Here in Virginia, we have had a real brouhaha of a case.  A 16 year old boy who has cancer, who has undergone Chemo already, does not want to do it again.  His parents support him.  He has tried alternative and experimental treatments in Mexico, and thinks they are helping him more.

But a lower court judge thought not!  And (this one is for the Gideon), ordered Joint custody with the Department of Social Services!  Why?  Because his parents did not force him to take more Chemo! Grrrrr!

Fortunately, Circuit Court Judge Glen A. Taylor had more sense than my fellow workers and the lower court judge put together.  And he ordered a new court date.

OK, as the father of 4, 3 of them over 16, I will state that for the record, in some respects (and chemo being one of them - especially when the parents concur!) 16 is an age of consent!  It is his life.  Having and actually facing death, he knows the score more than I do.  More than most of us do.

I remember the Patrick Swayze episode of MASH.  Where hawkeye is trying to get Patrick to go to Tokyo for tests and new treatments.  And Patrick's character said "Ologies?  What?  They are going to have a cure when I am dead?  I can help my friend now!".

Same thing with Starchild.  The doctors are doing voodoo.  It may be better than the treatment in Mexico.  It may not as it does not seem to work all the time. But at 16, as much as we love them, we should give them a say in how to spend the rest of their life.  Not complete, but if we agree with them, that should be enough.  Even for CPS and their leeches!

Finally, some sanity.  But note it was not in the JDC.  Don't ever expect it at that level.