be moved.. The family disagrees and will not sign her release form(s)..
A physician has called Maria not acute and thus must move.. Her family "[says] Maria still requires breathing treatments, which she will not get at a nursing home." All are currently in negotiations but a lawsuit in court by the hospital against Maria appears to remain pending..
Yay, family, for being this protective.. Very, very much like Jesse's.. You all rock.. :)
Just thought I'd share.. Off to figure out where it was I was headed across the Net when I found Maria's story sitting here in my inbox..
Cyber hugs from North Georgia.. :)
Aaaahhh.. The age may be off.. Of course, just reread the story ONE MORE TIME after hitting "Publish".. She was either 77 in 1999, or the reporter meant Maria, who is 77 now, was in an accident in 1999.. Oh, what fun the art of Language..
:grin:
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