Terri Schiavo

[HeartRN]

Rapunzel, let me extend my apologies if there's a misunderstanding...I said nothing about not believing in a higher power. I, too, believe in God. I am merely trying to make the point that there are MANY gods in the world, and not every single person's God is the same. I feel frustrated and upset when the talking heads say things on TV such as "God is a universal...and God would not want X, Y, or Z" Perhaps this is the case for that person's particular God, but it may not be for the next. Just a clarification.....sorry if I stepped on toes.....

[Vanquisher]

I do think "starving her to death" is merciful. Short of giving her an injection that would actively kill her, this is the best they can do to let her passively go.

Yes, I absoultely would want to starve to death in that situation. I think she has zero quality of life. I would be horrified to be kept alive like that for years at a time. I have never met anyone who has said that they would want to live in a persistent vegatative state. As far as the little signs of "life" in her, I hardly think those are worth holding onto, and her parents need to let her go.

I would want my spouse to make this decision for me, and not my parents, but I can understand how that is not the right way for everyone.

Honestly, when I think about leading a life like she does, all I can think of is the word burden. What a terrible burden I would be on my family to live like that. Now, she is more than a burden on her family, she is a burden on money, health care, and the court system. I'm sorry if that seems harsh, but I can not imagine having someone take care of me in that context for that amount of time. The idea that I could ever be that much of a burden for my parents, my husband, or my children frightens me.

If I have a chance for a meaningful recovery, great, go at it. But, if I don't, please let me die. For me meaningful would be that I could do things for myself and others and I would know who they are. The second I don't know who my husband and kids are, they can put me in a home or pull the plug. That's just how I feel.

[DCJenn]

OK , I knew that this was really all about politics and the next Congressional election. But, I was still really disappointed to learn this morning in the paper (The Washington Post) that the Republican Majority dispersed a memo ONLY to the Republican members of Congress that basically laid out the benefits of bringing this personal story into the limelight, now, while they're on recess- and how it will benefit the elections next year because it will appeal to the conservative voters. If ever there should be a case for State's rights, this is it. and Florida decided that the tube should be removed. BUT...suddenly, in this particular instance, State's rights are meaningless and Congress needs to get involved.

It's a slippery slope. Congress has already inapproprately intervened in State's issues (like calling out the FBI and the FAA to locate the missing Texas Democrats during the redistricting fiasco- Thanks Tom Delay, ...)

and Rick and I have another appointment at the JAG office, just to make everything officially official about what our wishes are.

Jenn

Let's just say that living in FL, I have had my fill of this topic...

edit the post..altogether.

[Meenah]

Holy crap. I cannot believe what they are doing to this woman. I don't think this is about religion at all I do feel that the ones trying to put the tube back in are using "God" as an excuse. Isn't the "God" they are talking about the one who put her in this state in the first place. Nature is wanting her to die, Politicians are wanting to force feed her. Kind of reminds of Bob Dylan's song "With God On Our Side", definitely worth listening to.
Luanne

[PrincessFiona]

Here's her cat scan.....I'd be interested in hearing what a radiologist would say about her brain.

I'll try to be brief about a very, very longwinded topic.

The woman should be allowed to die, as peacefullly and humanely as possible. I cannot imagine the sheer grief her parents feel as a result of this - and what torture their lives have been since 1990 - my heart goes out to them.

I had to make a similar choice for my mother nearly 9 years ago. She told me that she was done with the torturous medical treatments and wanted no more surgeries, and then I (at 23) had to fight to force the hospital to respect her wishes. I am an only child, and my parents are divorced, and in no way did I WANT my mother dead - but I knew that she had no quality of life, and I had to honor her.

2 days after her feeding tube was removed, she slipped into a coma, 2 weeks later I let them stop the coumadin and she and a heart attack and died. I'd held on to the coumadin b/c I was concered that if she had another stroke while still somewhat coherent, that she would be trapped and unable to communicate. Only once I was certain that she would not regain consciousness on her own did I have them take the last step.

