The Terri Schiavo case

[Zrow]

What are your thoughts on this highly controversial issue? Who should have the right to make the decision of her living or not, and what should be the decision?

I don't have time to give a real response now, I will later - just wanted to post this while it was still on my mind.

 

[Anderton Prime]

I think it's absolutely terrible that her husband is fighting against her parents to decide her fate. I think whatever decision is made needs to be unanimous. If I were a vegetable and unable to think for myself, the thought of my family and loved ones fighting legal battles over my life would horrify me.

 

[Duke]

If I were a vegetable and unable to think for myself, the thought of my family being so emotionally paralyzed and unable to let go that they kept me in living death for 15 terrible years would horrify me.

I think her parents are pathetic. They shove themselves right in her face and shout in her ear, and when she blinks they act like it's a miracle. Never mind the fact that she blinks continually whether anybody's near her or not. It's time for them to accept that she screwed herself up and move on.

Let me state here in front of 50,000 witnesses: if I'm ever in such a state, give me one year on life support and then end it.

 

[a6m5]

I think whatever decision is made needs to be unanimous.

That's what I was thinking too.


I don't support it, but if someone was in a permanent coma, I can understand the decision to pull the plug on his/her life support.

In the Schiavo case though, she looks like she can be rehablitated IMO(I've seen very little though). I've seen and heard of patients in worse condition than her, but their families are getting cares for them, hoping for the best. It's not easy, especially financially, but we are talking about somebodys' life here.

From what I understand, her parents are the ones whose trying to keep her alive and get her the care she needs? If that's the case, why is the husband trying so hard to let her die? I don't buy that Terri Schiavo wants to die, unless she's indicated so herself. I guess I just don't completely trust her husbands' motives.

P.S. I would be interested in hearing Gils' take on this.

 

[Iceman]

It's time for them to accept that she screwed herself up and move on.

How exactly did she get in the state she is currently in?

 

[a6m5]

If I were a vegetable and unable to think for myself, the thought of my family being so emotionally paralyzed and unable to let go that they kept me in living death for 15 terrible years would horrify me.

Personally, I wouldn't care if I was kept alive as an vegetable or they pulled the life support from me. However, if they do keep me alive, I'd hate to think about my family having to take care of me, for very long time.................

 

[a6m5]

How exactly did she get in the state she is currently in?

I thought it was an heart attack, but I guess we don't know for sure. My local news said, she collapsed.

 

[Sage]

Why on Earth have they been keeping her alive for 15 years? Part of her brain is physically missing – she will never be capable of emotional life (feeling, hearing, tasting) ever again. For pete's sake, let her go. She won't care, honestly!

Look at this. This is her CAT scan – there's no cortex left at all. Gone. Zip. Not there. Never will be. Her heart may still beat and her muscles may still twitch, but to no purpose. The fact that she's starving right now means nothing, because she can't even feel pain.

If she said that she didn't want to be kept in this condition, then why the heck keep her like that? There's a reason her husband should have authority over this: you can pick your spouse, but not your parents.

 

[Iceman]

Now I can see where they are coming from with "vegetative state". I really wonder what the parents purpose is for trying to keep her alive.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Now I can see where they are coming from with "vegetative state". I really wonder what the parents purpose is for trying to keep her alive.

For their own selfishness. Seriously, how cold can a parent be then to do that to their child. Ridiculous. Being a proper parent means knowing when to let go.

 

[Ev0]

After reading this, I have come to the conclusion that her parents are idiots. What is the purpose of living when you can't experience even basic emotion? Why the hell has this been allowed to go on for 15 years? I've gotta go with Duke on this one; if I ever reach a state like this with little or no hope of recovery, just kill me off so everyone can move on with their lives instead of stewing around uselessly for years upon years.

Unfortunately though, it isn't that simple, since the husband appears to be doing this not in the interests of his wife. He stands to make a large financial gain if she dies, and he has also been living with another woman for years now; they've even had children! So this could be a convienient method of divorce for him.

So, I have no idea where to stand on this. I'd have to know the people involved to form an honest opinion.

 

[ledhed]

So are all the ass munch polititcians that made a big show of comming back to stampede a vote through congress. They make a mockery of the judicial system that has handled this case all the way up to the supreme court. Screw them all . They preach less government and pull this **** ? Intruding in something so private and usurping the rights of the state and local governments has shown me the light . It will be difficult if not impossible for me to ever vote for a republican ass munch ever again. Its not what you preach its what you do. By thier actions in this case they show themselves as a bunch of zealots willing to trample over anything and any one ...much like communist and Islamic extremist..you know the so called " enemy ". Maybe we elected the enemy. Further proof of the erosion of rights in the US .

 

[Duke]

How exactly did she get in the state she is currently in?

I thought it was an heart attack, but I guess we don't know for sure. My local news said, she collapsed.

