Archie Battersbee

I too can hardly believe it was four years ago that you lost your darling daughter Annie. There is nothing irrational in what you say.

The situation regarding Archie is quite heartbreaking. The desperate mother and the angelic child, it’s just so sad, and there will be only one outcome. The child has died but his mother cannot accept it. I feel for her.

Anniebach I cannot believe that it is four years since you shared your heartache with us and we remember your bravery

Callistemon yes, sharing here saved my life x

I don't know how she can do this to her child.

She loves him. With all her heart and no matter what we think we would do, until we're faced with it, we really don't know at all.

HousePlantQueen

Archie's family have no thought for the implications of their demands he is moved to a Hospice, even assuming one will be willing to take him, and he is able to "survive" the transfer. Other patients' privacy and comfort will be impacted. To be blunt, this isn't the only family dealing with tragedy, and no family trumps another in their rights. I feel sorrow for what has happened to this family, but frankly, I am sickened by their unrealistic demands and the emotive and vile accusations made against the professional and caring medical staff. I don't know how I would behave in these tragic circumstances, but I hope that it would be with dignity and respect as shown by the brave GN members who have shared their own tragedies.

Thanks for expressing your view so well HPQ. I agree with others who say we can’t be sure how we would behave in such traumatic circumstances. I hope I’d not be so unable to trust the medical team, to accept the legal system’s conclusions.

Anniebach

Callistemon yes, sharing here saved my life x

Anniebach

These seem so in adequate to express my own and what I am sure are the grans' true feelings and sympathy for you over the loss of your dear child.

I can hardly bear to imagine what you have gone through. And what you are still going through, in spite of the passage of time.

HousePlantQueen

I don't know how I would behave in these tragic circumstances, but I hope that it would be with dignity and respect as shown by the brave GN members who have shared their own tragedies.

In her defence, I would suggest that her understandably highly-charged emotional state is being exploited and manipulated - both intentionally and unintentionally - by the campaign organisation that is representing her. The fact they are a Christian-based group is neither here nor there; they are a pressure-group and though I'm sure they empathise with the mother, they are nevertheless channelling their aims through her to some extent. So it's hardly surprising that she's finding it difficult to come to terms with the medical science and the reality of poor Archie's condition.

You are right about the "brave GN members" who've shared their own tragedies - though they probably don't consider themselves brave, but that's certainly how they come across. And their comments and stories have certainly made me pause for thought (my own mother died 21 years ago today and I've a little candle flickering on my desk, and I'm thinking of her and re-reading the other grans' personal tragedies, at the same time). The world races and rages on whilst they've had to cope with one of the worst personal tragedies that can befall anyone. And still carry on living and functioning - which is exactly why they are 'brave'.

I wasn’t going to post on this thread , please don’t judge her.

I saw mothers digging in coal sludge trying to find their child,
several took their own lives to be buried with their child.

Is there any stronger love than a mothers love .

All but a very small minority of people in situations like this accept the facts as presented to them by the medical staff. This is why there are so few cases of this kind.

How people grieve is a different matter.

She is grieving

HouseplantQueen, thank you for your post. The contrast between the dignity shown by bereaved posters here and the unkind comments made by this family about the medics involved with this case is striking.
Imagine how nurses and doctors feel going into the room to care for this child's body under the sharp gaze of his mother, who seems to be watching to judge their every action.
And yes, as a Christian, I am unhappy to see my faith used to justify actions in this tragic matter. A Christian believes in an after life, which should offer comfort, surely, to this family? Instead, it seems to be used as a reason to fight any decision that doesn't chime with the feelings of the family.

I wonder if the expression “state execution” is her own or was put into her head by someone else.
It was reading that made me change my mind about her.
Imagine being the poor person who actually switches the machines off after that.

