Wikipedia describes Trisomy 18 this way:
Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards Syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of a third copy of all, or part of chromosome 18. Many parts of the body are affected. Babies are often small and have heart defects. Other features include small head, small jaw, clenched fists with overlapping fingers, and severe intellectual disability.
Kate Cox, a 31 year old mother of two recently found out her fetus has the disease, which in this case includes a spinal abnormality. In the 21 weeks she has been pregnant she has made four different trips to emergency rooms with severe cramping and fluid loss. Doctors have told her chances of the baby surviving the pregnancy are slim. In addition, if her condition goes sideways even more than it already has there is a significant possibility she will die during the delivery. They've also told her if she does survive the odds are she will be infertile the rest of her life.
Tragically, Kate Cox has another health problem. She lives in Texas.
Thanks to Texas law, which in effect bans all abortions, Ms. Cox went into court last week to plead for an exception because her physician has said her life could be in danger if she doesn't terminate her pregnancy. Such a petition is allowed under the law. The judge, took a look at her circumstances and ruled in Cox's favor. The ruling was personal. It had nothing to do with any other woman from Galveston to Amarillo and El Paso to Tyler.
As narrow as the ruling was, though, it was too much for Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton.
Paxton is one wild and crazy guy. He is such a Trump worshipper that after the 2020 election, he led the charge to throw out legitimate election results, not in Texas, but in places like Pennsylvania. The Don thought so much of him, Paxton helped rev up the crowd in Washinton the day of the violent coup attempt.
On Thursday, Paxton asked the Texas Supreme Court to delay the exception and put any medical care for Kate Cox on hold while he tried to come up with an excuse to endanger her life further. At the same time the AG wrote letters to three Houston area hospitals where Cox's doctor has privileges, threatening all manner of legal actions if they allowed Cox to receive an abortion on their premises. Being very Trumpian indeed, he also issued a statement saying he'd prosecute any Texas Doctor who performed--you know--what had become a legal act thanks to a judge. For good measure he accused the jurist who had issued the ruling of being, "a social activist."
Late Friday night--these sort of things always seem to happen when no one is looking--the Texas Supremes ruled in Paxton's favor.
It is unclear where any of these dirty old men, Paxton included, got their medical degrees. However they all seem convinced they are far more knowledgeable in the field of obstetrics and gynecology than anyone currently billing Kate Cox for care and treatment. Perhaps we are witnessing another example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Or, maybe they're just a bunch of sadistic ass holes.
The highest court in Texas didn't t rule Kate Cox definitely can't get an abortion there, at least not yet. But as one analyst said the clock is ticking. Each day of delay brings her closer to a medical emergency that puts her life at risk. And all because the ultra right wing wants to control every aspect of a woman's health and behavior from birth to the grave. It is the ultimate fascism.
And it is who they are.
12-10-23
No comments:
Post a Comment