17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

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ANDRETEXAS
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17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby ANDRETEXAS » Sat Jan 03, 2015 12:44 am

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6 of 18 lymph nodes cancerous
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8/14 - Chemo finish
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12/10- clean CT

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AbsumZero
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby AbsumZero » Sat Jan 03, 2015 3:04 am

Considering the high curative rate for Hodgkin's lymphoma I'm curious as to why she doesn't want chemo. Is her cancer so advanced that she's unlikely to survive long and chemo would just ruin her quality of life? Does she have a high chance of cure but is just suicidal? Did she spend too much time on anti-chemo quackery sites and decide she'd be better off drinking alkaline water and buying a Rife machine?

If it's either of the latter I'd happily trade my cancer for hers.
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby Carolinabluetec » Sat Jan 03, 2015 10:34 am

I lived in Connecticut for many years, so I am not surprised. It became the ultimate nanny state during the late 90's and has remained so.That being said, I don't believe that a 17 year old has adequate life experience and maturity to make this decision. Since I saw no mention of religious grounds, the mother should be ashamed for supporting her in this legal action. Of course she is being represented by a public defender, with sort of means the state is suing itself.
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby weisssoccermom » Sat Jan 03, 2015 11:34 am

Let's face it....articles like these oftentimes don't give us all the facts. I have a difficult time believing that minus religious objections, any mother would support their child in a decision like this unless the prognosis is poor and/or the quality of life is so totally awful that the child is suffering. The article mentions nothing of that. If this young woman's prognosis IS poor...then she does, IMO, have a right to make that decision. I wonder what would happen if she was turning 18 say next week and decided then to just stop treatments? Legally she would be an adult.....but would the state still try to step in? There's too many questions unanswered here but it is bothersome to me that a state would just step in and take a child away from a parent....particularly when that family has had no prior run in with DSHS (can't remember what the state of CT calls it). Not to get off topic, but maybe agencies like DSHS need to step in and do something about all the young people who are on drugs, lack motivation, skip school, etc......not saying that protecting a child from a medical situation like this isn't important but we have so many young people whose parents aren't 'abusing' or technically 'neglecting' them but young people who still are floundering, have no sense of direction, responsibility, accountability, etc. and whose parents seem oblivious to how to handle them. THOSE young people need help as well BEFORE the situation gets out of hand. Our society just seems all messed up.
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ANDRETEXAS
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby ANDRETEXAS » Sat Jan 03, 2015 5:41 pm

I guess this article demonstrates or brings into discussion when a decision needs to be made for someone less than 18, and when it does not. It is diffcult at times to draw the line between the various decision-making possibilites.
2/10/14 - Colon resect
2/13 - DX- Stage IIIb
6 of 18 lymph nodes cancerous
3/7 - Port placed
3/11 - FOLFOX (12 rds w/full oxi)
8/14 - Chemo finish
8/25 - CT- Inc
9/5 - clean PET
12/10- clean CT

3/2/15 - Clean colonoscopy & port removed
3/4 - clean CT
9/21- clean CT

3/23/16 - clean CT

2/22/17- clean CT

3/21/18 - clean CT
4/1 - clean colonoscopy

3/11/19 - clean CT
9/23 - Five-year release - Annual visits now !

4/13/23 - clean colonoscopy

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KWT
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby KWT » Sat Jan 03, 2015 6:10 pm

To me this would be even more effed up if it was on the grounds of religious beliefs. I think prayer is only effective about 1% of the time. The odds are definately against us there.

She is after all 17 not 8

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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby Marian1961 » Sat Jan 03, 2015 6:18 pm

If we ("we"--meaning as a country) can charge 13-14 year olds as adults when they commit crimes, with the assumption they not only fully understood the crime but also fully understand the judiciary, then a 17 year old should be assumed to know what drugs she wants in her body.
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby dianetavegia » Sun Jan 04, 2015 9:00 am

I have a young friend in church who was dx'd about 7 months ago with Hodgkin's. She has 3 more tx's and is cancer free. Hodgkins has a HIGH cure rate but 95% of patients (this is from memory so might be off a few % points) will develop a 2ndary cancer in their lifetime that will most likely be much more serious (due to radiation, etc.)