Shortly after my mom died there was an opinion piece in Newsweek where the writer said that euthanasia is a form of allowing weekness, and that God wants us to work through that pain before we die. I was incensed! After all, we will visit that kind of mercy on the family dog, but allow human beings with terminal illnesses or no hope for recovery to suffer on.

I hope that Terri truly did express her wishes to her husband, and I hope that he is following them. It is sickening that it has gotten political.

Most of all I feel terrible sadness for this family.

I agree with the last 2 posts and I will add a few more after doing a little research on this subject. I know people are sick and tired of hearing about it but I think it's important to stay abreast of this issue because it may make political and medical history.
There have been suggestions that the husband has "questionable character" and that events leading up to her collapse are suspicious. She had an eating disorder that led to her current condition. If there had ever been a need for an investigation, it probably would have already been done.
Her husband has been offered 1 million dollars to allow the feeding tube to stay in. He refused and is unwavering in his conviction that Terri specifically expressed she would never want to live this way. I find it hard to believe that he would stick to his guns after being threatened, bribed, ridiculed and the very nature of his character slandered. I believe the attacks upon the husband and his character are unfortunately driven by the family and certain politicians looking to gain political favor with certain groups.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7231440/

However.... 2 doctors which were selected by the husband say she has no chance for any kind of recovery, despite any kind of therapy. 2 doctors selected by the parents say otherwise.
This is a tough call...yet in 15 years her state is unchanged. Isn't it too late for therapy?
I find this tug of war to be inhumane.
Yes, the politicians are completely out of control with F%$%*) UP priorities!!!!!!!!!!
I am growing more and more incensed and fearful of the trends the leading politicians in this country are following.

I just wanted to clear something up -- I'm not trying to be anonymous -- I just logged in in a funky way. This is jenn patel (j3qpatel).

I'll try to be brief about a very, very longwinded topic.

The woman should be allowed to die, as peacefullly and humanely as possible. I cannot imagine the sheer grief her parents feel as a result of this - and what torture their lives have been since 1990 - my heart goes out to them.

I had to make a similar choice for my mother nearly 9 years ago. She told me that she was done with the torturous medical treatments and wanted no more surgeries, and then I (at 23) had to fight to force the hospital to respect her wishes. I am an only child, and my parents are divorced, and in no way did I WANT my mother dead - but I knew that she had no quality of life, and I had to honor her.

2 days after her feeding tube was removed, she slipped into a coma, 2 weeks later I let them stop the coumadin and she and a heart attack and died. I'd held on to the coumadin b/c I was concered that if she had another stroke while still somewhat coherent, that she would be trapped and unable to communicate. Only once I was certain that she would not regain consciousness on her own did I have them take the last step.

Shortly after my mom died there was an opinion piece in Newsweek where the writer said that euthanasia is a form of allowing weekness, and that God wants us to work through that pain before we die. I was incensed! After all, we will visit that kind of mercy on the family dog, but allow human beings with terminal illnesses or no hope for recovery to suffer on.

I hope that Terri truly did express her wishes to her husband, and I hope that he is following them. It is sickening that it has gotten political.

Most of all I feel terrible sadness for this family.

(Duplicate post deleted)

[Sheherezade]

