The right to die

[Scottler]

Hagar, I agree with you completely.  This is why it is so imperative that we all follow the legal procedures and get our advanced directives.

That said, we also have to remember to separate ourselves from Terri's fight.  What WE want is irrelevant.  This is only about Terri Schindler.  

This is why this case is so disgusting.  Michael Schiavo does not have Terri's best interests in mind.  This morning his attorney was asked why, if Michael loves Terri so much, he has gone and found himself another woman to father children with.

His attorney's answer was that we should consider Michael lucky to have found someone he can share his experiences with, and that if Terri weren't in this situation, she would approve.  

There's only one thing that makes Michael Schiavo lucky...the fact that he's been able to find a lawyer who is as much of a dirtbag as he is.

[Romulus111VADT]

I'm not sure what the difference is between being "brain dead" & in a "persistent vegetative state". Nether sounds very pleasant to me & the possibility of anything resembling quality of life seems very remote. I know what I would want in these circumstances. To be allowed to die as quckly & painlessly as possible. As the law stands in my country it's illegal to help me on my way so the only way is to deprive me of food & water. You wouldn't let an animal suffer in this way, in fact you'd be prosecuted for it, but because I'm a human being I will have to. OK, if that's the way it must be for pity's sake stop messing me around & get on with it. You can argue all you like when I'm gone as I won't be there to worry about it.

*PS. Not that I have any worries on that score. My daughter can have all I possess now & she doesn't have to wait until I pass away to get hold of it. She also knows my wishes & I just hope that if ever I was in this state they would allow her to carry them out.

Brain dead means that all normal higher functions of the brain have ceased to function and the person is kept alive via machines only. One of the tests for brain death is to turn off the respirator for several minute to see if the person takes a breath on their own. Also they will use mild pain, like pinching to see if there is a reflex response. As well as reflex response when your doctor taps your knee. All of the functions do not exist in brain death victims.

[Woodlouse2002]

To say the husband is in the wrong is the not the way to go about it. If his wife has been is a coma for 15 years then I'm not suprised he's got a new woman. If he's got kids then he'll want some help raising them. Maybe after 15 years of seeing his wife in a hospital bed being fed through a tube he just wants her die so he can move on with his life.

I personally think the parents are in the wrong. Unwilling to let go when after 15 years the chance of any recovery is next to none. Sometimes you just have to move on and I believe that this is one of those times.

[Scottler]

If his wife has been is a coma for 15 years then I'm not suprised he's got a new woman.

Woody, she's NOT in a coma.  She is brain damaged.  She's handicapped.  That's it.

[Hagar]

[quote]This is why this case is so disgusting.

[Woodlouse2002]

The fact she's been in a hospital bed for 15 years not reacting to anything is as good as a coma for me. My statement stands.

[Scottler]

I'm so glad you're not my doctor, or any of the ones I work with every day.  lol

[Ben_M_K]

The fact she's been in a hospital bed for 15 years not reacting to anything is as good as a coma for me. My statement stands.

Well you are complely wrong Woody. She is not even close to being in a coma. She can breath on her own, and she responds to certain things. Do you think someone in a coma could do that?

I'm sure this thread will be locked in time, even though I know Jordon didn't intend this to turn into a flame war.

Who cares if we disagree, we are friends because we all like to play Flight Simulator, so lets keep it that way. I think I'll stay out of this one...

[Woodlouse2002]

If this isn't a coma and she is simply brain damaged then all the more reason to let her die. She will never recover and it cannot be percieved as kind to keep someone alive in that state.

[Hagar]

I see no reason to lock this thread. It's a subject that interests us all & I thought were were discussing it in a civilised manner. We might have opposing views but surely  that's what discussion is all about.

[Ben_M_K]

True Doug, but I've seen threads like this before, and before long, I think this thread will be locked. I didn't say it should be locked now, I just think it will in due time...

[Scottler]

If this isn't a coma and she is simply brain damaged then all the more reason to let her die.

I was done with this thread.  And then I read that.  Holy cow, dude.  Are you for real?  Can you seriously think that we should kill all brain damaged people?

That's beyond disturbing.

[Woodlouse2002]

[quote]

I was done with this thread.

[Craig.]

I think he means brain damaged beyond a livable condition. THere are those with brain damage but still have the mental capacity to live a somewhat normal life. In this case Terry Schaivo is incapable of communicating on her own, she can not live on her own and she just can't do anything.

[Scottler]

What I believe Doug was referring to was the starvation aspect.  If I decided not to feed my cats, I would go to jail.  End of story.   Even DOGS would be put down humanely.