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kidzpca · 03-23-2005, 07:23 PM

Family facing dilemma like Terri Schiavo's makes an agonizing decision
Wednesday, March 23, 2005

"Little Jerry" has come home for the last time.

Bedridden and virtually unresponsive for half of his 20 years, Gerold Marcinkowski III is fighting the latest in a series of infections that has put him at the edge of death several times since an automobile accident when he was 4.

That accident, which caused a closed head injury, set off a series of events that led to a slow decline and multiple hospitalizations, including the latest hospitalization earlier this month. Jerry was brought home about a week ago.

While the Oshtemo Township resident remains connected to a feeding tube, oxygen and a morphine pump, his parents, Gerold and Lori Marcinkowski, now have accepted the advice from medical professionals -- and their own consciences -- not to use any more extreme measures to prolong their son's life.

They said they will no longer use antibiotics that have helped him through previous infections and will not resuscitate him if his situation worsens.

"We are at the point where we have decided to stop being selfish and let him go," Lori Marcinkowski said Tuesday morning. "It is a very, very hard decision.

"As parents, we never want to see a child go first. But when we knew that it was time to make a final decision, we asked family and friends and they all agreed," she said.

"Does he have any quality of life? No, he doesn't. Is it more humane to keep pumping in the antibiotics or to let him go? Let him go," she said.

"We love him," Gerold Marcinkowski said.

The Marcinkowskis say they decided to talk about their decision after watching the news about Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman who has been in a persistent vegetative state longer than their son.

"We are hoping that if we tell our story, maybe they could read about it or that we can help other people in a similar situation," Lori Marcinkowski said.

"I can understand how Terri's parents feel. No parent wants to bury a child. But I can also understand how her husband feels. ... He sees the suffering and the pain that she feels."

As the Marcinkowskis talk, Jerry's eyes are open and move side to side or upward, never focusing. A machine records his heart rate at nearly 150 beats a minute. There is no movement other than his eyes and chest as he breathes.

Born deaf on June 7, 1984, Little Jerry, as his family calls him, was learning to sign and communicate just before the accident caused the closed-head injury that prompted a four-hour brain surgery, seizures and a year of intensive rehabilitation.

Lori Marcinkowski said that her son slowly regained some function and was attending Croyden Avenue School for children who need special education when he got sick and lost all the gains he had made.

Once again, Jerry underwent rehabilitation and made gains until he got severe pneumonia at about age 9, she said.

His life since then has been a tale of paralysis, hospitalizations, antibiotics to fight infections and an almost complete lack of responsiveness.

"We don't know if he knows us as his parents," Gerold Marcinkowski said. "We sense that he knows us as a constant in his life. We're the ones who bathe him, change his diaper, clip his nails."

Neither parent is able to work because it takes both of them to provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Jerry's medical bills are paid primarily by Medicaid and Michigan Children's Special Health Care Services, formerly called Crippled Children.

The Marcinkowskis' share is about $5,000 a year, Gerold Marcinkowski said.

"We never saw Jerry as a burden on us," Lori Marcinkowski said. "We saw it more as a burden on his sisters. We couldn't do family things, and both of us couldn't attend school events at the same time."

Little Jerry's siblings are Elise, 22, Mary, 21, and Julie, 20.

"He has not been a burden to us at all," said Mary Marcinkowski, who lives at home and attends school. "The burden has been his."

The Marcinkowskis say they have taken that final step to ease that burden.

"We've pulled our hair out over this," Gerold Marcinkowski said. "But we can't see him suffer anymore. We pray and hope he goes in his sleep."

03-23-2005, 07:23 PM	#264 (permalink)
kidzpca Online Idiot Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 11,459 iTrader: (1) Thanks: 740 Thanked 285 Times in 134 Posts	Re: Appeals court: Terri Schiavo parents cannot intervene Family facing dilemma like Terri Schiavo's makes an agonizing decision Wednesday, March 23, 2005 "Little Jerry" has come home for the last time. Bedridden and virtually unresponsive for half of his 20 years, Gerold Marcinkowski III is fighting the latest in a series of infections that has put him at the edge of death several times since an automobile accident when he was 4. That accident, which caused a closed head injury, set off a series of events that led to a slow decline and multiple hospitalizations, including the latest hospitalization earlier this month. Jerry was brought home about a week ago. While the Oshtemo Township resident remains connected to a feeding tube, oxygen and a morphine pump, his parents, Gerold and Lori Marcinkowski, now have accepted the advice from medical professionals -- and their own consciences -- not to use any more extreme measures to prolong their son's life. They said they will no longer use antibiotics that have helped him through previous infections and will not resuscitate him if his situation worsens. "We are at the point where we have decided to stop being selfish and let him go," Lori Marcinkowski said Tuesday morning. "It is a very, very hard decision. "As parents, we never want to see a child go first. But when we knew that it was time to make a final decision, we asked family and friends and they all agreed," she said. "Does he have any quality of life? No, he doesn't. Is it more humane to keep pumping in the antibiotics or to let him go? Let him go," she said. "We love him," Gerold Marcinkowski said. The Marcinkowskis say they decided to talk about their decision after watching the news about Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman who has been in a persistent vegetative state longer than their son. "We are hoping that if we tell our story, maybe they could read about it or that we can help other people in a similar situation," Lori Marcinkowski said. "I can understand how Terri's parents feel. No parent wants to bury a child. But I can also understand how her husband feels. ... He sees the suffering and the pain that she feels." As the Marcinkowskis talk, Jerry's eyes are open and move side to side or upward, never focusing. A machine records his heart rate at nearly 150 beats a minute. There is no movement other than his eyes and chest as he breathes. Born deaf on June 7, 1984, Little Jerry, as his family calls him, was learning to sign and communicate just before the accident caused the closed-head injury that prompted a four-hour brain surgery, seizures and a year of intensive rehabilitation. Lori Marcinkowski said that her son slowly regained some function and was attending Croyden Avenue School for children who need special education when he got sick and lost all the gains he had made. Once again, Jerry underwent rehabilitation and made gains until he got severe pneumonia at about age 9, she said. His life since then has been a tale of paralysis, hospitalizations, antibiotics to fight infections and an almost complete lack of responsiveness. "We don't know if he knows us as his parents," Gerold Marcinkowski said. "We sense that he knows us as a constant in his life. We're the ones who bathe him, change his diaper, clip his nails." Neither parent is able to work because it takes both of them to provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Jerry's medical bills are paid primarily by Medicaid and Michigan Children's Special Health Care Services, formerly called Crippled Children. The Marcinkowskis' share is about $5,000 a year, Gerold Marcinkowski said. "We never saw Jerry as a burden on us," Lori Marcinkowski said. "We saw it more as a burden on his sisters. We couldn't do family things, and both of us couldn't attend school events at the same time." Little Jerry's siblings are Elise, 22, Mary, 21, and Julie, 20. "He has not been a burden to us at all," said Mary Marcinkowski, who lives at home and attends school. "The burden has been his." The Marcinkowskis say they have taken that final step to ease that burden. "We've pulled our hair out over this," Gerold Marcinkowski said. "But we can't see him suffer anymore. We pray and hope he goes in his sleep." __________________ Father of Kyle, Elizabeth, Tiffany & Andrew. Proud Parent of a Cancer Survivor!