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

[Viv]

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

[COUNTESS]

Originally Posted by genegirl99

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.

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.

[Molly2101]

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?

[principessa]

Originally Posted by MARG

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.

Very well said!

[suztav]

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.

[Lenora]

Prince Friso, a ski accident and the terrible trauma facing the Dutch royal family - Telegraph

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by Lenora

Prince Friso, a ski accident and the terrible trauma facing the Dutch royal family - Telegraph

It sounds as if he were to be moved to the UK it could be 6 months to 1 year before a determination could be made to withdraw life support. What an awful situation for the family to be left in.

[episcogal]

Tragic. My thoughts and prayers with the family

[Naggi]

Originally Posted by MARG

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.

Well said, MARG. I completely agree.

[katherine2001]

Originally Posted by MARG

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.

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.

[Empress Merel]

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.

[XeniaCasaraghi]

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.

[Jacknch]

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.

[MissByrd]

Originally Posted by MARG

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.

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.

[Tyger]

Originally Posted by XeniaCasaraghi

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.

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.

[Nikki63]

Originally Posted by Tyger

It is why (in the US, anyway) a Living Will is deemed so essential.

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.

[tlklhm]

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.

[Tiggersk8]

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. :o(

[Lady Rosie]

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.

[texankitcat]

Originally Posted by Viv

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

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.