>When I talked to my grandson's pediatrician about
>refusing to do the blood sugar (he had NO risk factors) she said that it was
>too risky in today's litigious environment not to follow policy.

Hmmmm . . . . and where in this hospital's policy does it say that the
parents do NOT have the right to decide what happens to their baby after
delivery???  Is this well advertised and announced during tours of the
labor/delivery?

Where Alex was born, the hospital has a "policy" of mandatory 2-4 hour
separation of mother and baby after birth.  I simply refused.  They have a
"policy" of bathing the baby right after birth (vigorously, under running
water, with a scrub brush).  I refused.  They have a "policy" of all babies
being in the nursery for pediatric rounds every morning.  I refused.  They
have a "policy" of no children under 13 allowed to spend the night in the
mom's room without another adult present.  I got verbal permission ahead of
time from the main nurse for my 11 year old daughter to spend the night with
me, while my husband went home with the 6 year old.  They tried to tell me
she couldn't stay (main nurse wasn't on duty that night).  I told them to go
fly a kite.

I think patients are much too compliant with what I consider "advice" from
medical personnel.

Someone sent me a private email about my decision not to do my last two
chemo treatments, asking me if it was "legal" to refuse chemo.  I think they
said it in jest, but I also think this is how many people view medical
advice -- like you MUST take the doctor's advice.  You don't have to!!!!
Even in cases where to refuse treatment results in you dying, or your child
dying, you have the right (in the US) to refuse medical treatment/advice.
Occasionally the courts get involved and take custody of the child away from
the parents, but this is extremely rare and usually only for very
complicated and involved situations -- certainly not because the parents of
a newborn say "No thanks" to a blood sugar check.

Kathy Dettwyler

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