North Country Gazette

Jesse Ramirez: Living Proof of PVS Misdiagnosis

Posted on Tuesday, 23 of October , 2007 at 10:13 pm

MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ—-Had a judge let the wishes of a heavily conflicted wife be carried forth, Jesse Ramirez would be dead.

Although doctors had given his family little hope he would recover after he suffered serious injuries in an automobile accident on May 30, saying he was in a persistent vegetative state, and his wife ordered the removal of his feeding tube, Jesse walked out of the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix Friday after five months of recuperation.

Jesse and Rebecca Ramirez of Chandler, Arizona, met when as high school students and married in 1988 after Rebecca became pregnant with the first of their three children.  At 36, Jesse worked for the U.S. Postal Service while Rebecca, 33, is a correctional officer for the Arizona Department of Corrections.

On May 30, as the couple was traveling in their SUV, they were arguing over a man’s phone number that Jesse had discovered in his wife’s cell phone and suddenly, the SUV began fishtailing, according to a witness, rolled over and crashed, ejecting both Jesse and Rebecca.  Police say that she told them she was in fear of her life before the accident and had unhooked her seat belt, preparing to jump from the moving vehicle. According to Jesse’s family, based on statements made by Rebecca, she had grabbed the steering wheel and Jesse lost control of the vehicle.

Jesse sustained serious injuries—a broken neck and major head trauma. She incurred no life-threatening injuries.  Ten days after the May 30 accident, a doctor told Jesse’s family that if he lived, he would probably be blind and would remain in a persistent vegetative state.

Upon hearing the prognosis, but without any living will or advance directive, his wife ordered the doctors to immediately transfer her husband to a hospice and remove his feeding tube, sentencing him to the same death by dehydration as suffered by Terri Schiavo when her estranged husband fought her parents to end her life and obtained a court order to withdraw her feeding tube.  Jesse went six days without food and water.

Terri died on March 31, 2005, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed, after her husband had denied her all forms of therapy and rehabilitation for nearly 12 years.

Jesse’s family said it was too soon to make that kind of decision for Jesse and they went to court, filing a motion, asking a judge to keep Jesse alive, appoint an independent doctor to evaluate his medical condition and to appoint his parents to be in charge of his health care.  They said that Jesse is responsive to them and his vital signs improved when they are present with him, just like Terri’s parents and siblings said that Terri responded to them.

Maricopa County court judge Paul Katz ordered that Jesse’s feeding tube not be removed and appointed a guardian ad litem for Jesse, an attorney to represent his interests and ordered that Jesse continue to receive sustenance and hydration by a feeding tube.

Contrary to the death order issued by Pinellas County Judge George Greer to insure the death of Terri Schiavo, Judge Katz intervened to save the life of Jesse due to the heavily conflicted spouse.

Following an evidentiary hearing in June, attorneys representing Rebecca, his parents and his siblings met in judicial chambers and agreed that Jesse should be transferred to a rehabilitation facility. 

He was appointed an independent guardian and had an independent medical exam performed at the Barrow Neurological Institute.  His medical records were sealed.  The judge ordered that communication between Jesse’s wife and his family be done through legal counsel and said that  “Jesse needs his family together, not divided”.  

After nearly a month in a coma following an automobile accident, Jesse regained consciousness and was transferred to a rehabilitation facility.  He was conscious, shaking his head and answering yes and no questions.

Jesse’s wife gave up on him and perhaps wanted him dead, but his parents didn’t and battled to save his life.  Were it not for the love and support of his family, Jesse Ramirez wouldn’t be alive today, continuing on the road to recovery.   

Where’s there’s life, there’s hope.  Jesse Ramirez is the living proof. 10-23-07