TERRI SCHIAVO~remove feeding tube?

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 12:40 pm

Correct politicians do everything for votes. Her husband is only carrying out her wishes(never in writting). The medical community has stated she is a vegatable.

You know I don't care about any of the above reasons period. :-5 It is simple leave this poor women alone, let her live out her life with her parents. Screw everyone. It has gone on to long, and she has refused to die up to this point, must mean something....

I don't care what the Florida courts ruled, or anyone elses rulings.

THIS WOMEN IS HARMING NO ONE PERIOD. LET HER ALONE, WHY OH WHY MUST SHE DIE THIS WAY.. :-5 HER PARENTS ARE WILLING TO BURDEN THE FINANCING OF HER CARE. THEY ONLY WANT TO GIVE HER ONE MORE CHANCE.. SHE HAS NEVER HAD ANY REHAB IN 14 YEARS NOTHING. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ONE MORE CHANCE... !!! FRANKLY I THINK THE X-HUSBAND SHOULD HAVE A HEART AND LET HER GO TO HER PARENTS.. SCREW WHAT HE THINKS WERE HER WISHES.. SHE IS ALIVE AND HAS MAINTAINED FOR 14YEARS...

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 1:01 pm

go to terry'sfight.org

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 1:43 pm

News flash micheal schiavo refuse anymore visit by family to terry. what , I can even say what he is here.

:-5

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 1:50 pm

news flash again, fox news reports sentate will reconvine at 5 and will pass the bill

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:13 pm

Michael is the major reason this has gone on this long. Who the hell is he to play GOD with her life. Why is he so unwilling to bend. Blood is thicker than water... This should never have been left in his hand.. I would never want anyone to attend to my need but MY FAMILY.. That doesn't mean my Husband(if I had one). That mean blood relatives. If My Husband truly loved me he would let that happen no matter what the court ruled.

He talks about letting her die with dignity, excuse me how is STARVING TO DEATH DIGNIFIED.

MAYBE IT IS TIME SOME LAWS WERE CHANGED. TERRI HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BE VISITED BY HER FAMILY... GET THIS GUY OUT OF THIS MATTER..HE IS NOT DOING WHAT IS IN TERRI'S BEST INTEREST..

I also heard this morning on one of the news shows that TERRI can swallow she can't feed herself. No one was allowed to feed her. Pretty sad if you ask me.. Her X-Husband has no soul.

I HOPE THAT TUBE IS REPLACED SOON.. STARVING TO DEATH IS EXTREMELY PAINFUL..OH!!! BUT ACCORDING TO MICHAEL THAT'S A DIGNIFIED DEATH..

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:47 pm

I know I heared that he was afraid that Terry might say something that might implicate him in why she is the way she is. I know that suposely her father brought in a tape recorder last night. and Micheal then suspended his visitation to the parents. i also heard that Micheal himself was visiting her today. I also then heared Micheal reainstated the visitation.

Post by **kensloft** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:55 pm

The thin edge of the wedge is now in place and as soon as they can get rid of her we'll be able go after the criminals (they must be brain dead otherwise they'd be toeing the line), the jews, arabs, greeks and whoever else told us that they wanted to die if? Hell we don't even have to wait until they're dead. We can starve them to death and save all the food for the obese ones... no we can get them too for taking too much of our resources. Shi* we can starve anyone that we want.

Her husband should be a hero to all the world for showing that great American perspicacity. Move over Muslims. Let us show you how killing for God should be done. There should be a monument in every town througout the world telling of his brave exploit of starving his injured wife. He should revel in the glory that he is bringing to the world. He should be president... no... man that is God on earth. He could start churches that would require that you give up your love and faith in humankind and the human spirit. It is all too good.

What an egotistical jerk.

persephone · Post by **persephone** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 3:33 pm

Before I started nursing training I would agree with many of you, not so anymore.

It is never something that is taken lightly when the decision to remove life giving treatment is made. Also the patient is not left to just suffer, they are often medicated for pain relief.

I have only seen this done with the elderly and it does not always go through the courts, I know this will surprise many people. It is a decission that is made after a muti-disaplinary team (MDT) has met, this team will often include doctors, nurses, occupational therapists and physio therapists as well as social workers. If all the MDT is in agreement then the family will be spoken to.

Often it is the family who have asked for this in the first place.

