On Tuesday, Eugenia Costea was informed by Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas, that the hospital plans to pull the plug on her husband, Bill, against her will. Though he is awake and communicates, the hospital has decided to remove treatment and hasten Bill’s death.
The 10-Day countdown started on Tuesday and the hospital plans to take away Bill’s life-sustaining treatment on June 4.
Bill was hospitalized in mid-April in order to see a cardiac specialist due to heart complications. He is normally a very active fellow who absolutely loves traveling with his beloved wife of 33 years.
Bill is awake, communicates, nods to questions, follows some commands, and reports no pain.
The hospital committee asserts that Bill may not have more than a few weeks to live. Despite this, the hospital plans to end Bill’s life in 10 days. Instead of letting a grieving family grieve, the hospital is taking away Eugenia’s decision-making power and attempting to impose death on her husband.
“Why can’t they just let me be with my husband in peace?” Eugenia asks. The hospital’s actions are legal under the deadly 10-Day Rule, a provision of the Texas Advance Directives Act, which forces everyday Texans to race against a countdown.
The hospital committee did not argue the treatment is “medically inappropriate,” and the treatments they are planning to remove—his ventilator and blood pressure medication—do not harm him. In fact, removing the ventilator and blood pressure medication would prompt Bill to suffer multi-organ failure. Clearly, the goal is to hasten his death.
Although Bill is awake and responsive, the 10-Day Rule can still be used to provoke his death.
“I love my husband,” says Eugenia. “Together we have endured so much. I will fight for his life; I know he would do the same for me.”
Eugenia has been by her husband’s side day and night since the beginning of his hospitalization in mid-April.
Texas Right to Life is committed to protecting the Right to Life of all persons, most especially vulnerable patients such as Bill. For this reason, the Texas Right to Life Patient Advocacy team is doing everything within their power to defend Bill’s Right to Life.
People who want to help Bill and Eugenia should call Baylor Scott & White – Temple at (254) 724-2111 and ask them to stop their attack on Bill’s life.
