Today I met Dr. Paul Byrne.
Who is Dr.Paul Byrne is he you ask?
Dr. Paul A. Byrne is a Board Certified Neonatologist and Pediatrician. He is the Founder of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in St. Louis, MO. He is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at University of Toledo, College of Medicine. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.
Dr. Byrne is past-President of the Catholic Medical Association (USA), formerly Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO and Creighton University in Omaha, NE. He was Professor of Pediatrics and Chairman of the Pediatric Department at Oral Roberts University School of Medicine and Chairman of the Ethics Committee of the City of Faith Medical and Research Center in Tulsa, OK. He is author and producer of the film “Continuum of Life” and author of the books “Life, Life Support and Death,” “Beyond Brain Death,” and “Is ‘Brain Death’ True Death?”
When Jamie was in the trauma unit at Vanderbilt,and was declared “brain dead”,I had to quickly do research on brain death. I ran across two things on my internet search, the story of Zak Dunlap who woke up right before his organs were taken and an article by Dr.Byrne on brain death. It was not a lot to go on…but enough information that we knew we would not allow Jamie’s organs to be harvested.
After my son died,I began to research in earnest the clinical diagnosis of brain death. How could this possibly have been accepted in our society and world wide?
In November I contacted Dr.Byrne as he lives in Toledo and is not that far from Ann Arbor. I told him I was writing a book and would like to meet him. We met today and are meeting again on Wednesday.
Dr. Byrne has presented testimony on “life issues” to nine state legislatures beginning in 1967. He opposed Dr. Kevorkian on the television program “Cross-Fire.” He has been interviewed on Good Morning America, public television in Japan and participated in the British Broadcasting Corporation Documentary “Are the Donors Really Dead?” Dr. Byrne has authored articles against euthanasia, abortion, and “brain death” in medical journals, law literature and lay press.
Dr. Byrne has agreed to review my book and today took with him my manuscript for medical clarity. As I said on my About page, I am not a doctor and don’t play one on TV, I am a mom who through a tragic situation with my son was thrust into learning the deception of brain death.
Missy, you are doing a great work, informing us about brain death and organ donation. Thank you, it cannot be easy for you. I appreciate all that you are doing.
Thanks Mildred!
I congratulate you heartily on looking up brain death when your son was ill. 99.99% of people trust the doctor and complain about the donation lie afterwards even though they could have done what you did (but for their vanity and wanting to impress the doctor). The fact that your son died with his organs to help him die is the best thing ever, short of having him survive of course. Did your son have the benefit of pain relievers for his rising ICP? I only know of 3 mothers now who actually said no to donation when approached. We are in a different league to those who say yes to donation and then feel guilty afterwards.
Dear Missy, I was unaware, until now, that you felt this way about organ donation. My entire family has this on our driver’s licenses. Yes to organ donation. This post certainly puts it in a different light. What a terrible decision to be asked to make about a child.
Susan if your children are 18 and over, the decision is already made, they don’t care what you think or say, it is a legally binding contract. They show you your child is registered…end of discussion.Same if married.
It’s a frightening thought. When my 16 year old was filling out his permit application he checked yes. I said no. He said, Mom, I feel strongly about it, and I let it go.
Unfortunately they don’t understand they are still alive,if they were pronounced dead on the side of the road their organs would not be used. You must have vital (live) organs to be used. My son Andrew had signed up too. But now is not; however it doesn’t go off the data base unless you get a certified letter or carry a card revoking it.