Nothing is done without family consent though, and many factors are taken into consideration in the final decision.

mominiowa · Post by **mominiowa** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:48 pm

Letha - I have a question for you...

This story line - along the same thing...I worked in long term care - a woman had a epidural and it went wrong - going to her brain..She lived a lot like Terri is - she would laugh cry and such..I really believed that she knew when her grandpa came - becuase after he would leave she would cry - She had everything from her period every 27 days - to the flu...BUT her husband divorced her and she went on to live almost 15 years I think...She recently died of CANCER--the doctor said it was from the tubes - chemicals - catheters (sp?) and such - just foreign objects that caused such irritation.. To watch her die was painful - and the whole floor had things to say - like she should have been allowed to die when her husband wanted her too..but her family took over her care and that was that- Its such a hard call..So back to the question - I am far from a nurse-- (I was a CNA there)- Do you think the same thing could and would happen with Terri eventually? Its a hard case..

But I do beleive that the goverment needs to stay out of it.. It will just pull our congress farther apart...JMO!!

persephone · Post by **persephone** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 6:27 pm

mominiowa wrote: Letha - I have a question for you...

This story line - along the same thing...I worked in long term care - a woman had a epidural and it went wrong - going to her brain..She lived a lot like Terri is - she would laugh cry and such..I really believed that she knew when her grandpa came - becuase after he would leave she would cry - She had everything from her period every 27 days - to the flu...BUT her husband divorced her and she went on to live almost 15 years I think...She recently died of CANCER--the doctor said it was from the tubes - chemicals - catheters (sp?) and such - just foreign objects that caused such irritation.. To watch her die was painful - and the whole floor had things to say - like she should have been allowed to die when her husband wanted her too..but her family took over her care and that was that- Its such a hard call..So back to the question - I am far from a nurse-- (I was a CNA there)- Do you think the same thing could and would happen with Terri eventually? Its a hard case..

But I do beleive that the goverment needs to stay out of it.. It will just pull our congress farther apart...JMO!!

I can't answer the question as I don't know Terri and the care she needs, or how she is in herself. I will admit I have been lazy and not read any of the links posted here. My comments were purely to say this is not a one of instance, and to explain that it is never something that is just done, but thought goes into it.

I would hazard a guess that if she is in there somewhere she is possibly depressed, as would anyone be if they had lead a normal active life and was reduced to such a state. I know I would not want to continue to live like that?

I would even question if that was living, there is more to life than being trapped in a body that does not work, it must be worse if you knew a different life before that.

Back to your question though, we all die, none of us know what it will be from, a person can have cancer yet die from a heart attack.

persephone · Post by **persephone** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 7:54 pm

I have just been reading on the BBC about this, and I really agree on the govenment staying out of this sort of case.

Another thing about this whole case, what has happened to Terri's right to privacy and dignity, infact what has happened to any of her rights here, completly taken away from her

This time line comes from the BBC pages.

25 February 1990: Terri Schiavo collapses at home

November 1992: Michael Schiavo wins case against doctors he accused of misdiagnosing his wife; awarded $700,000 for her care and $300,000 for himself

29 July 1993: Schindlers file petition to have Mr Schiavo removed as Mrs Schiavo's guardian; case later dismissed

May 1998: Mr Schiavo files petition to remove Mrs Schiavo's feeding tube

11 February 2000: Judge Greer rules feeding tube can be removed

20 April 2001: Schindlers win a stay to exhaust appeals

23 April 2001: US Supreme Court refuses to intervene

24 April 2001: Feeding tube removed from Mrs Schiavo

26 April 2001: Judge orders doctors to reinsert tube

22 November 2002: After more hearings, Judge Greer rules there is no evidence that Mrs Schiavo has any hope of recovery and orders tube to be removed on 3 January 2003

13 December 2002: Judge Greer stays order to remove feeding tube to allow appeal

6 June 2003: Appeal court upholds Judge Greer's ruling

26 August 2003: Florida Governor Jeb Bush asks court to appoint new guardian for Mrs Schiavo; court does not act

17 September 2003: Judge orders feeding tube removal on 15 October

22 September 2003: Parents petition Federal Court

15 October 2003: Doctors remove Mrs Schiavo's feeding tube

21 October 2003: Florida's lower house passes a law giving Jeb Bush the power to order doctors to feed Mrs Schiavo - the law is known as "Terri's Law"

