Life for Lauren
In Delaware, there is a fight over the life of a 23-year-old woman who has been diagnosed to be in a persistent vegetative state. According to news reports, Lauren's brain was denied oxygen after she overdosed on heroin in August 2006. She was 3 months pregnant at the time. Doctors kept her on life support so she could deliver the baby and since then, Lauren has recovered enough to no longer need a respirator or additional life support.
Like Terri Schiavo, what Lauren does have is a feeding tube-- which is standard when someone has been placed on a respirator. And like Terri, there is a fight over her right to life. According to news reports, Lauren's mother wants to have Lauren's feeding tube removed. This would be a death sentence for Lauren-- she would die from dehydration within two weeks.
Lauren's family released a video showing her interacting with family members. Her father is trying to gain custody so he can prevent his daughter from dying.
For more information, visit www.lifeforlauren.org
2 comments:
Lauren Richardson is 23 years old. In August of 2006 she overdosed on heroin. She went into a coma, she was three months pregnant. For more information about her story you can go to www.delawareonline.com. You can also visit her website at www.lifeforlauren.org. Her parents are in a battle over whether she should have her feeding tube removed. Her father wants to take Lauren home with him so he can care for her, her mother would like to rappeals. The week that Lauren "accidentally" overdosed, she had been hiding from her mother who was trying to force her to have an abortion. She had been clean for ten months! Her stuff was packed because that weekend she was going to move in with her dad, because she had asked HIM to help her with the baby. Edith Towers also tried to bargain with her father, by saying if he let her have custody of Lauren's baby, he could have custody of Lauren. Only after he refused did she start to fight to have the tube removed. For the first seven months after the "accident' she never said a word about Lauren's wishes, and she had ample oppurtunity. How is that respecting Lauren's wishes? And she's not taking care of the baby, she is using her as a pawn, and has never brought the baby to see Lauren... But has let the man who used to Lauren drugs babysit.. She went THREE MONTHS without visiting Lauren at all, and only because Randy was going to be granted custody and allowed to take her home, did she come in and see her so no one could claim abandonment. As it currently stands, someone from the Richardson side of the family is there 84 hours of the week at least, whereas someone from her mother's side of the family is there for approximately 6 hours a week. This can be verified by visitors logs. She can come whenever she likes, she chooses not to because the Richardsons are there, evevn though she has been informed that they will leave whenever she wishes to visit. They have tried to be civil with her.
After the verdict, Randy Richardson decided to speak with the press. A video of Lauren was released and an article was written. To some it does not look like Lauren is doing well at all... However, it must be kept in mind that doctors told her family that she might die before she carried the baby to full term, that she may not wake up from her coma, that she would never breathe on her own, that she would not open her eyes, move her body, show emotion, respond to people and/or animals... She has done all of these things. She can understand you when you talk... She can SWALLOW and her family has been told that she could learn to feed herself again. SHE CAN SWALLOW. How is it possible that we can remove a feeding tube from a woman whose only crime is that she cannot lift her hand to her mouth... The Nazis used to starve the disabled as well.
Randy Richardson has been one news program. He was recently threatened with a lawsuit if he did not take Lauren's website down and if he did not stop speaking with the press. Other family members have been threatened as well, since they are the people who provided the video footage of Lauren. They have claimed that Lauren's privacy has been invaded. I am trying to bring it to the attention of whomever I can that Lauren is not being properly advocated for. There are numerous doctors who have asked to see her, only to be denied by her mother and court appointed guardian. Doctors that believe they can do something to help her. Doctors and nurses have stated that interaction with her daughter (who will celebrate her first birthday tomorrow) would also be fantastic therapy.
Lauren Richardson's mother is hiding something. Lauren should not pay for her mother's crimes.
Thank you
FACT:
Lauren Richardson is not brain dead.
Lauren Richardson IS responsive.
Lauren Richardson CAN swallow.
Lauren Richardson IS alive.
Lauren Richardson's mother IS scared for the public to learn the truth.
FICTION:
Lauren Richardson does not respond.
Lauren Richardson is a vegetable.
Lauren Richardson's mother is looking out for her best interest.
***Randy Richardson has been threatened with lawsuits if he does not do the following…
Take Lauren's website down.
Stop speaking to the press.
Stop speaking to the public.
STOP TELLING PEOPLE THE TRUTH!!!
LAUREN RICHARDASON HAS NOT COMMITTED A CRIME.
RANDY RICHARDSON'S RIGHTS ARE BEING TRAMPLED ON IN ORDER TO COVER UP THE TRUTH.
LAUREN CAN SWALLOW AND WILL BE ABLE TO FEED HERSELF WITH PROPER THREAPY.
PLEASE HELP, LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT RANDY RICHARDSON IS IN A BATTLE FOR HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
CALL GOVERNOR RUTH ANN MINNER'S OFFICE AND EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS. LAUREN RICHARDSON SHOULD NOT LOSE HER LIFE, BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY KNOW WHAT ITS' QUALITY IS.
Governor Ruth Ann Minner;
Wilmington Office: 302-577-3210
Dover Office: 302-744-4101
Thanks Ellie for your very thorough account of Lauren's circumstances.
Lauren has the same right to life as us all regardless of her ability or disability. Her father certainly has the right to take custody of her and care for her.
Terri Schiavo's life was taken from her simply because she was disabled. Like Terri, Lauren faces the possibility of death because she is disabled.
This is madness-- when will the law truly protect those who are disabled?
Post a Comment