12…

    On June 5^th, during an “Emergency Hearing” the legal system had to intervene on the behalf of a 10-year-old little girl that has been awaiting a critical transplant needed to save her life.  There could have been many legitimate reasons for the delay… donor availability, tissue type, physical suitability but these weren’t the reasons given for blocking young Sarah Murnaghan from potential lifesaving organs.  No, the reason given is 12, the difference between life and death is a simple little number.

    In order to be eligible for adolescent or adult organs under the current rules, Sarah must be 12-years old.  Without the order from the Federal Judge, Lungs from a 13-year-old child, suitable in every way would have been denied to Sarah.  For the moment the decision will be between the doctor and the patient (guardians), as it should be.  The Murnaghan family fell victim to the bureaucracy involved in the organ donor system.  In every instance when dealing with a bureaucratic system, it will do what’s easy for its self, it will choose the path of least resistance which often means to delay, to deny… to do nothing.   Fortunately for the Murnaghan family they were a single case, able to get in front of a Federal Judge that had the time to consider their grievance.

 

    When the matter was initially brought to the attention of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius she “Declined to Intervene”, then she went as far as to tell the Murnaghan family, that’s the way the GAME is played, “some live, some die.” (I wonder if the “GAME” would be played the same if it were her child).  Myself, I didn’t find her response surprising at all, Mrs. Sebelius decisions and actions have always been guided by political agenda or payoff (remember her strong-arm solicitation of donations from companies she has oversight authority of) she saw no “Up-side” in helping one little girl.  Kathleen Sebelius, an uber-bureaucrat, is sitting in a position that should be held by a HEALER!

 

    Can a Federal system that blatantly operates under the banner of “Reward Our Friends… Punish Our Enemies…” be trusted to make decisions better made by a Doctor and Patient or will it be just another IRS, EPA, etc… secret handshake department with Directors that advise subordinates to “Step on the first couple of NECKS… The rest will fall in line”.  In the end if the bureaucracy is too busy to take a moment to help one little girl, how will it handle 314 million citizens?  Are there enough Federal Judges to hear the flood of grievances?  Be it un-official, I can see a renaming of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the Kevorkian or maybe Gosnell Department of Health and Human Services, slower, not as barefaced… but just the same. 

12 was the number used to delay, to deny Sarah…

I wonder, what will be MY number?

What will be YOUR NUMBER? 

The TOMCAT 

My prayers for the Murnaghan family and may the Angels watch over you Sarah.