Prince Friso in Critical Condition Following Skiing Accident: February 17, 2012


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In the 1990s, I remember seeing a photo in a Royalty magazine of the three brothers dressed in army fatigues and all were looking so fit and musclely and handsome, especially Friso. This vital young man in the photo is the way I would like to remember him best.
 
MarNoe said:
A while back someone posted that we should all stop this speculating and, basically, drop interest in this board. It got me to thinking why we are all here. Through these forums we have all become acquainted with these various royal families, and to us they are almost like friends/family. Without any concrete news all we can do is "what if". It is the only way we can show our concern. We mean no harm - rather we are fully involved and care very much what may or may not happen. So please let us speculate - it is how we are coping with this tragic news.
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Thank you, that is what I think as well.
I feel horrible for the royal family. So horrible that I even feel guilty for putting Mabel on my worst list for royal bridal gowns.
I'm sure this same discussion is being carried on all over the Netherlands and Germany.
Perhaps there are people who think we are being heartless by discussing all the possibilities but I think that what we are trying to do is wrap our brains around it so that no matter what happens we are at least slightly prepared for it. That doesn't lessen our grief or heartbreak for this family and is not meant to be disrespectful, at least on my part.
 
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I think these boards are "our" support system and most people just need to talk things through during times of despair.
 
OMG, I am sad beyond belief and I don't "know" any of the family but because we watch, talk and speculate here and on other forums, we kind of feel like we are a part of them. I am so terrribly sad, I look at the pictures of HM and the family and can relate with what they are feeling. My brother drown when he was just 22 years old, I was 19, closest to him in age and personality. When they found my brother,they also were able to revive him after he had been in the water for 30 minutes,thankfully he passed away after about 20 minutes, so we weren't faced with the difficult desicion that the family must now ponder. My mom, God Bless her, handled it with dignity that made all of us proud of her, so I can related to the family in a way I wish I didnt have to. I will continue to say prayers for them because living in limbo is worse, thank God they seem like the kind of family that will be there for each other throughout whatever might be the outcome.:sad: God Bless Them all!!
 
Such events give rise to relevant conversations about these conundrums of modern life. BTW the situation with the Prince finally made it onto the International News but without naming him. What was said was that one of the sons of the Queen of the Netherlands was in a coma. That was all.

The situation for the family may be far more complicated as there may not be a consensus opinion within the family itself on what to do. Some might want to hold onto hope - some may be inclined to be more pragmatic, or even claim to know what Friso would want done in such circumstances. The potential for conflict here is very high - depending on how openly discussed such was talked about in the family (in my family we all know the will of each other - and we tend to be a 'pull-the-plug' kind of people - fully supported by my sister who is a nursing administrator in NYC). One can only imagine the heartache its causing on top of the tragedy itself. We know - indeed, I know from my own experience in such matters - that it can tear apart families, even the best of them.

It is why (in the US, anyway) a Living Will is deemed so essential. This situation is explored in the recent film 'The Descendants' with George Clooney. The only reason the life supports could be removed was because the wife had signed a Living Will indicating her wishes in the event of just such a situation - so that her will in the matter was a legal imperative that not even the doctor could go against. The Living Will trumped every other person's wishes - and saved the husband from being 'the bad guy'. Given the uncertainty it seems clear that the Netherlands does not have the Living Will option, or if they do, the Prince did not have one.

In this case - at least in the US - the wife would have the final authority, sans a Living Will, to decide what to do. One can assume that because the mother-in-law is a Queen, the situation will not be that clear-cut in the family.

I do not envy this family. Yet if there is no Living Will option in the Netherlands, it is perhaps an opportunity to start the legal wheels turning to implement such a law. A family faced with such a situation is saved enormous burdens of guilt and questioning if a Living Will exists.
 
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suztav said:
I think these boards are "our" support system and most people just need to talk things through during times of despair.
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A wonderful post and I agree. Thanks Suztav.
 
