A very touching story

PrincessLeash

There was a very touching story on Ellen yesterday about two women and a beautiful little girl. Check it out. I was in tears when they were speaking about the birth of their daughter. 

https://m.ellentv.com/videos_head.ftl?vurl=http://ellen.warnerbros.com/videos/?mediaKey=0_3k11fwyh

TaylorandMel

Sad story, glad it worked out so well for them.  It's interesting that they had such issues at Children's Hospital with her being unable to sign forms, because that's the exact hospital Gabriel was just at and I signed some of his forms even tho I'm not birth mom.  I also signed some at Abbott for Isabella while she was in the special care nursery, and I signed something else when the home care nurse came out last week.  We didn't do our adoption yet, but we have an appointment within the next 2 weeks.  Can't wait for that to be behind us.

ball.and.chain

I caught this too -- I never watch Ellen because it's on while I'm at work, but I was on vacation and visiting my ILs, and my MIL happened to have this on.  I'm sure her takeaway was more anxiety concerning the rights of her daughter (the would-be non-gestational parent) -- although I don't think this can happen in MA, where my wife's name goes on the birth certificate.  Anyway, I pretty much forgot the gay angle after I heard "they cut her open without anesthesia"...

2brides

TaylorandMel:

Sad story, glad it worked out so well for them.  It's interesting that they had such issues at Children's Hospital with her being unable to sign forms, because that's the exact hospital Gabriel was just at and I signed some of his forms even tho I'm not birth mom.  I also signed some at Abbott for Isabella while she was in the special care nursery, and I signed something else when the home care nurse came out last week.  We didn't do our adoption yet, but we have an appointment within the next 2 weeks.  Can't wait for that to be behind us.

Technically the non-biologcal parent cannot consent to treatment unless they are in a state that recognizes both parents on the birth certificate or paperwork has already been established (we had paperwork drawn up giving L medical power of attorney over the kids from birth until the adoption went through.) The thing is, some nurses/docs/staffs follow consenting laws to the letter of the law and others don't. And while I 100% agree that the non-bio parent should always be able to consent for treatment, her child wasn't going to die because the bio mother was unable to sign consent. It regularly happens that a parent isn't available to give consent in an emergency situation and it can be overridden by having 2 physicians sign consent for emergency treatment/procedures.

 Ok, that is more than you ever wanted to know about medical consenting. But it really was a touching piece and I hope they are able to save their home and find a job.

ball.and.chain

2brides:

And while I 100% agree that the non-bio parent should always be able to consent for treatment, her child wasn't going to die because the bio mother was unable to sign consent. It regularly happens that a parent isn't available to give consent in an emergency situation and it can be overridden by having 2 physicians sign consent for emergency treatment/procedures.

I'm glad to hear this...I found it a little unbelievable that doctors would let a baby die because her mother was unavailable to sign consent forms.

TaylorandMel

Side note, I'm pretty sure if a child needs emergency life saving treatment and the parent isn't around to consent, they just do it.  We've done things like this working in the ED all the time.