Two years ago today, the 10-Day Rule took away this Beaumont woman’s life-sustaining treatment against her and her family’s will.
Carolyn Jones (61) was CONSCIOUS, but after the 10-day countdown, her husband, Donald, watched powerlessly as his wife was removed from the ventilator.
The family begged, “Please don’t do this,” between heartbreaking sobs, as hospital staff turned the switches.
The Texas 10-Day Rule allows a hospital ethics committee to withdraw basic life-sustaining care, like a ventilator or dialysis, from a patient against her expressed will, against her advance directive, or against her family member’s instructions. Ten days after informing the patient or family of the decision of the hospital committee, the hospital can remove life-sustaining care from a patient. Committees can withdraw care for any reason (even non-medical reasons). Even if the patient is conscious, coherent, and actively requests to stay alive, the 10-Day Rule allows the hospital to overrule the patient’s will.
A dozen family members and invited guests, including patient advocates from Texas Right to Life, gathered at Carolyn’s bedside on May 13, 2019, to say their goodbyes.
Then… something UNBELIEVABLE happened…
Carolyn DIDN’T DIE!
She continued to breathe on her own even without the ventilator!
Donald had HOPE!
But Carolyn needed her regularly-scheduled dialysis, and the law took that from her too.
So, Donald and Texas Right to Life planned an emergency escape.
Together, we discharged Carolyn from the first hospital and raced her in a private ambulance to a different hospital to secure her desperately-needed dialysis.
Against all odds, Donald rescued his wife from a death sentence under the 10-Day Rule on May 16, 2019.
Donald and Carolyn’s story ends in triumph, and Carolyn passed away naturally on God’s time. But this is not the case for many.
Will you contact your state senator right now to protect patients like Carolyn?
The anti-Life 10-Day Rule is still state law and continues to threaten the lives of ALL Texans. Now is our chance to finally repeal the 10-Day Rule!
Donald pleaded with the Texas Senate during his plight:
“This law has to be changed. How can I care for my wife when I’m forced into this 10-day situation? This could actually happen to anyone.”
The Respecting Texas Patients’ Right to Life Act (Senate Bill 917) will protect Texas patients from imposed death after a 10-day countdown.
But the powerful medical lobby is working overtime to deceive your senators and kill this bill that would protect patients.
We are closer than ever to finally protecting patients and repealing this unjust law – thanks to you. But we only have two weeks to accomplish this HUGE goal.
Thank you for heroically standing up for our most vulnerable Texans!