Blog Archives - ESSENCERED

A 5-year-old has chosen "heaven" instead of going to the hospital, and her parents will respect that decision.Parents honour dying child's request, let her choose 'heaven over hospital'Despite facing a difficult situation, an Oregon family is empowering their terminally ill five-year-old daughter to make her own choices. They are allowing her to decide whether to go to the hospital or stay at home during her next illness. Their selfless act is a true inspiration to us all.Julianna Snow, who has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, told her mother she'd rather go to "heaven" due to her weakened state and susceptibility to pneumonia.According to a news organization, Julianna's doctors are unlikely to save her life if she falls ill again. If they do, she might have to spend the rest of her life on a respirator while sedated.In May, Michelle Moon shared her family's story on The Mighty, a digital platform for people dealing with disease and disability, about her daughter Julianna.Moon wrote about her 4-year-old daughter, Julianna, who made it clear that she did not want to go to the hospital again. According to Moon, Julianna, like many other kids who have faced life-threatening illnesses, is exceptionally mature for her age, but she's still a young child, only four years old.https://www.instagram.com/p/8cJvysoF9a/?utm_sourceig_embed&ig_ridd88eeca1-487d-4743-a27d-956d4d4e791fIn Julianna's post, she inquires about whether her brother will join her in heaven. Moon responds that while most people must go to heaven alone, they can wait for their family members to join them later.The post received mixed responses with some supporting and others questioning Julianna's parents' choice."I cannot believe that some parents would expect a four-year-old child to comprehend or make life decisions," commented Susan Timko. "It is evident that the mother is asking leading questions. This article is disturbing to me, as I also have a child with a chronic illness."After receiving criticism, Moon shared a second piece where she explained her decision regarding her child. She mentioned how difficult it was for her and her husband to imagine a life without their daughter. Initially, their instinct was to continue taking Julianna to the hospital, but eventually, they chose to respect Julianna's decision instead.https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/hBy61tr7WWx71J0jQ_ro3w--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTY0MDtoPTQ4MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en-US/homerun/people_218/ae1c1b4812932487f1b236143ad690d9Not everyone agrees that a child can make the decision between life and death, despite support from Julianna's doctors for her parent's decision to honour her wishes, according to CNN."I'm uneasy about this. It's making me nervous," shared Art Caplan, the founder of the Division of Medical Ethics at New York University, in an interview with CNN. "While a 4-year-old might be capable of choosing their preferred music or picture book, understanding the concept of death is beyond their cognitive abilities. Such comprehension usually develops when they are around nine or ten years old."Moon mentioned that Julianna has been infection-free for a year and is currently spending quality time with her daughter. They will decide on further steps if Julianna falls ill again.

Category: Blog

Parents to honor 5-year-old daughter’s decision of ‘heaven’ over ‘hospital’