I am always loath to believe things posted on the internet,( and there have been many), but having listened to Archie’s mother being interviewed, I felt that she was very critical of the hospital and its staff, saying they ‘did not care for Archie’, and there were many references to court, and ‘evidence’ she says she has. She is in a dreadful situation, and everyone deals with loss differently, but I suspect that she will be unable to let this go after Archie is gone.

Chewbacca

She loves him. With all her heart and no matter what we think we would do, until we're faced with it, we really don't know at all.

I'm afraid it's her own feelings she is putting first, not the child's. The child is in some unknown place hovering between life and death but she won't let him move on. I would be putting the child first, not myself. That is true love.

The media have given Ms Dance a platform to say outrageous and dangerous things about the hospital, doctors and nurses who have cared for her son.
Things that have been put into her head by the ghoulish, far right CLC.
Not to mention the lies and false hope that they have peddled to her.
Hollie Dance will be damaged greatly by this whole disgusting affair.

The trouble is I dont see how it could be other in terms of the media. It's all unspeakably awful but I am not sure I would want them not to report. I think some are being careful in their wording about the information they give.

No one knows what was said or done before the child was found

That is so true Annie. We know very little of the situation that preceded this.

I find the language used against the medical staff wholly unacceptable, especially as the mother of a doctor, but I still have sympathy for the mother who is tortured with grief. The sooner this heartbreaking situation comes to it’s inevitable conclusion, the sooner this poor mother can begin to grieve for her child.

Good point Galaxy about the right to report and this mother’s right to speak.
I share the concerns about the damage pressure groups do when they exploit people who are beyond reason in terrible circumstances

Chestnut

Chewbacca

She loves him. With all her heart and no matter what we think we would do, until we're faced with it, we really don't know at all.

I'm afraid it's her own feelings she is putting first, not the child's. The child is in some unknown place hovering between life and death but she won't let him move on. I would be putting the child first, not myself. That is true love.

None of us know what we would do faced with those dreadful circumstances.

I wish they would report accurately and fairly, without emotive language designed to stir up indignation one either side.

The official judgement report was very fair but made it clear that the hospital treatment had been “exemplary”.

Just another thought, which I realise should not be a prime consideration but how much is this all costing?
Are children who could be helped being denied an intensive care bed while Archie is being cared for with no hope at all?
If it were allowed is his mother prepared to sit by his side for years and who would be supporting her financially through all this?
I do realise of course that I can only make these judgments because I am not emotionally involved.
Nevertheless they are valid and could affect many more cases each year.
The old adage, quoted many times on GN…. Just because we can doesn’t mean we should.

annsixty

I wonder if the expression “state execution” is her own or was put into her head by someone else.
It was reading that made me change my mind about her.
Imagine being the poor person who actually switches the machines off after that.

Yes, that expression was really uncalled for. Is that what she really believes - that the "state" has taken a decision to execute her son - or has the terminology been presented to her by the pressure group?

People are forgiving, because of the enormous emotional stress she is undergoing, but it has not helped her, and has drawn out the extremists on social media - those with a grudge against the medical profession (for whatever reason) who are enlarging on the theme, banging on about abortion -the "state" is deliberately murdering babies and killing off old people, and denying surgery to seriously ill people... to replace them with robots and immigrants, apparently .

Not good. Reason and rationality have gone out the window. And all the while, the poor child's body is lying in a hospital bed deteriorating by the hour.

The medical staff looking after him are under such pressure now, not just from Archie's parents, but from the media and the unenlighened. It's a terrible state of affairs.

When this very sad situation reaches it’s inevitable conclusion I think the media will turn on Archie’s mother and she’ll find they are no longer on her side. I doubt if they ever were and they have made a media circus out of this little boy’s life.

As the mother of a nurse with 15 years ICU experience I feel upset at the disgraceful comments about the team who have cared for Archie round the clock since April. Some of their names have been published on a letter Archie’s mother posted on social media. Perhaps it wasn’t her intention to reveal their names but they are now in the public domain for any crank to read.