Studies disagree on whether prayer can help the sick or not. I personally believe it does help and know that if I'm dealing with anxiety, that a friend offering to pray for me will relieve the anxiety almost immediately. It helps me because I believe in prayer.

What I've noticed is how children are healed more often than adults. Mom says 'Doctor is going to give you some medicine to make you well' and the child gets well and stays well. The child trusted, had faith in mom.
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby Laurettas » Sun Jan 04, 2015 1:20 pm

Most of the people I know who would refuse chemo would not base their decision on "religious" reasons unless you can alternative health/nature lovers a religion. I am not a big advocate of chemo for solid tumors but for lymph and blood tumors it can be a silver bullet. Jake had Hodgkin's in 1977 when he was 24. He went through 10 months of extremely difficult chemo, basically doing what is today called a clinical trial. He didn't have radiation treatment but the comparable "scans" at the time were massive doses of radiation. He had great health for 34 years before getting his colon cancer--enough time to see our daughter married and all 5 of our grandkids. So, for him the potential future effects of the chemo were worth it in the case of the Hodgkin's, IMO.
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby Frenchie's Wife » Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:09 pm

I get the impression that Quality of Life is important here.
From someone who has had lots of chemo and then chose QOL over longevity, I see both sides of the issue.
There is something to be said about YOU having the right to choose your own destiny.
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Dx Sept 2009
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Maia
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby Maia » Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:04 am

"Cassandra C. lives in Windsor Locks, Conn., and is under the care of the state Department of Children and Families. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled last week that she is not legally competent or mature enough to reject treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma."
So she's being given chemotherapy against her will.

This article, by her, appeared yesterday (January 12th) in the Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opin ... story.html

lhawk0730
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby lhawk0730 » Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:27 am

Maia wrote:"Cassandra C. lives in Windsor Locks, Conn., and is under the care of the state Department of Children and Families. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled last week that she is not legally competent or mature enough to reject treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma."
So she's being given chemotherapy against her will.

This article, by her, appeared yesterday (January 12th) in the Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opin ... story.html


Maia, you have to have a subscription to view the article. Would you mind copying and pasting the content?
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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby KWT » Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:37 am

Maybe when mom was homeschooling they shoul have worked a little more on percentages. 85% that's like a guarantee in my eyes.

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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby Maia » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:25 am

lhawk0730 wrote:Maia, you have to have a subscription to view the article. Would you mind copying and pasting the content?

It works for me and I don't have a subscription -scrolled down and there it is. But copying and pasting it here! : )

January 12 2015

Saying no to cancer treatment

By Cassandra C.

Over the past 17 years, I have lived a good life. It has always just been me and my mom and all of our pets. My mom raised me well, to be a strong, competent and independent woman. She taught me right from wrong and always led me in the right direction, standing by my side through every decision I made. I wouldn't have my strength, determination and motivation if it weren't for my mom. She played the role of a mom and a dad, and she did a damn good job!

Words cannot describe what my life has become over the last few months. "Horrifying" seems like an understatement. What I have been going through is traumatizing. Never did it cross my mind that one day I would be diagnosed with cancer. In September, after a stressful summer of blood work, examinations and biopsies, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

My mom and I wanted to make sure my diagnosis was correct, so we agreed to seek a second opinion. We wanted to be 100 percent sure I had cancer. Apparently, going for the second opinion and questioning doctors was considered "wasting time" and "not necessary." My mom was reported to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families for medical neglect because we weren't meeting the doctors' time standard.

In no way is my mom neglectful. She has always put me before herself. I am offended by anyone who believes otherwise. My mom has been identified as "hostile," "neglectful" and "unsupportive," three untrue words that break my heart.

In October, DCF and nearly the entire Windsor Locks Police Department arrived when I was home alone and surrounded my house, banging on doors and windows. I hid in my closet, crying on the phone with Mom and my friends, until Mom came home. I sat in my closet for at least an hour while Mom, DCF and the police argued downstairs. I was scared.