22 October 2003: Doctors start giving fluids to Mrs Schiavo and a day later her feeding tube is reinserted

30 October 2003: Michael Schiavo asks Florida Court to strike down Terri's law as unconstitutional

6 May 2004: County Court rules that Terri's Law is unconstitutional and a violation of the right to privacy

23 September 2004:Florida's Supreme Court strikes down Terri's Law

4 October 2004: Jeb Bush files motion for rehearing of Mrs Schiavo's case

1 December 2004: Jeb Bush asks US Supreme court to accept the case for review

25 January 2005: US Supreme Court rejects Jeb Bush's appeal to change ruling

23 February 2005: Judge extends a last-minute stay and orders that doctors must wait for a further court ruling before removing Mrs Schiavo's feeding tube

25 February 2005: County Court judge issues a three week stay

12 March 2005: Michael Schiavo refuses an offer of $1m (Ã‚£520,000) from a Californian businessman to keep his wife alive

16 March 2005: Florida Appeals Court refuses to block removal of Mrs Schiavo's feeding tube and sets 18 March 2005 as the day the tube will be removed

17 March 2005: The Schindlers file an emergency motion at the US Supreme Court to block the removal of Mrs Schiavo's feeding tube.

18 March 2005: The US House of Representatives and US Senate both move to block the removal of Mrs Schiavo's feeding tube - but Judge Greer rejects the manoeuvres and orders the tube removed.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 8:03 pm

Thank you for the time line, Letha.

I really don't think we have any business having an opinion here. Be thankful you are not in this situation and let life happen as it will. Or will not. There is no truth to be found in the media. If you are not there you don't know what is best.

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 8:24 pm

one hour and half left for debate. I am pacing. I worried, and I am praying.

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 9:45 pm

wow, alot of post almost 2000. It's a highly changed topic. I hope in 20 minutes or less we have a resoulution.

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 10:45 pm

it passed

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:32 pm

president signs bill. cnn confirms

Post by **kensloft** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:47 am

kmhowe72 wrote: president signs bill. cnn confirms

Good.

ilona17 · Post by **ilona17** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 6:48 am

if shes reponsive then theirs obviouesly a person inside there living and thinking. The feeding tube might be keeping her alive but she is breathing on her own and to me that means she still has the right to live. Men are just such pigs they dont no the meaning of love. you love some one untill the day they die not just when its convienient or easy.

greydeadhead · Post by **greydeadhead** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:07 am

Thank you so much for the compliment Ilona17. That is a real contribution to the discussion. This woman has been brain dead for 15 years. What the parents and supporters are calling response to thier attentions is a reaction... nothing more nothing less. Her body is deterioating as we speak. This has everything to do with love. I know that if I was in this state I would pray that the plug pulled and let me go.. that would be the greatest expression of love that my parents or significant other could make.. not make me suffer any longer. She is never going to be rehabilitated in any way and her parents are being greedy by making her continue to suffer. She is not there anymore.. her brain and soul have moved on .. let her body do the same.

And the next time you think about making such a broad statement .. such as men being pigs.. why don't you back it up with alittle fact.

persephone · Post by **persephone** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:11 am

This is from the first website I clicked on when doing a search http://www.xenos.org/ministries/crossro ... al/pvs.htm, going with the general religious nature of FG, it seemed the most appropriate site to quote in favour of a medical site.

Many find it agonizing to watch anyone, particularly a loved one, languish in this condition with little hope for recovery. For this reason, allowing PVS patients to die can seem very merciful. So, the ethical question arises: should we withdraw artificially administered food and fluids from these patients and allow them die?

Many issues are raised by this difficult question.[3] For some, autonomy is the central issue. If we can show that this particular patient would not want to live in such a condition, food and fluids should be withdrawn and the patient allowed to die. For others, the issue is whether artificially administered food and fluids should be considered ordinary care or extraordinary care. Ordinary care is generally viewed as obligatory. Some view food and fluids, even those artificially administered, as ordinary because they are basic to survival, and symbolic of care and comfort. Others view artificially administered food and fluids as extraordinary because they are medical technologies and, in PVS, do not heal or lead to improvement in the patient's status.

And as to patients breathing etc. here is your answer.

