Charlie Gard 6

[CaveMum]

New thread so that we can await this morning's hearing.

Let's try to keep this one as sensible and measured as the past 5 threads have been.

Fingers crossed that this can all be resolved today and that Charlie and his parents can find peace.

thanks to those who are posting tweets. I've been out most of the morning, and this thread has been more detailed than what I've just seen on TV

The parents and their family have enjoyed free speech across the media, Fb, tV interview ect, contradicting themselves, quoting false statistics and embellishing the truth.

In court it comes down to hard facts. It's very sad but this can't go on indefinitely round and round in circles.

The point would always come when the judge gets down to the nitty gritty of it all - what is Charlie's life like. He has bought up the fact that the parents have said (in court) that his quality of life is not worth fighting for as it is. Now he must ascertain if 'as it is' is mst likely 'all there is ever going to be'? :(

Totally agree with vive and passme.

The posts which try to set standards for how the parents should be behaving make me so uncomfortable. They are going through hell.

Also, trying to interpret meaning from where the monkey is or isn't is a bit ridiculous.

Bit of better reporting...
BBC news - Fergus Walsh (medical correspondent)

"...about the size of Charlie's skull. If as the hospital maintains, Charlie has irreversible brain damage, then it would show that his brain is not growing. They claim that his skull size - his head circumference - has not altered in the last three months. Lawyers for the parents this morning said that CY, his mother, had measured Charlie's head this morning and the reading was 2cm greater than that of the hospital. But then the judge said to their lawyer, 'if you're telling me that the records of a world famous hospital are inaccurate, then I need more than you just telling me. It is absurd that this critical case - and the science behind it - was being infected by the inability to measure a child's skull'. He said he wanted this matter resolved by tomorrow morning"

Someone just Tweeted this picture of the CA "protest" outside the court

I'm torn with pity for what they must be going through but also thinking that if this has been their behaviour recently then it must have been hell in that unit for the other children, their parents and the staff

It says a lot for the parents of other patients that not one of them has gone to the press and said how its affecting everyone on the unit.

The staff who are are under the most horrendous of pressure deserve nothing but the the utmost respect all round.

War on dad's??

War on dad's??

How ugly is it that that group has hijacked a dying childs agony to publicise their cause?

dont thank you for pointing that out, I've just looked at the photo and seen the two monkeys. I'm glad Charlie still has one monkey with him.

Poor Charlie, he looks so peaceful in that photo. He doesn't look like that now

I wouldn't be massively surprised if a FfJ type organisation had latched on to this along with the American prolifers.

Yes, I can't imagine what the other parents in the unit have been going through, dealing with all this on top of their own child dying or being very ill.

Judge Francis seems to be making every allowance for the parents. (Apparently) accepting evidence that wasn't submitted by thge 2pm yesterday deadline; offering to adjourn to give them a chance to compose themselves and return to court.

I assume GOSH's counsel will address the question of the head circumference when she addresses the court later.

I think the "War on Dads" stuff is frequently there. It's more the one lady with her pushchair, a few balloons and hand written signs representing CA that the tweeter was focussing on.

Think we all need to realise the parents are distraught. Who knows what we would do in the realisation that my child is going to die, i cannot do more. Everyone is different. Bradleys parents had a strong network around them and maintained dignity. Others scream and yell at the loss they know is coming. Others are silent
T in grief, others ate not. There is no standard way of grieving. Today the focus must stay on Charlie, but the parents must be forgiven and pitied for what they are going through.

Ah, we can rest more easily now. Catherine Glenn Foster (who I think is something to do with the American pastor but stand to be corrected) has tweeted that she's had meetings with Connie, Chris and their legal team during the break. And they are trying to stay upbeat. Chris winked at Catherine and Connie smiled bravely as Catherine mouthed "love you"

She has more to say: "Chris called the judge's mischaracterization of his testimony "bollocks." Now mtg w Connie's cousin, who sees Charlie wake, open eyes daily."

I just wanted to say thank you to those updating us with the Tweets and Live Feeds.

I'm so worried for C&C's emotional and mental stability, they must be in such an awful place. I think that the final decision will be to withdraw treatment which I'm sure is the right decision but those poor, poor parents, I just can't see how they will ever cope

ShatnersWig Is that for real? FFS!

Just had this article come up on my FB feed.

www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-13/charlie-gard-donald-trump-and-the-pope-are-right/8706390

A short and accessible piece written by two ethicists with a huge amount of experience in these matters (one of whom is Peter Singer, a deeply humane philosopher and ethicist who I have long admired).

I don't necessarily agree with their conclusion but thought it would be useful to share here as it is interesting to hear these arguments made by considered, experienced and deeply rational thinkers rather than the CA faction

The solicitor doesn't have a direct function in court, they are essentially there to back up counsel - so the hearing can continue if they're not there.

That's absolutely not correct. The solicitor can leave now,as it is,the last few minutes but barristers work by way of instructions from solicitors after discussions with the client (unless direct access but generally wouldn't be in cases of this,nature) . In a hearing that is very dynamic with client instructions having to be taken literally on the hoof re: evidence, it is imperative that the solicitor returns. Ideally with the clients although the judge will not be held hostage by their non-participation. However, he will be alive to the fact that they will (unsuccessfully) want to use that as an appeal point

ShatnersWig is that from her FB page? This is all becoming unreal.

Leontine and Rabbit That is live tweeting from Catherine herself

The last few pictures they posted of Charlie he hasn't had his eyes open at all. I know he will hardly be awake but if they are fighting their case and using this then surely they would have up-to-date pictures of this.

On the CA group some woman has commented saying she's a psychic medium and this is all going to end with Charlie on a plane flying to America not with him flying up to heaven! Honestly these people are jokes!

his eyes opning doesnt mean he can see though

I've read the sky news live link now and will follow that this afternoon - seems to give a better picture than twitter alone.

This was interesting
@SkyFixerJim
2h%
Armstrong touches on the now famous 10% chance claim. He says it appears to have been given to the White House and then passed to GOH.

BTW, the person getting choked up while reading the parents' statement outside the court this morning was not their solicitor but their spokesman. He's a UKIP wanabee-MP and Farage crony, whom no one had ever heard of before but who is now raising his profile nicely off the back of all this.