I had to leave with DCF. They had me medically evaluated and placed in a foster home until a court date. I was devastated. I needed to be with my mom.

Taking me away from my mom in no way is in my best interest. There are children who need DCF, but I am not one of them.

In November, I was allowed to return home to my mom with the promise to start chemotherapy immediately. Although I didn't have any intention of proceeding with the chemotherapy once I returned home, I endured two days of it. Two days was enough; mentally and emotionally, I could not go through with chemotherapy. I felt backed up against the wall. I had no right to choose what I wanted. I was told I had a voice and was being heard, but it didn't feel like it. I took things into my own hands — I was fed up with DCF — and ran away. I was willing to leave everything I loved — my mom, my friends, my job, my cat, Simba, and, most important, my life that I absolutely loved — to get away from being forced into something that I didn't want.

I packed all my stuff after Mom fell asleep, left my house and met up with people who were willing to take me in and help me. I had no intention of returning to or staying in Connecticut. The people I stayed with were loving and understanding and took such good care of me.

I began to see myself on the news and people from all over were trying to contact me. Some people thought I was dead, and I heard my mom was going to be put in jail, because it was assumed she knew where I was or that she was hiding me somewhere. She didn't — I never even told her that I was leaving — and I couldn't, because I knew she would try to stop me. After about a week, I returned home, because I didn't want people to think I was dead, and I would never forgive myself if my mom went to jail for something I did.

DCF immediately brought me to the hospital to be evaluated. I was OK, and they let me go home. I thought it was over. I was wrong.

In December, a decision was made to hospitalize me. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I did know I wasn't going down without a fight.

I was admitted to the same room I'm in now, with someone sitting by my door 24/7. I could walk down the hallway as long as security was with me, but otherwise I couldn't leave my room. I felt trapped.

After a week, they decided to force chemotherapy on me. I should have had the right to say no, but I didn't have that right. I was strapped to a bed by my wrists and ankles and sedated. I woke up in the recovery room with a port surgically placed in my chest. I was outraged and felt completely violated. My phone was taken away, the hospital phone was removed from my room and even the scissors I used for art were taken.

I have been locked in this hospital for a month, missing time from work, not being able to pay my bills. I couldn't celebrate Christmas and New Year's with my friends and family. I miss my cat and I miss fresh air. Having visitors is complicated, seeing my mom is limited, and I've not been able to see all of the people I'd like to. My friends are a major support; I need them. Finally, I was given an iPad. I can message my friends on Facebook, but it is nowhere near like calling a friend at night when I can't sleep or hearing someone's voice to cheer me up.

This experience has been a continuous nightmare. I want the right to make my medical decisions. It's disgusting that I'm fighting for a right that I and anyone in my situation should already have. This is my life and my body, not DCF's and not the state's. I am a human — I should be able to decide if I do or don't want chemotherapy. Whether I live 17 years or 100 years should not be anyone's choice but mine.

How long is a person actually supposed to live, and why? Who determines that? I care about the quality of my life, not just the quantity.

Tribune Newspapers

Cassandra C. lives in Windsor Locks, Conn., and is under the care of the state Department of Children and Families. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled last week that she is not legally competent or mature enough to reject treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Copyright © 2015, Chicago Tribune

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Re: 17 year-old suing over forced chemo treatments

Postby NWgirl » Tue Jan 13, 2015 12:02 pm

This was on the CBS Evening News the other night. The mother said they want to pursue "alternatives" to chemo. When asked what alternatives she wanted to pursue she said she didn't know - that they hadn't had time to look into it yet. The mother emphatically stated (about her daughter); "she's not going to die! She doesn't want to die" or something close to it. The mother thinks that chemo is poison.

My take was that this mother is frightfully uneducated about chemo, her daughters disease, how treatable it is and how deadly it is without treatment. She believes chemo is poison and there is an "alternative" out there that is safe and effective.

This interview of the mother was scary!!!! Her attitude was arrogant and ignorant. I'm glad they are forcing the girl to take chemo. Hopefully someday they'll both look back on this and thank the people that are saving this girls life.
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