She was bulimic. Because of her binge/purge actions, she screwed up her blood chemistry terribly. She had incredibly high potassium levels which caused her to have very low blood pressure and she went into cardiac arrest. Her brain was without oxygen for quite some time, which is what lead to the total death of her cortex as Sage posted.

My money says this is all a Republican/Conservative ploy to prove that any biological human life is sacrosanct... in order to make a stronger case against abortion.

 

[(G)]

Alright, she should be allowed to die, but not from starvation. Why not a quicker, less excrutiating way? If leathal injection is humane enough for inmates on death row, then why not for someone who wanted to die if they were in a vegative state?

 

[Danoff]

The republicans are being excruciating here. I can’t stand them on this issue. They’re appealing to the lowest possible level of argument.

Don’t side with death, side with life!

Her parents are willing to help her, he should just divorce her and let the parents take care of her.

She’s clearly responsive, why would we allow her to just be killed

murderers on death row have more rights than this woman


Yuck.

Her parents have no rights in this case. That’s extremely clear from every aspect. The parents can be totally removed from this scenario. Their intentions or statements are totally 100% beside the point. It is her husband who has legal guardianship over her. She cannot speak for herself and the law states that her husband – legal guardian – should speak for her in that case. END OF STORY. No parents need be involved.

I sure as hell wouldn’t want to be kept alive in a vegetative state – especially not for 15 years. I wouldn’t want my wife to have to deal with me for 15 years and I DEFINITELY would NOT want my parents trying to take custody of me. I’ve told my wife that she is on no uncertain terms to KILL ME in that scenario… but that doesn’t matter does it, because Terri told her husband the same thing and he’s not being allowed to do it.

When faced with arguments like these the republicans seem to go with their safety position.

We’re just asking for a federal review of this case. In civil rights cases it’s important to have federal review. Civil rights would be nowhere today if it weren’t for that.

If it’s so obviously a case of rights, why did the PRESIDENT have to jump in and intervene before they would send it to a federal court? Would that be because this is a deviation from procedure? Would that be because the republicans are making this issue TOTALLY DIFFERENT from previous cases?

Where is the dilemma here? What is it that the federal court is going to do differently? The law states that the husband is the legal guardian and he has the say in this case. The only thing they could do is to overhaul the provisions for guardianship, in which case my wife would no longer have guardianship over me in cases like this.

I don’t want my parents getting involved. Here’s why, and here’s why the guardianship provisions are the way they are now.

My parent’s don’t have a ****ing clue what I want. I stopped living with them a long time ago. They’re OUT OF THE PICTURE!

 

[Ev0]

Alright, she should be allowed to die, but not from starvation. Why not a quicker, less excrutiating way? If leathal injection is humane enough for inmates on death row, then why not for someone who wanted to die if they were in a vegative state?

I agree, lethal injection would be much quicker, but she can't feel any pain or emotion in her state, so it really doesn't matter how she dies.

So are all the ass munch polititcians that made a big show of comming back to stampede a vote through congress. They make a mockery of the judicial system that has handled this case all the way up to the supreme court. Screw them all . They preach less government and pull this **** ? Intruding in something so private and usurping the rights of the state and local governments has shown me the light . It will be difficult if not impossible for me to ever vote for a republican ass munch ever again. Its not what you preach its what you do. By thier actions in this case they show themselves as a bunch of zealots willing to trample over anything and any one ...much like communist and Islamic extremist..you know the so called " enemy ". Maybe we elected the enemy. Further proof of the erosion of rights in the US .

I've gotta agree with you on this one. The Republican party under George W. Bush is pretty much a conservative christian movement that is trying to take away people's rights and freedoms in order to further their own agendas, which may not be in the best interests of everyone. I can accept that they have different views than I have, but it's the fact they try and cram it down everyone's throats that pisses me off. Although I wouldn't go as far as comparing them to Islamic extremists, their outlook on stem cell research and abortion deeply disturbs me.

 

[PS]

I agree, lethal injection would be much quicker, but she can't feel any pain or emotion in her state, so it really doesn't matter how she dies.

I've gotta agree with you on this one. The Republican party under George W. Bush is pretty much a conservative christian movement that is trying to take away people's rights and freedoms in order to further their own agendas, which may not be in the best interests of everyone. I can accept that they have different views than I have, but it's the fact they try and cram it down everyone's throats that pisses me off. Although I wouldn't go as far as comparing them to Islamic extremists, their outlook on stem cell research and abortion deeply disturbs me.

I don't see why they don't gas prisoners. Carbon Monoxide is 100% smell-free, 100% painless, and almost pleasurable. The only affect you get is that you fall asleep, and die in your sleep from lack of oxygen. I think that would be the most humane way to go if you ask me.

Oh, and G.W. Bush is a terorrist.

