Laura died on the wrong side of Kennedy's Politics

 I raised my family on Cape Cod near the medical Mecca of the world (Boston) with a false sense of security. Surely all our medical needs would be taken care of with the latest of technologies and the best of the best of doctors. Never in my worst nightmare could I have imagined my daughter would die at the hands of a Harvard Fellow practicing worse than 3rd world medicine.

My daughter, Laura Hope Smith, died in a doctor's office in Hyannis, MA on September 13th, 2007 just blocks from the well known Kennedy Compound.  Laura died from the same drug, Propofol, that killed Michael Jackson, and for the same reasons: carelessness, criminal negligence and recklessness. 

A few months after my daughter’s death, I knew I had to contact Senator Kennedy, the head of the US Senate Health Committee and champion of health care. Surely he would want to know what was happening in his own back yard in Hyannis. I had visions of him personally closing down the office in righteous indignation. I had not followed Kennedy’s political career and did not know he left his Catholic moorings of respect for Life.  Unaware of Life politics at the time, I thought all Catholics were for Life. It was a given. After all, the Pope was watching!

I made a personal visit to the Senator’s Washington DC office and met with one of his aides. We spoke for almost an hour; she was polite, listened and took notes. She assured me I would hear  from her or someone else. One month went by. I called her, reminded her who I was and refreshed her on my story. Again I was assured I would hear something. I never did. Never got a call back. Never an ounce of concern came from Senator Ted Kennedy or his office regarding my daughter, whose life was carelessly snuffed short by the Harvard Fellow. To this day I cannot dignify him with the title of doctor. I refer to him by his first name, Rapin. Ironic isn’t it? Rapin? I feel my daughter’s life was raped from her along with my grandchild’s.

The "Lion of the Senate", the champion of the "little people" and the overseer of health care in America was noticeably absent in the aftermath Laura's death and the resulting criminal charges against the abortionist. No, the lion didn't roar.  Also absent were all the organizations that are for "safe and legal" abortions.   

I can't help but wonder if things would have been different if Michael Jackson had died within minutes of the Kennedy Compound.  I also can't help but wonder if the Harvard Fellow - who subsequently lost his license to practice medicine - had killed Michael Jackson, would he still be employeed by Harvard.

I am sure that Senator Kennedy  had the best of care by the highest caliber of doctors during his terminal illness.  At least his family knew his end was near and could say goodbye. Laura and I never had that chance.