Thoughts on Terri Schiavo
Has anyone else been following the story of the brain-damaged lady who had her feeding tube taken out so she can starve/dehydrate to death?
It's weird because I never really cared about the Terri Schiavo case before, and it's been in the news from time to time over the years. I guess with the nonstop news coverage I've started to really feel sorry for Terri. I've told people to take me off life support if I am brain dead too, but in a case like Terri's where there is disagreement about whether Terri is actually brain dead or not, I wouldn't want to die. If there's a CHANCE I'm not brain dead, I would prefer to be alive.
And I especially wouldn't want to starve to death. She's had her feeding tube taken out THREE TIMES over the years. Even convicted killers get a painless death, I don't see why they can't just give Terri lethal injection or something fast like that.
I feel really sorry for Terri's parents. They are convinced that Terri is not brain dead, and they claim that Terri sometimes responds to them by smiling or following them with her eyes when they talk to her. They believe their daughter is not brain-dead, and for them to have to sit back and do nothing as their daughter is starved to death is very cruel.
All this being said, for the Federal Congress to get involved now is pretty stupid. Her tube is out (again) and I think it's time to let Terri die, already. If Congress wants to go back to the table and draft up laws reagarding this issue (either on the state level or federal level, we need some clarification of exactly what "brain dead" is and what to do in cases of close family disagreement about a possibly brain dead family member), I think they should do so with future cases in mind, not Terri.
My thoughts are with everyone involved. It's a terrible, terrible situation to be in.
posted by gg @ 11:40 AM
6 Comments:
I would want them to kill me when my functionality ceased. If I was in an accident where I could no longer a) think - if i was to be permanently retarded - or b) communicate. Hope you don't that is a cruel way to think...
I would like to be insane though. That would be a wonderful experience.
I feel badly that her life is being dragged through the mud right now. Who isn't talking about it? There is no dignity in dying or living this way.
I think this should remind us all that it's not enough to just tell people our wishes - sign a DNR so there is no confustion, and so no family member is ever faced with the guilt of making such a decision.
Agree with Jay. My wife and I were just talking about a DNR. I need to spend some time thinking about what I'd want to do, however, and consider what my options are.
I wouldn't want to live the way she's living right now, but I dont' see why that can't give her a drink of water, if she's able to swallow, seems exessively cruel to me
Thought that this was relevant, so I am just gonna throw it out there.
In North Carolina (my home state) there is a couple who's 18-month-old baby fell and hit her head, and has been in a vegetative state ever since. She is now 19.
I realized when I saw a) the parents talk to her like a baby and b) that she couldn't even get out of a bed...
... that noone should have to live like that.
The parents said there 'was quality of life', but that even seems horrible for what was once, and will always be a baby. They are keeping her alive for selfish reasons. Of course the broadcaster said it was a 'touching story', but it seriously made me sick.
man, i would rather DIE than end up like her. seriously. that's messed up.
i'm sure her parents are totally upset about it, but they have to realize that sometimes people seem to respond, but they're not really responding.
i guess they'd rather have her alive and not really living than completely dead. it's really hard to let go of people.
i know. when my cousin died, i would've rather he stayed on life support for the rest of his life.
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