A review of the medical information concerning PVS was published in 1994 by the Multi-Society Task Force on PVS (MSTF).[8] They estimated that 10,000 to 25,000 adults and 4,000 to 10,000 children live in PVS in the United States.[9] PVS can be caused by acute brain injury (e.g. car accidents or lack of oxygen from a heart attack or near-drowning), chronic degenerative disease (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease), or developmental malformations (e.g. anencephaly).[10] The injury or disease often results in profound damage to, if not complete death of, the cerebral cortex--that region of the brain believed by many to be responsible for all higher, cognitive functioning.[11]

According to the MSTF, patients in PVS show no evidence of awareness or thinking, and do not communicate.[12] None of their actions appear purposeful, learned or voluntary. However, the brain stem often functions normally in PVS, allowing a much greater range of activities than seen in related syndromes. Most patients in PVS continue to breathe on their own, circulate blood normally, have periods of waking and sleeping, may move their limbs, smile, shed tears and respond to external stimuli. Some may grunt, groan or scream.

Now I feel very strongly on this as when I was just 15 years old my boyfriend was in a car crash, he was just 17 years old and broke his neck, for months he laid in an unresponsive state for months, even opened his eyes at one point, but there was nothing left of HIM, he was brain dead... I'm glad they turned off the machines, and he never ended up like Terri.

Her heart stopped, she is brain dead, this means as so many times the court has decided that when the paramedics got to her it was too late and she SHOULD NOT have been resusitated.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:27 am

Speaking from personal experience, clinical brain death is diagnosed when the eeg remains flat. No response, whatsoever. Even in the cortex. I had a patient who came in the ER with his left brain totally blown out. Gone. He was still breathing and his heart was still beating. But the whole left half of his brain was gone. He was put on a respirator to protect his airway, and rushed to the surgery room. One look at him, by the neuro surgeon, and I quote "What the hell do you think I can do with this?" The decision was made to let his mother see him, and then remove the breathing tube. He was given ALOT of morphine to supress his breathing capabilities so when the tube was removed, he would just stop. This my friends, is tantamount to medical euthanasia. In Virginia, where this took place, they have a 'natural death act'. Lots of loop holes for doc's to be able to do this.

For all of you who rely upon living wills, dont. They are not worth the paper they are written on. The family doctor MUST be aware of a terminal condition, to be able to lable a patient as a DNR. (do not resuscitate) With every hospitalization, that form you call a living will, MUST be renewed. And placed in the front of your chart, EACH TIME you have a hospital stay. To put it bluntly, unless you have terminal cancer, you're going to get resuscitated. But if your state has a natural death act, a trusted relative can make that decision for you. Living wills dont hold up in court.

persephone · Post by **persephone** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:50 am

That is not the case in the UK, yes a DNR form needs to be filled in on every admission to hospital and if you are younger they don't consider it if you have a terminal illness, but the elderly regularly chose to ask us for DNR forms, and if they are suffering from Alzheimers or other mentally debilitating condition then with the doctors input the family can request DNR.

We also come across patients with Living Wills, that we take seriously.

It's called patient centred care, where the patient has the right to decide, not the doctor.

This only covers DNR orders I have to say, euthanasia is not considered at all. For a living will you must not be able to communicate before it will be acted on, although when you get to a certain stage in your illness you have every legal right to refuse medical intervention to save your life.

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 2:57 pm

It was reported in the news today, that President Bush was awaken by the operater of the WH. Then Adviser brought the bill over to him. He opened his door signed the bill into law, throught the crack of his door and went back to bed.

This is great country when presidents do things like that. It could only happen in America.

I believe the congress did the right thing on sunday night. They only opened the door so terry can go to a higher court. personally I hoped they would order the tube reinserted.

I hope terry makes it. :wah: It's a sad day when a cheating husband can end his wife life.

persephone · Post by **persephone** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:09 pm

kmhowe72 wrote: I believe the congress did the right thing on sunday night. They only opened the door so terry can go to a higher court. personally I hoped they would order the tube reinserted.

I hope terry makes it. :wah: It's a sad day when a cheating husband can end his wife life.
I don't even know what sex you are, please forgive me.

What would you do if your spouse was injured beyond hope of any form of recovery?

Would you really want them to continue life in a state where they had no autonomy, no self respect left, no life without someone doing everything for them?

If it happened to you, would you want that life?

If you even think about it, if you were in Terri's situation would you want your spouse to spend the rest of "your" life alone.

If your answer is yes then you really are being selfish and there is no love there.

