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

[Al_bina]

Originally Posted by Jacknch

I do not recall seeing Queen Beatrix so upset since the funeral of Prince Claus. Her burden is immense, because not only does she have her own sorrow to deal with, she is a mother to her two other sons, mothin-in-law to dear Mabel and grandmother to the little girls. It is a comfort to know that the royal family are so close and will be source of support and strength to eachother. ...[snipped]
My hopes and prayers continue for Friso and all his family.

You are quite right. Her Majesty Queen Beatrix's burden is twice heavy. Seeing her child in this condition and knowing that she can do absolutely nothing about it is hard.

[MissJanet]

Originally Posted by Naggi

I find the direction that this discussion is turning here very strange. We know what we know from todays press conference - everything else is pure speculation. And the doctor clearly said the family is looking for a rehabiliation center for the prince. I read from this statement that the family has hope for the Prince. Maybe the doctors gave them - though very little - hope, but still there is hope. This is what should count now. All further discussion is meaningless.

I think that they are looking for a rehabilitation center because he cannot stay in the hospital. Friso must be moved and mobilized to prevent decubitus and respiratory problems. Maybe her wakes up at one point, but considering what the doctor said...

The doctor was quite clear about his chances: “Due to the length of time he was covered under the snow, his brain was deprived of oxygen,” he said. “This led to cardiac arrest, which lasted about 50 minutes. The patient had to be reanimated during this entire period. Fifty minutes of reanimation is a very long time, one could say, too long.”

He wouldn't say something like that if there is still hope.

[KittyAtlanta]

Originally Posted by Naggi

I find the direction that this discussion is turning here very strange. We know what we know from todays press conference - everything else is pure speculation. And the doctor clearly said the family is looking for a rehabiliation center for the prince. I read from this statement that the family has hope for the Prince. Maybe the doctors gave them - though very little - hope, but still there is hope. This is what should count now. All further discussion is meaningless.

We have to respect the whish of the family to be let alone in these dark times. Starting speculations on decisions of live and death is - as I see it - very disrespectful towards the feelings of this family who has now lots of decisions to make.

I don't find the direction strange at all. Sure, we know what the doctors say. There are a number of excellent rehab centers in Europe, particularly Switzerland. Friso should be given every chance for more time for ongoing diagnosis.

We have gone off in all directions because we are at a standstill. We want magic for Friso and Mabel and his entire family. Don't turn off the machines too soon.

[hyland]

I am so sad to hear the latest update. I was hoping for a miracle. My thoughts are with Queen Beatrix and her family.

[Naggi]

Originally Posted by MissJanet

I think that they are looking for a rehabilitation center because he cannot stay in the hospital. Friso must be moved and mobilized to prevent decubitus and respiratory problems. Maybe her wakes up at one point, but considering what the doctor said...

The doctor was quite clear about his chances: “Due to the length of time he was covered under the snow, his brain was deprived of oxygen,” he said. “This led to cardiac arrest, which lasted about 50 minutes. The patient had to be reanimated during this entire period. Fifty minutes of reanimation is a very long time, one could say, too long.”

He wouldn't say something like that if there is still hope.

Yes, I understand that his situation is more than sad, but however what I wanted to stress out is that we should not discuss matters that obviously the family is not considering at the moment. When they are looking for a rehabilition centre they are doing this because they want him to live. This is what I was trying to say. So why the discussion here whether they or the doctors should turn any machines off when we even do not know whether or not he is on machines? I think this discussion is very hurtful and disrespectful towards the family and also towards Prince Friso himself. We should all hope for the best and give the family the room to think of furhter steps.

[asma]

Horrible news.My heart and soul with the royal family.It's the most difficult decision to be taken is switching off equipments of the beloved one"husband,son or brother".If the prince isn't to come back to himself,please,Let him rest in peace and let his family live in peace.the situation of not alive and not dead is a night mere for the family>

[IloveCP]

How sad.I hope the family will gain strength from this.

[carlota]

this is really sad news.
however, it's not all lost and there may be chance for rehab. at least friso is lucky to belong to the family he belongs.
this made me feel of all the families with similar problems, but with no resources (both economic and time resources), who feel the same pain but have much less help, resources. yes, it is a sad situation, but they are at least lucky to have all the resources possible, which some other patients don't.
i feel for beatrix, who is old and the most fragile, and for mabel and her daughters.

[nascarlucy]

I was very sadden to hear the news. The family will have difficult decisions to make regarding his care in the coming days.

