We and Our Health System

A week ago, our grandson, Jason, died on his 106th day of life. His care, before and after birth, at Kaiser's Santa Clara Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was superb. The staff was competent, compassionate, concerned and committed to Jason's care and to the care of the many other high risk babies for whom they had life and death responsibility. I had no troubling ethical concerns, no concerns about the knowledge base of physicians and nursing staff, and no concerns about the willingness of physicians and nurses to reach, make and carry out hard decisions. Technologically, the facility was well-equipped and appropriate in its use of technical resources whenever necessary. Kaiser's system showed no hesitancy to provide all appropriate care before birth to the moment Jason died in his mother's arms.

Jason's twin sister is doing well. She, we and her parents have received extraordinary community support.

Although Jason's outcome was not what we wished, our health care system and community did everything one could hope for.