At 17:56 26/03/04, Karen bravely and openly wrote:
>I have a personal view on this and wonder if I can be the only person
>who feels this.
>My first baby was still born 1991 and underwent a post mortem
>examination.
>Every time this comes up in the news, I dread getting a phone call to
>appologise for retaining body parts. I really would not want to know,
>and do not want another funeral at this time. I would not have objected
>if they had wished to retain them I don't think, but would not have
>wanted to be asked.
>We have not forgotten our baby, I just do not want to be expected to
>consider that a funeral is relevant for a bit of long dead body.
> I have a lock of hair which I treasure.
>I would like to know how I can ensure that no-one takes it upon
>themselves to give a bit back to me now and give me a totally un asked
>for appology.
>As far as I am concerned this would be far more traumatic than the
>original act, which I think was possibly a common activity in the past.
>Nobody felt they had to give me my appendix when it was removed!!
Never been through this kind of trauma but your position seems much more
human and humane than the alternatives that have made the news. Thoughts
are with you for what you had to go through and what it has no doubt meant
ever since.
I don't know how far back the judgement is going but there certainly was a
period when a responsible body of medical opinion would have held it as
reasonable to keep organs without consent - there are enough at the RCS to
prove this a hundred times over.
I'm afraid I think the parents on TV today saying they weren't interested
in money while enriching themselves and the lawyers at the expense of the
NHS bring nothing but shame on themselves.
I hope the NHS has offered a little money where second funerals have been
required but I'm damned if I see why living patients should be harmed by
offering a penny more.
Julian
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