The procedure in the Netherlands is : when the prognosis of a coma patient (with irreversible heavy brain dammage with practically no possibilities to wake up from a coma) are that bad, doctors can stop treatment (supply with food).
I think, but I am not sure, that a patient will be placed in a nursing home where he can dy
 
I read about the comparison to Terri Schavio in the US the difference is she could breathe on her own and was being fed by a feeding tube. Even in her "persistent vegetative state" state she seemed to recognize her mother's voice and followed a balloon with her eyes. When her stroke first happened she did have therapy and was responding, though she'd never have a normal life again. Then suddenly her husband ordered the therapy stopped while at the same time it was revealed he had a girlfriend, hence the conspiracy that he did something to Terri that caused her to have a stroke. Nurses who took care of Terri couldn't even put a wet wash clothe on her hands to prevent her fingers from curling. Terri's parents and brother fought Terri's husband tooth and nail over the removal of the feeding tube. They wanted to take care of her and even understood that he moved on. In the end he got his way because he said that Terri said she didn't want to be kept alive by machines. Who knows what Terri's wishes were? She didn't have a living will and after that people getting living will went up.

I wondered if this was the case with Friso, but now it's clear. Horrible situation all around.
 
IMHO we all now know as much as we have been told officially. Prince Friso is "significantly" brain damaged. We all now know the options open to the family. Please let us allow them to make their informed decision without us adding to the external pressure of public opinion and the media's part in it.

May God give the family the strength to do what is necessary for them and us the grace to accept without comment. :flowers:
 
:previous:
Marg, I agree! Maybe it's about time to let this thread die gracefully, maybe not today but then tomorrow! I understand the need for speculating, I've done it myself at an earlier stage, I understand the need of sharing medical experience and I understand the need for a virtual candle light stand where we can articulate our fears, worries and compassion.
But- I see from several recent pages that we are beginning to go in circles!
The Dutch RF have asked for their privacy to be respected as they need to deal with the situation.
We should be among the first to grant them their peace and privacy.

Thanks to Lucien and Marengo for keeping us informed.

viv
 
genegirl99 said:
I read about the comparison to Terri Schavio in the US the difference is she could breathe on her own and was being fed by a feeding tube. Even in her "persistent vegetative state" state she seemed to recognize her mother's voice and followed a balloon with her eyes. When her stroke first happened she did have therapy and was responding, though she'd never have a normal life again. Then suddenly her husband ordered the therapy stopped while at the same time it was revealed he had a girlfriend, hence the conspiracy that he did something to Terri that caused her to have a stroke. Nurses who took care of Terri couldn't even put a wet wash clothe on her hands to prevent her fingers from curling. Terri's parents and brother fought Terri's husband tooth and nail over the removal of the feeding tube. They wanted to take care of her and even understood that he moved on. In the end he got his way because he said that Terri said she didn't want to be kept alive by machines. Who knows what Terri's wishes were? She didn't have a living will and after that people getting living will went up.

I wondered if this was the case with Friso, but now it's clear. Horrible situation all around.
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You information on Ms Schivo is, totally, false. Her husband even became a nurse, so he could care for her. She had no response to any voluntary stimulii, just invountary one, after the autospy they discover she was blind. She knew no one, responded to nothing. The picture your draw of her husband is false and slanderous and cruel.
 
What a dilema this family now face, not a situation anyone wants to be in, nevermind a family that has to deal with it publically.

It's such a hard situation, one that nobody knows how they would deal with it unless they were experiencing it. Thoughts to the Dutch Royals, as well as other non-Royal family members.

I am not very clued in on the Dutch Royals, but is it true he is not in the line of succession to the Dutch throne?
 
MARG said:
IMHO we all now know as much as we have been told officially. Prince Friso is "significantly" brain damaged. We all now know the options open to the family. Please let us allow them to make their informed decision without us adding to the external pressure of public opinion and the media's part in it.

May God give the family the strength to do what is necessary for them and us the grace to accept without comment. :flowers:
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Very well said!
 