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:45 pm

first of all, judging from the heart on under my name, one would think that I am WOMAN!!!! I am a 32 year old women with five children. 3 from a former relationship, two with my husband . My screen name is my first two innitials and my last name. and you guessed it the year I was born.

so I have a little experince about being a parent. I would choose life over death in any case. I told my husband that I will hook him up to every tube, and I would do that for my children. Unless they show me on a scan that they are brain dead. You would have to drag me kicking and screaming out of the hospital room. i would morgage everything I have for my family. especially for my children.

Did I answer your question.

and I am Ittialiian

persephone · Post by **persephone** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:41 pm

I would say it is something that you may change your mind about if ever (God forbid) you were put in this situation.

However I fear that people with this view now, will continue to let there loved ones stay as the living dead.

kmhowe72 · Post by **kmhowe72** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:42 pm

I think i said that is they could prove my husband or god forbid my children. I pull the plug. If your brain is dead, your soul is already gone. and fyi, i am dem. and you know telling me to go to hell is not very nice. When U undefinedundefinedget their yourself send me a postcard.

David813 · Post by **David813** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:43 pm

I hope no one ever uses me like Terri has been used to further rightwing fundamentalist political careers. Terri should have passed away as a human normally would have in her condition years ago. If it's weird and reactionary it'll happen in Florida!!

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:19 pm

I would say pull the plug if she was on other machines keeping her alive. All this women has is a feeding tube nothing else. Actually if someone could feed her she can swallow and eat.

I think Terri has lived this long, let her live out her life and die normally in her own fashion. Her x-husband has no idea what her wishes are at this time. This women is bothering no one. Let her be under the care of her mother. She has been wharehoused there, he won't let her have any other care, no exercise, no rehab, no food. This is not necessary. SHE HAS DEMONSTRATED HER WILL TO LIVE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.. LEAVE HER ALONE. :-1

I worked in a hospital for 22 years, my office was right by the REHAB CENTER. I have seen people in far worse shape than Terri come and exercise and get care and live the life they have. My next door neighbor has a 18year old son who is just like Terri. His mom carries him over her shoulder to the car.. She takes him swimming at the YMCA.. She puts a helmet on him and walks him around the building every day.. He is her life.. and he responds to her love totally. We can't just kill the disabled because we think their quailty of life isn't what it should be.

LET TERRI LIVE.. :-4

mominiowa · Post by **mominiowa** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:35 pm

Its a hard call - It doesn't need to be about money or who's who...but I do know that a husband can over ride any choice a family makes - and also the living will thing - does mean NOTHING unless the whole family agrees..Went through this with my dad- anyone of us 12 kids could have disagreed with mom when it was time and they would not of made the choice they did.. That came right out of a doctors mouth from DesMoines.. I guess if I were her husband - I would say, please take care of your daughter and walk away - We know he is in love with another woman - but we also know he has stated he will always love Terri...Its a hard one.... I would never want to be in that situation..A cousin was killed in a motorcycle accident - but they put him on a resp. to keep his organs alive to be transplanted -WITHOUT asking permission from the family...It was a hard choice when my aunt said let him go - but she always said if they would have let him die on that highway instead of waiting for us to get there -things would have been easier........You just never know... I would have to say - Let her live also...

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:45 pm

there was a man once who advocated death for "defectives." adolf something........i sure wish i had the option to go on over to San Q and starve richard allen davis or david westerfield, but that would violate their due process. BTW, i DO understand the issues, i am a former RN...but my heart goes to her Mom and Dad, i cannot imagine her poor father being searched to make sure he wasn't bringing his child water or ice chips, which is precisely what happened tonight. they'd have to shoot me.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:48 pm

i absolutely agree about the tragic state of the transplant programs, as well as the inequities therein. i remember a few years ago an issue in CA where an inmate serving life was being considered for a heart transplant, i wish i could recall the name, but it was an outrage of the worst order.

David813 · Post by **David813** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:58 pm

Prisoners should have access to quality medical care like the rest of us but life saving transplants involving organs that are in short supply going to a convict is wrong and an outrage. If Schiavo were an inmate in her current condition I would oppose the exorbiant costs involved in keeping her body alive. As for her now I hope the government, courts and political groups finally allow her to die as she should have years ago. I pray my family never does that to me. This case prompted me to make that very clear.

