Alfie Evans:an Emergency High Court Hearing Taking Place Now.

[ladybirder]

Parents have an aircraft standing by to take him to Italy. He's now been breathing on his own for almost 24 hours. This needs the judgement of Solomon.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5650177/Alfie-Evans-clinging-life-Adler-Hey-hospital-removes-life-support.html

[naomi24]

I've been following this. Awful, just awful.

[anneasquith]

Such a dreadful situation .

[Peter Pedant]

Parents SAY there is an aircraft....
and they SAY the doctors of the Buon Jesu are ready ....

even the pundits are saying - er where ?

Next time I am invited to a vigil for a sick little baby - I shall ask - do I bring molotov cocktails or a few rocks?
Scouse media circus

[ToraToraTora]

let the take him, nowt to lose. in fact i don't see how they can legally stop them, he is not having treatment, pick him up and walk out the door.

[naomi24]

TTT, that's true. They can at least try.

[dunnitall]

Hope they try....though sometimes things are impossible and not in the final interest of the poor little child! How awful to face xx

[ladybirder]

Nobody is saying they can make him better, cure him, so will keeping him alive just prolong this poor little chap's agony?
Last I heard on the news was the management and doctors at Alderhay are talking about letting him go home for palliative care.

[THECORBYLOON]

PP, the Italian doctors are at Ospedale
Pediatrico, Bambino Gesu (BG) Rome.

[THECORBYLOON]

The "BG" is the abbreviation used in one of the Court decisions I have just realised.

[pixie374]

That is what is so hard to tell, lb. He can't be cured- but doesn't necessarily need to be to have a quality of life. Does he feel pleasure, pain, has he bonded with his parents, is he comfortable, happy, aware. It's almost impossible to guess. I would give the benefit of the doubt to the parents, as they will have the best idea of how he feels.

[Tilly2]

Poor little sausage. :-(

What a horrible situation for all concerned. Dreadful

[chrissa1]

I hate to say it but in the first colour picture in the article, it looks very much like the father is holding the child’s arm to make it look like the child is clinging on to his mum.

I wish the very best for the little lad but I think nature should be allowed to take its course.

[andy-hughes]

What I fail to understand is why a mob of 'supporters' set about attacking the hospital where the child is being treated.

Exactly what were those people hoping to achieve?

[237SJ]

I agree with Chrissa. It's a terrible situation but I feel that the 'life and any cost' ethos is not in his best interests.

[naomi24]

//Exactly what were those people hoping to achieve?//

I think they were trying to persuade doctors not to switch off life support.

[ladybirder]

I'm afraid they've lost their bid to take him to Italy but the judge wants the hospital to look at ways of getting him home. The relationship between Alfie's parents and the doctors has completely broken down with the parents' supporters posting hateful stuff on Facebook apparently and the staff worrying about their safety. So gawd knows what they are going to do now.

The case is still going on in court.

[bednobs]

but it's so futile naomi - the doctors HAVE to comply with the court order, just as the parents do, no matter how vile stupid people are to them

[ladybirder]

Yes Chrissa, you're right, he is holding Alfie's arm.

It's hard but I think he should be left where he is and his parents stay in the hospital with him until the end. Alfie has to come first, not the parents.

[bednobs]

Children are not possessions of their parents, they are human beings in their own right and ii's up to independent courts to make decisions in their best interests if they can't do themselves. Every court that has heard the case (with details we aren't privy to) has come to the same decision; in his best interests. Doctors do not get up in the morning thinking they need to turn a few children off to free up beds and save money. Doctors do the best job they can for the patients in front of them. I cannot criticise the parents, but having been in the position of having a child who i did have to make decisions like this about; i chose a different way to them, we made the decision to turn our son's life support off. Our decision was right for us (and, i believe, him) and their decision is right for them but i don't believe it's right for him.
the worst thing about this situation (apart from the probable death of a child) is the hysterical grief circus from people who are intimidating Alder hay and it's staff, blocking the road, frightening families vivsting their loved ones