I appreciate the spirit in which one of the posters on this thread suggested that it should be closed to further comment. However, I don't think that is really necesssary. First, the raison d'etre of forums such as this one is to provide an outlet for shared thought and communication about issues and royalty. This is a terribly unfortunate story, however, in the end it's the type of subject matter which brings royal families closer to us because it shows they share some of the very same problems as do each and every one of us.

There hasn't been anyone of us who hasn't sympathized with what the family is now dealing ... no need to block the thread. Time will tell.
 
Tragic. My thoughts and prayers with the family
 
MARG said:
IMHO we all now know as much as we have been told officially. Prince Friso is "significantly" brain damaged. We all now know the options open to the family. Please let us allow them to make their informed decision without us adding to the external pressure of public opinion and the media's part in it.

May God give the family the strength to do what is necessary for them and us the grace to accept without comment. :flowers:
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Well said, MARG. I completely agree.
 
MARG said:
IMHO we all now know as much as we have been told officially. Prince Friso is "significantly" brain damaged. We all now know the options open to the family. Please let us allow them to make their informed decision without us adding to the external pressure of public opinion and the media's part in it.

May God give the family the strength to do what is necessary for them and us the grace to accept without comment. :flowers:
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I agree with you, Marg. The family knows more than we do--they have been seeing him every day since the accident. I don't envy them having to make the decisions that they are going to have to make. It is heartbreaking to make those decisions about a loved one. May God guide them in making the decisions that they have to make and comfort them. My thoughts and prayers are with all of them.
 
I just got back from Austria myself, where I have been following the news as well as I could, and everybody was hoping for better news to come. Sadly, that was not the case. It got worse as the week progressed and it's a truly terrible situation.

I hope The Queen and Mabel will be able to make the right decision for Friso's own sake. Either way, the whole family will need a lot of support themselves. If he were to survive, the changes are enormous and difficult. If he's not to survive, I hope Mabel, the girls and the rest of the family will find comfort, love and support in eachother.

My aunt lost her son in a car accident nearly two years ago and she held her head straight up over that time. But depression has caught up with her. I hope that will spare Beatrix, but the grief over losing a child will be there nonetheless.
 
If people don't want to continue in this thread then no one is forcing them to take part. But to silence others who are a) still interested b) who are still learning from the conversations c) still have something to say about the situation, is quite uncalled for. Just because some no longer find the conversation stimulating, doesn't mean others feel the same.
 
This thread should remain open. People still wish to show their concern and share their thoughts and it would be a diservice to Friso if that could not be done. Every single posting in this thread has been of great value, interest and comfort. People have been so moved by what has happened that they wish to express their thoughts and feelings and, yes, their speculations in order to try and get to grips with the situation.
 
May God give them strength

MARG said:
IMHO we all now know as much as we have been told officially. Prince Friso is "significantly" brain damaged. We all now know the options open to the family. Please let us allow them to make their informed decision without us adding to the external pressure of public opinion and the media's part in it.

May God give the family the strength to do what is necessary for them and us the grace to accept without comment. :flowers:
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Marg: I agree with you. Let us choose to give them the privacy they need without our speculation, only our prayers. My heart is so very sad for all of
the family.
 
XeniaCasaraghi said:
If people don't want to continue in this thread then no one is forcing them to take part. But to silence others who are a) still interested b) who are still learning from the conversations c) still have something to say about the situation, is quite uncalled for. Just because some no longer find the conversation stimulating, doesn't mean others feel the same.
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I want to concur - beyond just this thread. If a poster feels the time is over to discuss something then the choice of action is to no longer frequent the thread - not to silence others. Thank you for saying.

It is a hard situation and can be very unpleasant to contemplate. Bringing up the very nasty case in the US mentioned above is unfortunate, though. I would hope the thread not get side-tracked to discussing it because in many definite ways its not relevant - though I am glad someone corrected the inaccurate 'spin'. That case is best left alone - too many 'fire' ants in the woodwork with that one.

