Update from the Richardsons
April 15, 2008:
April 15, 2008:
First, we want to thank you all for your continued concern and prayers for Lauren. Your support means so much to us.
Lauren’s case continues. Lauren’s father Randy remains totally committed to a path that includes rehabilitative treatment and therapy with the hope that Lauren can recover significantly from her disability and participate in the raising of her daughter that she gave birth to while in her current condition.
Lauren’s mother, after convincing one Delaware judge to declare that she should be Lauren’s guardian, remains resolute in her assertion that Lauren is vegetative and cannot recover. Her mother has withheld authorization for any rehabilitative medical treatment and therapy for Lauren, and intends to have Lauren’s feeding tube halted if Randy’s legal efforts fail.
at times as we seek to share with the public the details of what is happening with Lauren because of the disagreement we have with Lauren’s mother. We cannot understand her reasoning in refusing a path of hope, healing, and restoration for Lauren, and insisting on causing her death by withholding food and water from her. The issue in Lauren’s case is the eternal truth that all people, no matter what their medical condition, bear the image of God and deserve basic care and an opportunity to be restored to health.
As the situation currently stands these are the things that we are concerned about:
· Lauren has not received rehabilitative treatment and therapy that could lead to her recovery. We marvel that though Lauren was given up for dead, that she gave birth to a daughter in her condition and even after the removal of a respirator and sealing of a tracheotomy opening, she continued to live and has steadily improved, all this with only minimal medical intervention. How much further would she progress with basic rehabilitation services?
· Lauren has never been allowed to see her own baby girl or been given the chance to bond with her. The presence of Lauren’s daughter brings up a question that society will have to answer: What happens when Lauren’s daughter one day asks where her mother is? If Lauren were to be sent to her death by imposed starvation and dehydration, and her daughter one day learned of the horrible way in which her mother died and then asks what was done to give her mother the opportunity to recover and live, what will we say? Will we hide the truth from her? How can any of us bear the idea of Lauren’s child finding out that her mother was not given the opportunity to recover so that she could know her and be involved in her upbringing? We are asking the question before it is too late: Why isn’t Lauren being given this chance?
· Randy has visited several local organizations that help rehabilitate people just like Lauren. The love and patience he witnessed at these facilities gave him even greater hope for Lauren. Many of the people receiving treatment in such locations were suffering from even more severe handicaps than Lauren, and needed more care than Lauren. Yet they were receiving the love and attention they so needed. This is what Lauren should have and deserves.
· Lauren was claimed to be in a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) in the initial stages after her accident. Since that time she has been thoroughly examined by another physician who believes that Lauren is showing signs of consciousness, which is inconsistent with a PVS diagnosis. This doctor stated that Lauren might benefit from therapy and further evaluation of her possibilities. This was all refused by Lauren’s mother. What progress might Lauren have achieved by now if these measures were extended to her from the outset? What might happen if they were to be implemented now?
· We are appalled that a life like Lauren’s can be ended by what the courts call “substituted judgment.” Questionable testimony has been given that Lauren years ago made one or two vague and inapplicable statements, based on which her mother now seeks to have her life ended. We challenge the truthfulness and relevance of this testimony, but are concerned also with a system that might use them as a means to authorize Lauren’s death. We are convinced that Lauren would want to live, improve, and enjoy a relationship with her daughter.
Our Position: Hope
Lauren is not in a terminal condition, and she is not dependent upon medical machines. She is quite alive, and like you and me, needs food and water to live. Many persons in Lauren’s condition have made remarkable recoveries and we hold out hope because we know nothing is impossible for God. We cannot understand a position of non-hope. We believe that faith leads to hope and that we are to seek to do all that we can to help people who are disabled.
Even if Lauren never fully recovers, because of faith we believe that life with a disability is still valuable and God has a purpose in our suffering. The most fragile and dependent among us serve a great purpose; they teach us what is really important in this life. We believe that God has a purpose for every one of us while we live, no matter what our medical condition. Lauren’s story is a call to hope. We must come back from the terrible path of hopelessness which has no other answer than to impose death in the face of suffering.
What You Can Do:
We would ask you to pray for Lauren’s healing and for God to protect her life. Please pray for those who have influence in Lauren’s case to act from the basis of hope and protecting life.
Thank you again for your continued concern, prayers and support. We still have the hope that Lauren’s story will have a happy ending.
UPDATE June 27, 2008:
Thanks to all of you for prayers. Lauren’s case is still ongoing and no decision has been made yet by the trial judge. Lauren herself has had some minor ups and downs but is doing pretty well. We are visiting her, interacting with her, and enjoying her life every day. Some of the items on schedule in the court case in May and June occurred while others did not. We do not know what the upcoming schedule will be exactly, but at least some court-related activities will occur in July.
All of this means that Lauren’s case is still hanging in the balance for a decision about whether she will be allowed to receive care and assistance from her loving family or whether she will starve and dehydrate simply because she has a disability. Please continue to pray for Lauren and everyone involved in this case.
