Turning off the life support machine healed this little boy so much that he went home with his parents!
Here is a miraculous story of a four-year-old from the UK, who defied the odds and survived the turning off of life support systems.
To protect the child’s identity, he has been referred to as NR by the UK High Court. NR was born with severe brain abnormalities, which led to a continuous decline in his health, according to the BBC.
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In January 2024, the UK High Court ruled to take him off life support machines, as his doctors believed that the artificial ventilation was not helping and his condition would not improve.
However, in an unexpected turn of events, not only did NR survive after being taken off life support machines, but months later, he is now living at home with his parents.
Although NR still faces many medical issues, the judge, Justice Poole, said it was a “delight” to see the “remarkable young boy” who had “confounded expectations” of his doctors.
Judge Poole said: “I do not wish to minimise the emotional turmoil suffered by Mr and Mrs R and the continuing burdens that NR suffers because of his conditions, but it seems to me to be a wonderful surprise that NR has confounded expectations, that he no longer requires continuing invasive interventions and, in particular, that he has been able to return home to the loving care of his devoted parents.”
He had initially stated that the only possible pleasure in NR’s life was the healing touch of his parents.
Judge Poole clarified his previous ruling, “A decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment is not a decision to bring about the death of a patient, but a decision that the continuation of the treatment is not in their best interests.”
Now that NR can breathe for himself, go outside to the park, “feel the sun on his face and wind in his hair,” and no longer uses a urinary catheter, the previous ruling has been overturned.
He will now undergo treatment as a normal boy, irrespective of his previous symptoms, even if the complications were to return. His mom argued by saying that NR “deserves” a second chance at treatment since he has been fighting his condition for a long time.
The case of NR is “very unusual” and “raises challenging questions” for similar cases in the future.
Turning off a life support machine for a patient, be it an adult or a child, is a highly sensitive issue that raises moral questions for caregivers, doctors, and the entire medical system.
The remarkable case of NR proves that life and death cannot be predicted, and there may be an element of surprise in such scenarios.
