Terry Schiavo

[Whelson_P._Monroe]

Please take this poll asap

Thanks

WPM

[678 Responding]

Dont let her starve to death. There are better ways to have someone go. Shes merely existing, not living.

[vs-eh?]

I agree, when I saw the story today I was like, "well don't just let her starve to death".

That alone opens up an easy target for cruel and unusual punishment.

What do her doctors/neurologists have to say? I heard people today saying that she appears to "express" joy, sadness, happiness, etc...Are they purposeful reactions or simply coincidental neurological actions with no real cognitive effort.

Either way I think you would be hard pressed to find ANYONE who is of sound mind to allow themselves to exist in a vegetative/pseudo-veg state. It always seems to be the family who forces there existence, hoping for a "miracle".

The doctors should just say that she will die without the GI-tube, that neurologically she has no higher cognitive function and let the woman die with dignity.

Dignity to be does not = starving to death. How do they kill people on death row? That cocktail plus some midazolam and morphine would likely equal the most humane death.

[ResQBtheEMT]

How can doctors stand by and let her starve to death? It's not humane or ethical, and it definitely shreds any 'dignity' the poor woman had left... We won't even mention the slow & painful wasting away that will lead to her death...

I agree that she isn't living, she's merely existing. And I know that if it were me in her position, I'd want my family to let go and let me go with a little bit of dignity. Now, it's unclear if she's showing true cognitive function (even at a low level) or if her actions are involuntary primitive neurological responses to external stimuli. Personally, I know what it's like to see someone you love in that position. You hope against hope (and all your own medical knowledge) that their actions are purposeful and that they're going to get better...even when you know they aren't and they won't.

The bottom line is what her doctors say: does she have neurological function beyond a primitive level? Is the feeding tube helping her at all other than prolonging agony?

[Thursday]

the woman has nothing left though, she is brain dead and has been for the past 10 years. would you want to live that way?

[Alcomedicism]

I think we can all argree that starving the disabled is wrong, but you have to remember, she is not going to die of starvation, she is going to die of dehydration. You have only 7 days to live w/o water, that is why this whole thing has been so urgent. The woman is clearly unable to swallow so they must use the GI tube to get fluids and nourishment to her body. She is also in this state because of an eating disorder which lead to caridac arrest. I have symapthy for Terri to a point, but she made a decision a long time ago to risk her life for a certain sense of beauty, and this is the price she has paid. As for her husband, if he would allow her to die w/o dignity then he should be signing Terri Shiavo over to the state. At least the State of Florida would allow her to die with dignity.

Thats my .02 cents.

-Dixie

[EMTizzle]

Ok, once upon a time there was this guy name Hitler, and his doctors thought that they knew the definition of "quality of life" . It has been decided by Terry Schiavo's medico's that her "quality of life" is such that , she should be starved to death to bring an end to her miserable existence. Well folks not to sound like chicken little, but Hitler began his medical programs just like this. First it was extermination of violent prisoners, then it moved on what was considered by Hitler to be undesirables such as:

Elderly, disabled, mentally retarded, homosexual, and last but not least Jews.

This whole situation is a hornets nest that allows doctors, hmo's, hospital's and other "bottom liner's" to start making more and more decisions on who lives and who dies. It's really scary that the "quality of life" definition changes almost daily, what is considered good "quality of life" one day is considered poor " quality of life the next". I think the ethics went out the window when the doctors decided to starve the woman to death. Dehydration is no better, they might as well shoot her, what! too messy a death? Well lets just call a spade a spade, in the Hippocratic oath (it should be called Hypocritic oath in this case) physicians vow to first do no harm. Well if you feel that it is harmful to the patient to suffer, ending the suffering by causing what could be three weeks or 7 days of pain (whether starve or dry out)and more suffering, is clearly nonsensical according to the oath, Terry Schiavo is the poster child for what the trend in our nation will become. Will the nursing home administrators start pulling feeding tubes of the clients that can't pay through private insurance? Citing "quality of life" as the issue. I tell you what either way the case is deadly and I feel that if her life is precious to her family and they are willing to take care of her, and she is responding to family like they say, then I say, screw the husband (who ended up with another family anyway) and take her home and feed her. The next time I see or have to pick up a drunk on the street, I certainly am not going to smother him in the back of the ambulance because of his poor quality of life. As long as he's got life in him, let the good Lord decide.

[RichmondMedik]

We as a human race treat our animals and pets better than we do each other

Paul

[Ridryder 911]

First, the woman is NOT brain dead... as even evidenced by medical definition. Who is next ? Patients that have had a CVA & has dysphagia ? Be careful you might mention in gest : " I don't want to be that way"; But what if .... you are able to have cognitive thoughts, & able to hear & rationale things, but are not able to express self as so many brain injury patients suffer.

What was it ?, Last month we had a woman awoke from a coma after>10 years ? Thank- God, she didn't have such a loving husband as Terry !

Is this really " Death without Dignity " case ? Depriving the body from nutrients, and basic essential elements... This woman is not on a vent or any mechanical life support measures, as used commonly respected by the medical community as "Death with Dignity" criteria.

Did we forget the motto" in the patients best interest "; we always assume this when we treat patients, under the implied consent ruling. So now shall we ask before treating a code "Oh by the way; hey, did he ever mention not wanting to be resuscitated ?" Definitely, make my call volume a lot lower. So now,can I throw away all those darn living will & DNR forms we tell people to fill out if THEY don't want mechanical means, food & water, etc.?. since now we won't need them anymore.

We are OPENING Pandora's box, and are expanding euthanasia. The family is even offering to pay for treatment, and the so called husband can now go on with his life. Let us remember to always ACT in the PATENT'S BEST BEHALF...

Be safe,

Ridryder 911

[Whelson_P._Monroe]

:oops: :oops: When George Bush was governor of Texas, he signed into law a complete opposite of what he know espouses. He gave hospitals in Texas the right to withhold food and water, over the objections of the family, in cases where the ethics committee of the hospital decided that it was not in the best interest of the patient. That law is on the books today.. A day when our president says he will sign any legislation that demands the reinsertion of this feeding tube.. If that is not voter pandering, I don't know what is.. What's it going to be prez?? Do Doctors have the knowledge to make that decision or not??? You can't have it both ways...Sorry, I forgot who I was talking about

:?: :?: :?: WPM