With the recent birth of their son Alexander, Katie and Ryan Buck of West Des Moines, Iowa, have experienced doctors stealing their hope for the life of their child. The Bucks did not know that Alexander was growing inside of Katie with the rare chromosomal abnormality of Trisomy 18 or Edwards Syndrome. When Alexander was born, he struggled and fought for life. Doctors knew something was affecting him so they did some testing and diagnosed Alexander with Trisomy 18.
Life threatening illnesses, diseases, and conditions have been in existence all throughout human history. Many people have overcome these obstacles and lived long lives. Doctors have been amazing instruments in helping to eradicate and defeat many of these problems like rabies, small pox, infections, and many others that have plagued mankind. However, there is an infection in the medical community among doctors and nurses that has spread across this country…hopelessness. It’s not a germ or virus, but it acts like one and takes over its victims.
When the test results came back, the doctor walked into Katie’s room and began to tell her of the “dire” diagnosis. Katie was overwhelmed by what he said and told the doctor to stop. Her husband Ryan was not there with her, but she needed him there and wanted the doctor to wait until Ryan could participate.
Ryan made it to the hospital, but Katie was not able to speak to the doctor because she was still overcome by the sadness of what she already heard. Ryan went to speak with the doctor alone. He asked to record the doctor so he would not forget what he was told because he knew the information that he was going to hear can be overwhelming for parents and easily forgotten. This recorded audio provides an actual account of how doctors can destroy all hope for life.
The doctor began to tell him about Alexander’s Trisomy 18 diagnosis. “He’s got increased risk of having significant heart defects…rib, kidney abnormalities, inter-abdominal tumors. All of those are not super important because 90% of those kids don’t make it past the first month of age. We can look at his heart and run all kinds of tests, but no matter what his heart shows, a heart surgery is not in his best interest. Okay, why put him through a big surgery, cause pain, discomfort, extend his stay if we can get him home and his life expectancy isn’t going to be lengthened by a heart surgery?”
When you hear the doctor on this video, he does not offer any help at all that will aid Alexander to live life. Instead he talks only of death and even suggests that if Alexander is not able to eat enough through breast feeding or by bottle, it is fine. “Is he going to eat enough orally to get himself home in a meaningful period of time? I would say probably not.”
Please understand…he is suggesting that it is not a problem if Alexander starves to death. If you listen carefully to how he speaks, he thinks that this is best path to follow. Doctors are trained to help extend life and great doctors find new ways to do this through innovation yet this doctor does not even offer the smallest glimmer of hope.
Ryan then asks about getting Alexander hooked up with a feeding tube. The doctors says, “If you want to do the feeding tube. If you just want to bottle feed, then what he eats…he eats, and what he doesn’t eat…there’s, how do I say it…very little limiting you from going home tomorrow.” In other words, take Alexander home and let him die.
The doctor speaks to the Bucks in such authoritative language, but what he speaks is not even accurate. You are able to hear him say that heart surgery will not help extend his life, but this is absolutely false. Many children with Trisomy 18 have heart surgery and it dramatically helps improve their health and significantly lengthens their lives. In fact, 90% of children with Trisomy 18 survive heart surgery. Either this man is totally uneducated in his medical prognosis, or he is lying to these parents. This is how most doctors all over the country destroy the hope of parents who have disabled children just at the moment they need a doctor who can give them hope.
“You can live 30 or more days without food, 3 days without water, 3 minutes without air, but not a single second without HOPE.” Jesi Smith
Now watch this video about “Alexander The Great” and you can hear the doctor for yourself. Then follow Alexander’s story, here.
Alexander Birth Story from Ryan Paul Buck on Vimeo.
NOTE: Brad Smith is a pro-life speaker and author at SaveThe1.com with his wife Jesi. His youngest daughter Faith has Trisomy 18. You can learn more at KeepingOurFaith.com and follow Faith’s story.