[kalnel]

Originally Posted by MissJanet

The doctor was quite clear about his chances: “Due to the length of time he was covered under the snow, his brain was deprived of oxygen,” he said. “This led to cardiac arrest, which lasted about 50 minutes. The patient had to be reanimated during this entire period. Fifty minutes of reanimation is a very long time, one could say, too long.”

I thought that was one of the most shocking statements he made -- it sounded almost like he was criticizing the efforts of the team that kept trying to resuscitate Prince Friso. Very unusual to hear doctors speak critically (at least in front of patients) about care.

Originally Posted by KittyAtlanta

We have gone off in all directions because we are at a standstill. We want magic for Friso and Mabel and his entire family. Don't turn off the machines too soon.

That's right. Give a young, strong, healthy man every chance for a miracle. There's plenty of time to decide he's done. And, sadly, anyone in such a state would have many medical issues that could change things even without a decision.

[katherine2001]

My thoughts and prayers are with Mabel, their girls, and the whole family. My heart is breaking for them all. I just pray that the Lord gives them all the strength they need to get through this. My thoughts and prayers are with Prince Friso as well and that the Lord will heal Him.

[Sister Morphine]

Originally Posted by Naggi

Yes, I understand that his situation is more than sad, but however what I wanted to stress out is that we should not discuss matters that obviously the family is not considering at the moment. When they are looking for a rehabilition centre they are doing this because they want him to live. This is what I was trying to say. So why the discussion here whether they or the doctors should turn any machines off when we even do not know whether or not he is on machines? I think this discussion is very hurtful and disrespectful towards the family and also towards Prince Friso himself. We should all hope for the best and give the family the room to think of furhter steps.

No one here wants him to die or is hoping for the worst. We're not monsters. What we're doing is discussing all possible outcomes, removing him from life support being one of them. Several of us here have already said we've been in similar situations to what Friso's family is in right now, and have had to make painful choices. All we're doing is saying we understand what they're going through and what the road in front of them is like.

Also, just because they're talking about moving him to a rehab facility doesn't mean there's necessarily hope for survival. Of course they want him to live, everyone wants a loved one who is in this position to live. That doesn't mean though, that he will live. You can't go through life only ever seeing one option when you come to a fork in the road. You have to know, understand, and accept that there might be decisions to make that are difficult and uncomfortable.

This is all valid discussion, but if you don't wish to participate then you don't have to. Don't tell the rest of us we can't.

[Mirabel]

Originally Posted by kalnel

I thought that was one of the most shocking statements he made -- it sounded almost like he was criticizing the efforts of the team that kept trying to resuscitate Prince Friso. Very unusual to hear doctors speak critically (at least in front of patients) about care.

I was wondering about that: is it usual in such cases to resustitate?

Or did the team do so only because he was royalty?
In many cases there's an unspoken Do not resusitate order, because they already know the odds of someone surviving without brain damage after being deprived of oxygen for so long. Perhaps being a VIP worked against Friso.??

[Mermaid1962]

It is up to Princess Mabel to decide what will give her and the family the most peace. It is her heart-wrenching decision to make. I suspect that the prince is already "at peace" given that most likely doesn't have any awareness of what is happening.

Originally Posted by Muhler

Then let him find peace, and let his family find peace.

[Mermaid1962]

I agree. I pray that a "decision" will not be necessary.

Originally Posted by olebabs

I hope, if this is the alternative, that God calls him home soon.

[Mermaid1962]

I don't think that he's "brain dead". If that were the case, they probably would have turned off life-support when no brain activity was detected. But if there's any functioning at all, that's a different matter.

Originally Posted by Kataryn

But can she stomach being the wife/widow of a living but brain dead husband?

[Beate28]

I have followed the news about Friso with absolute disbelief over the last week and today's news fills me with great sadness..I had hoped for the best and now my heart and prayers go out to his mother, Queen Beatrix and his wife and daughters.. What a tragedy! if we could only turn back time.....

[Meraude]

Originally Posted by leene

Some forum members are speaking of turning of life support. I wonder if he is on life-support. I don't think so... he might just be breathing on his own.

As it wasn't safe to do an MRI until yesterday is an indication that he haven't been able to breath without help until then and we don't know for how long periods of time he can be without ventilation, it may have been just for the time it takes to make the MRI examination.

[COUNTESS]

Hospitals no longer allow, even royalty, the luxury of staying, unless they can give medical care. Friso is past that. The family will have to decide, in their time, how they will proceed. It is very sad, it is heart rending. Princess Mabel will have to make some very difficult decisions. The only good thing is that she has his, obviously, loving family to help.

[tihkon2]

So terribly sad for the family and Friso.