The Right To Die

[Lady Sidhe]

The case of Terri Schiavo of Tampa, Fla., who has been in
a permanent vegetative state for 14 years, was headed for
the state Supreme Court.

Florida's 2nd Court of Appeal in Lakeland, Fla., ruled in
favor of a motion by Schiavo's husband, Michael, Tuesday to
skip the lower court and go right to the high court, the
St. Petersburg Times reported.

The appeal by Michael Schiavo seeks to overturn a law Gov.
Jeb Bush signed last year that resulted in reinserting
the woman's feeding tube after it had been removed under
another court order. Bush's attorneys had argued before
the appeals court they want the case delayed while it can
be determined if Michael Schiavo has the authority to speak
for his wife.

The Supreme Court can take the case or send it back to the
appeals court before hearing it. Terri Schiavo, 40,
suffered cardiac arrest 14 years ago and doctors call her
condition a "permanent vegetative state." Her parents have
been fighting Michael's attempt to remove the feeding tube
and to allow Terri to die.

What are your thoughts on Terri Schiavo case?



Personally, If I were in a permanent vegetative state, I'd hope that TS would pull the plug on me. I mean, if there's no way I'm coming back, or if I DO come back, I won't know it, let me DIE.

Funny how we'll euthanize a beloved pet who is terminally ill, so that it won't suffer, but we don't extend the same consideration to human beings.

If someone who is terminally ill wishes to die, they should have that right. Talk about not letting people have control of their bodies....interesting how the government decides who can live and who can die....


Sidhe

[Slartibartfast]

From what I read, the parents and some others believe she is not in a permanent vegatative state, and that is why they are fighting the case. They've even tried to film her showing proof that she is aware of her surroundings, but the husband is blocking all of the parents' actions because he actually wants to pull the plug on her regardless of her condition.


Granted, I was reading from a source slanted towards wanting her to live, but if what the allege is true, she is not a vegetable and they can't pull the plug.

[Lady Sidhe]

" Terri Schiavo, 40,
suffered cardiac arrest 14 years ago and doctors call her
condition a "permanent vegetative state.""


I think that if she's been comatose for 14
years , and the doctors say her condition is permanent, odds are they know just a tad bit more than the parents.

TS, didn't your grandmother say that this woman was brain-dead? (FYI, TS's mother and grandmother were both nurses, and have been following this story).

Sidhe

edit: after reviewing more info, I have found that she is NOT brain-dead. However, check out the links in my next post.

[glatt]

If you have thoughts, one way or another on this, go ahead and post them here. But more importantly, tell your loved ones. They can't honor your wishes when you are a vegetable unless they know your wishes.

[Lady Sidhe]

Was she beaten?


One thing that caught my eye was this:

"In one such interview on Fox News Channel's On the Record With Greta Van Susteren, I heard Baden agree with a panel of lawyers that Terri Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state, and will not recover. But on a subsequent October 24 appearance on that program, Dr. Baden had a different perspective on the origins of the Terri Schiavo case."


Now I have a lot of respect for Dr. Baden. He knows what he's about. However, if he agreed that this woman is in a persistent vegetative state and will not recover, how does the possibility that she may have been beaten change that fact? She's either in a PVS or she's NOT.


This link includes information, and a timeline:

More info



Here is a very interesting commentary on Terri Schiavo, info from neurological experts:

Medical Info on her PVS state

[lookout123]

2 words. living will. someone should have "accidentally" tripped over the plug in her hospital room years ago.

[wolf]

There's no plug. That's one of the difficult aspects of this case.

She's not ON life support, other than requiring a feeding tube for nourishment.

She is conscious, but the question becomes one of whether she is actually alert, aware of her surroundings.

If she is, under the conditions in which she exists (I can't call it living), I would be begging to die.

I have seen the video tape her parents are showing to support their case. I don't think that what she evidences is much more than a reflex.

I do wonder about the criminal case implications against her husband, but if harm wasn't proven then, it's unlikely to be now.

I disagree with just pulling the tube and starving her to death, which is what brought her case to national attention, but I think that it would be reasonable to euthanize her, if a court would again order suspension of her feedings.

[lookout123]

where is Dr Jack when we need him???

[wolf]

In the Big House.

[lookout123]

i know - it was kind of a rhetorical question.

[Lady Sidhe]

" According to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke people in PVS "have lost their thinking abilities and awareness of their surroundings, but retain non-cognitive function and normal sleep patterns. Even though those in a persistent vegetative state lose their higher brain functions, other key functions such as breathing and circulation remain relatively intact. Spontaneous movements may occur, and the eyes may open in response to external stimuli. They may even occasionally grimace, cry, or laugh.... People suffering from PVS can generally be distinguished from afflicted but cognitively intact patients who suffer from "locked-in syndrome" by the fact that "locked in" patients can track visual stimuli and use eye blinks for communication.


Terri Schiavo's parents have posted several short ambiguous video clips online which are meant to show that Ms. Schiavo responds to stimuli. But what they show seems to fit an AMA's report of how PVS patients can respond to environmental cues without being aware. Specifically, the report notes, "Despite an 'alert demeanor', observation and examination repeatedly fail to demonstrate coherent speech, comprehension of the words of examiners or attendants, or any capacity to initiate or make consistently purposeful movements. Movements are largely confined to reflex withdrawals or posturing in response to noxious or other external stimuli. Since neither visual nor auditory signals require cortical integrity to stimulate brief orienting reflexes, some vegetative patients may turn the head or dart the eyes toward a noise or moving objects. However, PVS patients neither fixate upon nor consistently follow moving objects with the eyes, nor do they show other than startle responses to loud stimuli. They blink when air movements stimulate the cornea but not in the presence of visual threats per se."

Ms. Schiavo has been in this state for 13 years. What are her chances of recovering at least some awareness? Minnesota neurologist Ronald Cranford told the Washington Post, "There has never been a documented case of someone recovering after having been in a persistent vegetative state for more than 3 months."



I think that says it all...

[wolf]

Law & Order: Criminal Intent did an episode that was extremely loosely based on the Schiavo case.