David813 · Post by **David813** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:11 pm

I agree she should have died as some would say: "As the Lord willed." But now we know the government will control who dies for 15 years, who is forbidden to live (death penalty) and who has the right to obtain a legal abortion. Huge Big government here coming straight from the GodSquad! Lord help us all. And shame on those exploiting Terri for political gain. Despicable.

koan · Post by **koan** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:15 pm

First of all I have to overlook the seeming reality that we are talking about Terri Schiavo or her husband at all. We can only discuss the situation. Who here knows Terri well enough to know what she would want? Or her husband to say why he wants her to die?

I think grieving after 2 years is a troublesome thing. I think counseling is in order to help people move on. Anyone wishing to be kept alive after being brain dead for two years or expecting their family to put their lives on hold and continue grieving for longer is not thinking properly and should get counseling.

I don't think death is a bad thing so that flavours my opinion. Let's lighten things up with a stupid reference: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At the end of one season (can't recall which) Buffy dies. Next season Willow & Co bring her back because they think she is in hell. Turns out she was in a really great place and pretty much spent the rest of the season feeling lifeless inside because she couldn't forget the great place she was ripped away from and wanted to go back.

Hope you all had a little chuckle and lightened up.

I actually believe in the Buffy scenario. Maybe she could wake up and have a life of mediocre quality. There are better places to be.

David813 · Post by **David813** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:21 pm

It's very true Terri may well have wanted to be kept alive like this but I doubt she would have wanted herself photographed and filmed in bed while in a brain dead state. It's the ultimate cruelty in my view to drag this woman's death on for so many years and to now have it be a pedestal for fundamentalist groups to spout their vitriol. And raise money. I hope she passes tonight and finally meets with peace. I also hope everyone remembers the names of the politicians that exploited her agony.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:22 pm

SCRAT,

You make some excellent points as always. I guess this is just one of those areas that just can't be black and white, there are just many many gray areas when it comes to taking the basics of life food and water away from another human being that I find barbaric... :-1

I work with ALZHEIMER'S patients I see the wishes of families carried out all the time. I just don't understand why her X-husband can't bend just a bit and let Terri go home with her parents and die in her own way of natural causes.. That is want I just don't understand...

IT'S OUT OF OUR HAND.. MAY SHE NOT SUFFER !!

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 1:57 am

TW2005 wrote: I hope I never marry anyone like you. If I were sitting there brain dead for over 15 years and you were the one keeping me alive, when I finally passed on Id personally see to it that you were condemned to hell. I dont mean to be so rude, but seriously. Anyone who thinks she should be kept alive, you are sick minded people and really need help. How tragic you people use this poor woman to advance the right to life agenda.
Ah, but see, thats the quandry the medical profession faces every day. We, as a profession, have the ability to create problem cases such as Terri's. Hers isnt the first. True, in most cases of resuscitation, if we cant achieve that within a reasonable time, then the effort is called off, and the pt. is pronounced dead by a doctor. But SOMETIMES, and I suspect this is the case with Terri, because of her age, the effort was prolonged. Because of all the life saving drugs we have available, we can bring peoples bodies back, even when we shouldnt. It's a terribly hard call to make. Sometimes, things go horribly wrong, and we end up with cases like Terri's. You cant blame any one particular person. All we can do, is try to work out the most reasonable, compassionate solution as we can. Just taking her feeding tubes away, is harsh. But I can pretty much tell you, that the doctor in charge, wont let her suffer. There are things we can do about that too. All within legal limits. The problem is the morality of the issue. Do we let her die a natural death, following the course of years, or do we hurry the natural conclusion along a bit. Thats where the controversy lies.

On the one hand, you have her husband, wanting to hurry things on a bit. On the other you have her parents wanting to let her go naturally. Her feeding tubes are just a means by which people are fed when their mouths or swallowing reflexes dont work properly. People need to injest food to stay alive. Everyone.

By taking her nourishment away, is starving her to death. Plain and simple. Would you call that merciful? Starving someone takes a long time. You would actually do that? Would you be prepared to sit with that person while they slowly starved? What would be your reaction to that persons pain as the hunger sets in? Give her parents a break,man! Would you be able to starve your child to death? Quit judging, here!

persephone · Post by **persephone** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:10 am

Todays latest.

A US judge has refused to order doctors to resume feeding Terri Schiavo, the severely brain-damaged Florida woman whose fate has divided her loved ones.

Her parents had failed to prove a "substantial likelihood of success" if the case went back to court, Judge James Whittemore ruled.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:41 am

Yes, I had just heard that on the news as well. It's all a moot point now.