Whenever politicians want to push an agenda, they bring out human props to demonstrate why or why not a law needs to be enacted or overturned. I understand that, since politics is usually a less virtuous and more fucked up version of theater of the absurd. And the recent Health Care Reform Clusterfuck is no exception. Human props from all sides are being trotted out to defend, support, or oppose Obamacare. Too bad Jayden Capewell will never be allowed to tell his story either in support or opposition to America's attempt to enact a British style NHS. And in his story, the horrors of Socialized Medicine, British Style, are revealed.

Who is Jayden Capewell? Unfortunately, he is becoming a symbol of the cruelty of rationed care. You see, Jayden Capewell had the misfortune to be born massively premature in the United Kingdom. Sadly, Jayden passed away shortly after being born. Unfortunately, that happens every day around the world.

Oh, wait. Did I say shortly after? I should have said "Two Fucking Hours Later". And I guess I should have presented this nugget from his short life story, courtesy of his mother.

Miss Capewell, 23, said doctors refused to even see her son Jayden, who lived for almost two hours without any medical support. She said he was breathing unaided, had a strong heartbeat and was even moving his arms and legs, but medics refused to admit him to a special care baby unit. Miss Capewell is now fighting for a review of the medical guidelines.

Medics allegedly told her that they would have tried to save the baby if he had been born two days later, at 22 weeks. In fact, the medical guidelines for Health Service hospitals state that babies should not be given intensive care if they are born at less than 23 weeks. The guidance, drawn up by the Nuffield Council, is not compulsory but advises doctors that medical intervention for very premature children is not in the best interests of the baby, and is not ’standard practice’. James Paget Hospital in Norfolk refused to comment on the case but said it was not responsible for setting the guidelines relating to premature births. A trust spokesman said: ‘Like other acute hospitals, we follow national guidance from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine regarding premature births.’ Miss Capewell, who has had five miscarriages, said the guidelines had robbed her son of a chance of life.

She said: ‘When he was born, he put out his arms and legs and pushed himself over. A midwife said he was breathing and had a strong heartbeat, and described him as a “little fighter”. I kept asking for the doctors but the midwife said, “They won’t come and help, sweetie. Make the best of the time you have with him”.’ She cuddled her child and took precious photos of him, but he died in her arms less than two hours after his birth. Miss Capewell, who has a five-year-old daughter Jodie, went into labour in October last year at 21 weeks and four days after suffering problems during her pregnancy. She said she was told that because she had not reached 22 weeks, she was not allowed injections to try to stop the labour, or a steroid injection to help to strengthen her baby’s lungs. Instead, doctors told her to treat the labour as a miscarriage, not a birth, and to expect her baby to be born with serious deformities or even to be still-born.

She told how she begged one paediatrician, ‘You have got to help’, only for the man to respond: ‘No we don’t.’ As her contractions continued, a chaplain arrived at her bedside to discuss bereavement and planning a funeral, she claims. She said: ‘I was sitting there, reading this leaflet about planning a funeral and thinking, this is my baby, he isn’t even born yet, let alone dead.’ After his death she even had to argue with hospital officials for her right to receive birth and death certificates, which meant she could give her son a proper funeral.

Posted by: eddiebear at 09:09 AM | Comments (37) | Add Comment
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