 

[Duke]

Oh, and G.W. Bush is a terorrist.

No, he's not, since terrorists by definition attack innocent civillian targets. He may be a lot things, some bad, some good, but one thing he is not is a terrorist. Can we keep this on-topic please?

 

[95nismo]

I just want to know who has been bearing the cost of keeping her alive for the last 15 years. Is it the Hospice there in Florida? Insurance? Federal Money somehow? Either way, I think it is quite selfish to spend such resources on 1 woman who has no chance of returning to her previous state of life. I know how the Hospice league works here in NC...I imagine it is the same for all Hospice branches. These are cash strapped organizations, and the money and resources spent on this lost cause could really have been used to help multiple people who actually have a chance. Selfish, IMO.

 

[Danoff]

Selfish, IMO.

There's nothing wrong with being selfish.

 

[95nismo]

There's nothing wrong with being selfish.

Different opinions here. I believe in the good of many over the good of one. Different strokes for different folks, you know.

 

[Duke]

There's nothing wrong with being selfish.

...if you're doing it on your own nickel.

I believe in the good of many over the good of one.

I disagree totally, within the confines of what I just typed in response to danoff.

 

[Danoff]

...if you're doing it on your own nickel.

Of course. I would never advocate that people do anything unethical.

I believe in the good of many over the good of one.

I consider that unethical. But as you said, "different strokes for different folks".

 

[xAkirax2004]

For one, the goverment shouldn't really be involoved. As of this point, she's about as useful as male nipples. Sage mades the best pointing out how useless she is. I personally think that if the husband has just as much brains as Terry, he would pull the plug.

 

[Danoff]

For one, the goverment shouldn't really be involoved. As of this point, she's about as useful as male nipples. Sage mades the best pointing out how useless she is. I personally think that if the husband has just as much brains as Terry, he would pull the plug.

...and of course he wants to but the parents are protesting. Which is what this is all about. The parents are trying to act as gaurdians when they have no legal right to do so.

 

[ledhed]

And some how our pandering buch of moronic mavens of malice from congress feel that putting the whole power of the federal government to bear on one person by passing a law JUST for that ONE PERSON . Is a proper use of power . They need to give Congress an ENEMA after this.

 

[blargonator]

i have read some funny stuff in this topic somehow <8- D like the "useful as man nipples" comment (if one was to cut off his nipple what would the insurance company do?) anyways back to the topic. i sad that the parents are so as a few have said "selfish" to keep her alive. right now she is in nothing more than i am just guessing, limbo. it sucks to watch someone die over a long period of time but she is not even getting worse or better. im 100% with the husband because like you guys have already said, he has guardianship. just to illustrate how useless she is i could paint a pillow with eyes and hair and it would be pretty simillar, sad but close. i defenitely think they could have easily spent the money more efficently else where. lately i have been thinking about money and treatments, we recently found out my father is having very serious problems with his liver. he does not want to undergo the rigorous treatments because one side-effect is a very serioud depression (suicide-serious) and it sucks to know he could die from it soon, but it is his choice like the husband's choice to stop feeding her. i could immitate the parents and try and stop him (from not taking the treatment) but that is not in his best intrest.

"My parent’s don’t have a ****ing clue what I want. I stopped living with them a long time ago. They’re OUT OF THE PICTURE! " all i have to say is.....lucky

 

[Ev0]

And some how our pandering buch of moronic mavens of malice from congress feel that putting the whole power of the federal government to bear on one person by passing a law JUST for that ONE PERSON . Is a proper use of power . They need to give Congress an ENEMA after this.

Agreed. I feel congress is abusing their power by trying to pass a law for one person over what is in reality, a matter of little importance to the well-being of the nation. 👎

And after hearing more about this on the news, I don't even know why the parents are allowed to have a say. The law states that unless otherwise stated in a living will, a spouse is first in line to make decisions for someone who is not in a state to do so. I have no idea why this has gone on as long as it has, the husband should have the final say in whether or not his wife can continue to 'live'.

 

[PS]

No, he's not, since terrorists by definition attack innocent civillian targets. He may be a lot things, some bad, some good, but one thing he is not is a terrorist. Can we keep this on-topic please?

Actually, I've heard many times that terrorists "use fear and terror to aid their cause", which by that definition makes George Bush a terrorist.

 

[emad]

PS - While I agree with you to a certain extent, this isn't the right thread for that. get back on topic

On the topic at hand, it's absolutely horrible what they're doing to her. Even if she somehow or other comes back, she would still be in a vegetative state. After 15 years of being immobile, her muscles would have completely atrophied. A person probably wouldn't even be able to swallow water after a year in a state like this. I'll agree with everyone else. Pull the plug, give her euthanesia (sp?) so she doesn't "starve" for 2 weeks or whatever and free up that hospital bed for someone who really needs it.