A judge Wednesday directed UCLA doctors to continue for now giving an ill woman life-sustaining care rather than “comfort” steps that her son says her physicians were considering for implementation as soon as Friday, possibly leading to her death.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff stopped short of issuing a temporary restraining order against the UCLA doctors sought by David L. Carey of Chatsworth, the son of Jeanne M. Carey. The lawsuit was brought Tuesday against the UC Regents and several UCLA physicians.
After hearing testimony from David Carey, the judge continued the TRO hearing until Monday afternoon, but said the regents and UCLA are ordered in the meantime to “maintain the status quo and (Jeanne Carey’s) current level of care and not institute comfort care measures pending further order of the court.”
Beckloff’s order allows David Carey to transfer his mother to another facility if he wishes.
According to the lawsuit, should UCLA be allowed to withhold Jeanne Carey’s current medical treatment, she “will almost certainly die.”
David Carey wants time to find another medical facility, such as Barlow Respiratory Hospital, to provide his mother with life-sustaining medical needs, or a trial extubation and/or tracheostomy placement if an alternate place of care is not found, the suit states.