Charlie Gard 18

[cjt110]

Ok guys, we have been very lucky to discuss this, please lets not give anyone anything to complain about, Mhq have been more than accomodating.

@JoshuaRozenberg
2m
Gard: Court now adjourned to await arrival of the family’s specialist doctor.

Feel so sorry for CY she is obviously in deep denial and has not accepted accepted that the battle is over and sadly Charlie cannot be helped. She seems to have convinced herself that if they can just delay again and again then some magical expert will appear and make everything alright. They seem to be grasping at any straw that floats by them such as the 2 hour delay to today's hearing to wait for the arrival of just such an "expert" who turned out to be a retired GP without paediatric ICU expertise.

I hope that someone can persuade them to stop their crusade and spend these precious final days with their child - however I fear that Connie is quite unwell now cannot let go of the fight without some help. I'm glad that the judge has finally set limits and I hope that the parents will find some help for their grief.

Enchanted, yes, theoretically, if they can magic up that intensivist plus a full care team. Plus, presumably, offering guarantees for when Charlie would be extubated. But it's not going to happen.

What is the "other place?"

Would appreciate details if discussion does move. Clearly it's still far from over. Poor Charlie.

Ceto And in CA's minds the Evelina clearly haven't ever heard of the case. It's not like they'd have been the very first hospital GOSH contacted when GOSH looked into whether any other UK hospital would accept transfer, by virtue of them also being in London.

Am waiting now for a BBC drama. Connie to be played by Sheridan smith.

I haven't looked at CA but just reading the comments here, this is one of the reasons I was so bothered when the hospice was suggested. There are no circumstances that justify the parents, loved ones and patients in a hospice having to be part of this circus. Or the staff. I know the same applies to GOSH, especially PICU but a hospice is a calm, tranquil place and the families who need to be there should not have to put up with anything else during their stay.
i really hope they STFU about the hospices that they're speculating about.

Such a sad day for CY and CG, but I think the right decision in the end. I feel desperately sorry for them... It's a situation nobody wants to be in. I think the judge has done all he can to try and help them feel like they can be part of the decisions for Charlie, but he did have to make a decision in the end...

If this thread goes somewhere else, a PM would be great as to where it is. I have really appreciated reading all the thoughts.

Thanks for the clarification - sorry to ask stupid questions. At this point I'm just baffled. Is there to be no further threads on this?

No time with their child will ever be enough. They will always want another day, another hour, another minute hence the desperate dragging out of the court case. I think however much time the judge gave them, tragically there would never be an acceptance of the inevitable. That isn't a personal criticism of them, just an observation of how they are dealing with this situation.

It must be an incredibly lonely and frightening place for the parents to be, but more time with their son being kept alive wont bring them the peace they are wildly searching for, and in the longer term it may come to torment them.

I'm fortunate enough to have never been in their position, but have had too many close friends and family members with terminal illness. There came a stage for each and every one of them when they or family members made the decision that nothing more should be done, there were no benefits to prolonging their pain (physical and emotional). As a baby, and with his particular condition, Charlie doesn't have the 'luxury' of being able to make that decision himself. I wish the time had come so much sooner for him than it will.

"is continuing intensive care in a hospice setting still a possibility?"

AFAIK, no. (I am not a dr/lawyer) I believe that ITUs have to be licensed as such and are subject to strict regulation. Hospices can't be licensed or insured to provide ITU-style medical care except for the short periods of time between arrival and extubation for ventilated patients - someone said they can't keep patients on their ventilators overnight.

Hospices in Ireland are even. Ring named....one that a child has never set foot in...and docs can't just rock up to a different country and work

Can I have a pm to the other place please ?

Onthehighseas, I agree, totally, I do not think they get that they cannot come up with anything else, thats it finaeto completo, this time needs to be used spent with Charlie, I was tempted to send the God father a message but thought better of it.

Please don't be judgemental around whether or not they are at his bedside. Some people want to do that - some if us just don't. We rarely visited together and even when we visited it wasn't for long periods of time.

Sigh...... The hospice cannot accommodate Charlie overnight. They are not insured for a fully blown ICU unit to be installed. They will excubate Charlie within 6-8 hours I should think because a hospice is not a picu unit. If Charlie stays in hospital, again they would be given to the weekend I should imagine or before, no idea on that one really.

Can i have a pm aswell if there's another place please

Haven't quite caught up -

I'd like a PM about another discussion place if that's what's happening but only if it's not FB please.

Where is this other place? Can I get a pm too please?

Away to catch up, been out all afternoon

I'd like a PM if the discussion goes elsewhere, please. Thanks.

So a new thread is not being made and all discussions going somewhere else now? Are only long-time "known" posters invited? I'm fairly new but have been following all 18 threads -and biting my tongue on the last one- and greatly appreciate a place other than DM to get info from and discuss !

Not wanting to be judgemental, HotH - but Charlie's parents' rhetoric has all been based on wanting to spend more time with him. Obviously it's different for everyone. I agree with PPs who said that maybe Connie was in court because that for her was a less painful option, to be "still fighting".

Me too please.

"is continuing intensive care in a hospice setting still a possibility?"

No. Francis J made the judgement that ventilation was against Charlie's best interests and that palliative care only is best for him.

Continuing ITU care is not palliative. It's invasive treatment. So it needs to end and he needs to be given palliative care only.

I would like a pm too please.