All the best to them. They seem a solid family and will do the best, in the end. These situations are always complicated. We will never know all the factors that go into the decision making.

I do wonder at the impact on the mother. The wife will bear it because she must for her children's sake. It will be hard for the mother. Thoughts with them all.
 
Tyger said:
It is why (in the US, anyway) a Living Will is deemed so essential.
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In deed. My father had terminal cancer. While in the hospital going through treatment he filled out a living will. Out of the blue he suffered a massive heart attack at my home a few weeks later. My husband (a former paramedic) and my brother immediately starting performing CPR. When the paramedics arrived, they were bound by the law to continue to perform CPR and get my father to the hospital where he could only be pronounced dead by a doctor, despite the evidence that he was already dead..but once CPR is started it cannot be stopped except by a doctor's order. While they were loading my father into the helicopter to get to the hospital, my mother told one of the medics that my father had a living will. He immediately asked for it. Once at the hospital, the doctor determined that my father had been without oxygen for over 45 minutes and with an absence of any heartbeat, it was best to stop resuscitation.

My prayers go out to the family at this time.
 
Much has been said in this thread, prayers been offered. It's up to God and his family to decide the next step. But I sincerely hope this incident serve as a wake-up call to those who love to try out dangerous stunt in their life especially when they are holidaying. Human always have this mentality that such things will not happen to me so they went ahead with their heart desire, in this case, ski off piste. Think of your love ones, family and children before proceeding. Do not turn a happy holiday into a lifetime regretting episode.
 
Hey Everyone....

I've had to come to Toronto a little bit early for a Dr's appt and didn't have online access until today when I got my first laptop. I just wish my first posting here on the new computer wasn't such a sad one.

I learned the news about Prince Friso while watching something on BBC World News yesterday was just literally gutted. My very first thoughts went right away to Mabel and those two precious little girls of theirs and to HM and the rest of the Family.

I can't and don't want to imagine the very, very, difficult decisions they need to discuss and then make over the next few days. I pray they're given the strength and compassion they need to be able to do so.

Most importantly...I pray they have the privacy needed to do so. This is the worst of the worst outcomes out of the various outcomes we were hoping for. We don't need to know anything more until the RF is ready to tell us. They deserve that privacy. It's nothing less than we ourselves would demand.

My thoughts and prayers to Princess Mabel, the little Countesses, HM the Queen, the DRF and the Dutch People. :eek:(
 
Hello. I am primarliy a Danish Royal Family follower, given CP Mary's heritage. Howver I have followed with sadness the events in Lech this past week. Not a lot has been mentioned in Australian media to date but today the story leads one of the big media outlets online sites. I thought you may be interested:

Prince starved of oxygen for 20 minutes in avalanche

Thank you to Lucien and all others who have given insights. Prince Friso and family in my thoughts.
 
Viv said:
:previous:
Marg, I agree! Maybe it's about time to let this thread die gracefully, maybe not today but then tomorrow! I understand the need for speculating, I've done it myself at an earlier stage, I understand the need of sharing medical experience and I understand the need for a virtual candle light stand where we can articulate our fears, worries and compassion.
But- I see from several recent pages that we are beginning to go in circles!
The Dutch RF have asked for their privacy to be respected as they need to deal with the situation.
We should be among the first to grant them their peace and privacy.

Thanks to Lucien and Marengo for keeping us informed.

viv
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With all due respect, I fail to see how discussing this tragedy is infringing on the RF's peace or privacy. The accident happened only a week ago. The announcement of the severe brain damage was annouced only yesterday. There is a need amongst those that come here to have a community where we can share, discus and to seek information and understanding of the facts as they are. That is the purpose of this forum. We come here to search for information, discuss and debate all things Royal. Even when they involve tragedies.

For those that are tired of the subject or feel that there is nothing to be gained by discussing it, there are numerous subjects on this board that may have more appeal for you. For those of us who feel the need to discuss it, then we should be allowed to without criticism or censorship.
 
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