This is a very sticky subject. I agree that this is a personal matter; it is hard to evaluate someone else's wife or daughter's "quality of life". The video I have seen of Terry does not look like what I imagine when I hear "vegetative state". She is clearly more animated than a carrot. Has anyone else seen this? I don't understand if it is some slick manipulation or what, but strictly from the video I would describe her severely impaired. I don't know if I would want to live this way, but honestly--I don't know what it is LIKE to live that way. My grandmother has had severe Alzheimer's for 6 years now. She doesn't recognize anyone in the family and spends her life in 4 rooms in a good facility. It is to my great delight and surprise that she seems happy whenever I am there. I never would have guessed it. She enjoys the little crafts and her meals and the garden. Who knows how I would react in that situation? I don't believe we can judge the "quality of life" of the impaired and their families fairly until we have experience it. I'm sure for some it is horrible, but for others maybe it isn't. Frankly, I would prefer if we had left these issues to each individual or individual's family. But -alas- that is not to be .
It seems as our ability to manipulate life/death grows, we must make new law to regulate as well. If we didn't have the capability to keep her alive, then this issue wouldn't exist. I don't think congress should devote time to individual cases, but I do not begrudge them debating the issue. In fact, these are the kind of discussions we need to be having as the biotech boom has created all sorts of new ethical delimmas. Also, with the aging of the baby boomers......right to die/physician assisted suicide/living wills etc. are all going to have their day in court. I understand that the political manipulations are disgusting--but it's the politics that are disgusting, not the topics.
I also heard that this resulted from bulimia. Ironic and sad that it should come down to a feeding tube, no? As for the husband, I heard he won a medical malpractice suit to provide for her care and that that was at issue. Anyone else hear anything about this? I wonder what the legal ramifications are in that. Can you take money to provide for care in an award and then let the patient die because it was their wish? Why did he ask for money for care in the first place if this has been the issue all along? Personally, I would allow her family to care for her and cede gaurdianship to them. I talked to my DH about this recently, and I told him that unless he adamently stated he did not want to live with reduced capacity I could not tell his mother she couldn't care for him. I just don't think I could do that to a mother unless her child was truly gone.

[PrincessFiona]

Angie,

My understanding of the videos is that this is how Terri responds occasionally regardless of who is in the room or if anyone is near her. It is apparently a reflex. The videos shown have supposedly been cut to show scenes where she appears to be responding to her family....

In regards to her husband...he was also supposedly offered a 1 million dollar settlement to 'walk away' and leave Terri to her family that he refused.

Of course, everything we hear boils down to he said/she said.

There are also allegations now that he (and not the bulimia) caused her K+ imbalance by injecting her or something....

[Sheherezade]

here are also allegations now that he (and not the bulimia) caused her K+ imbalance by injecting her or something....

I'm surprised I didn't hear this because I had on FOX news last night



I *am* sad that this poor woman's life has come down to this spectacle. Somebody should let go already--either side. Of course, now it is too late. The government is involved.

[houseelf]

Jen (guest/J3patel), your story was touching. I went through a similar situation with my beloved grandmother who died an absolutely horrible death from Parkinson's disease. She had to have a feeding tube because this horribly painful disease impaired her ability to swallow. This once loving, extremely proud individual was placed on a mat on the floor (to prevent her spasms from throwing her to the ground) while her body lie wracked with pain and her mind numbed with narcotics. As a family, we decided to pull the feeding tube. Because I'm disclosing incredibly intimate details here, I will even profess my belief in God and my sheer conviction that she now resides in a much better place than here on Earth. Death was a release for her, why take pains to prevent it?

I couldn't agree more with those of you who have questioned the federal government's involvement in this deeply intimate setting. Not to open a big ol' can of worms, but this is my problem with abortion too. Where is the individual free from government intervention? At what point is the individual sovereign over him or herself?

The second, more pragmatic problem I have with this issue is the problem a clearly delineated line which would certainly comprise such a law. Such law would be impotent in dealing with all the murky details that life, or more acurately, death brings. There are many incantations of what "death" means and no single rule of law can adequately provide for each situation.

By no means should we have grieving family members have to go before some tribunal, and/or subsequent appellate panels, arguing, "Gee judge, my wife is REALLY dead. Mother may I.....".

Yuck. It feels creepy how such a law would play out.

Kelly

P.S. It is not my intention to offend anyone here by offering my thoughts on this matter.

I agree that the evolution of medicine has created the need for more clear regulations. How sad that congress only chooses to take the situation up when there appears to be the opportunity for political gains.

I understand goofy's remarks about not being able to tell a mother that their child is gone (regarding her husband's wishes, should the situation arise - god forbid). Having children has made me FAR more empathetic with the parents in the case (and it has been going on since well before I had kids!) .... that's why I have such a hard time agreeing with the "spouse's opinion should outweigh the parents" arguement. There are just always so many extenuating circumstances - it's impossible to have a hard and fast rule.

I suppose the lesson we should all learn from this is that we must be CLEAR with our loved ones - and most importantly in WRITING about our wishes in this kind of situation.

Let that be how we pay our respects or show our support to all parties in this sad, sad situation. Remove the power from the politicians and give it to those we trust.