Hypertweeky

I admire you for knowing what you want, really. Maybe someday I will be ready who knows..

Brit3964

Like some of the others here, I tend to agree that both Jeb and W Bush (and congress) should stay out of what is a family/doctor matter. The way that Jeb in particular seems hellbent on using all legal avenues forcing her to stay alive is disgraceful.

Although starving to death is hardly a fitting ending for anyone, especially under these circumstances (I agree with Matt Udall), it would bring closure to what has been a long 15yrs. Right now, the parents obviously feel anger and resentment towards her husband but surely once she has gone, they must feel some relief, if nothing else no more living in a hospice 24/7. They will be free to lives their own lives again too.

USA & Pakistan

That is when your spouse makes the decision for you, and everyone else has to accept that it is his/her decision to make.

Marnee

hcj1440

I was kind of disturbed by what the husband's motives might or might not be, until I heard that the various courts had consulted court-appointed physicians who had determined that her chances of recovery were extremely slim. In addition, they had appointed some "ad litem" or whatever guardians who had also agreed with the husband's (the legal guardian's) call.

Bluegrass Lass

I totally agree. I feel for the parents, but I feel that if they truly loved their daughter, they would let her go. The woman has not lived any sort of a life for 15 years. I feel that even if, by some remote chance, she does have some consciousness and knows what is going on around her, but can't communicate, she if probably suffering more because of being kept alive. What person would want to live like that? Regardless though, the gov't has no right to interfere, and I am whole-heartedly happy that the appeal by Gov. Bush was rejected and that the Supreme Court decided not to get involved.

I have to agree that this just brings up how important it is to write down one's wishes, instead of just verbally saying how you feel. I think hubby and I will have to look into getting a living will set up soon. And hopefully no one in th gov't will try to contest it.

Hyper, if this ever did happen to someone, they wouldn't be aware enough to change their mind. That's the whole point of having a will.

Lorenzo Rojo

Just thinking out loud

Hypertweeky

Well that's not fair, what if the marriage is downhill??

USA & Pakistan

Good point.

Marnee

Hypertweeky

You contradicted yourself you said that if she has some kind of conciousness she is probably suffering (I know your sentence was hypothetical) and at the end you say that if this happen to someone they wouldn't be aware enough to change their mind.. I don't mean to sound rude (you know I love ya) but there is no way for us to know what her ACTUAL will is.
The starving part is what I can't comprehend, serials killers in death row get a much better treatment geez!!

USA & Pakistan

No one said life was fair. Just another reason to choose your spouse carefully.

Marnee

Rete

Until yesterday I, too, had thought "allowing her to starve to death must be a very painful way for her to die." I voiced that thought to a co-worker and I'm very glad I did. For she explained to me how her mother was allowed to "starve" a few years ago and how the doctors explained things to her. Her mother had stomach cancer and as a result over a period of months was increasingly unable to ingest and retain food of any type. Because the process of increased intolerance was gradual she never was in pain due to lack of food. Her body was given nutrients through a tube until near the end it was decided that she was to be removed from even that. My co-worker said that although her mother had not ingested food nor water for a week before dying her lips were and mouth were kept moist and the only pain she experienced was from the cancer itself and not from the lack of food.

Starving in the cases of people who have been unable to ingest food over a long period of time is not the same as for someone who is fully conscious and denied food. For those people the pain is horrendous as their stomachs which were and are able to accept substance now are suddenly denied food and the stomach will contract and often fill with gas which causes pain. Such is the case with the young children whose pictures you see in ads for "Feed the Children".

As a mother of two daughters who are near to Terri's age, I would not fight for the feeding tube for my girls were they in this position. For me, I could not see them continue in this abbreviated form of what we call life. There is no brain function that allows them to communicate or participate with the world around them. There is no hope of recovery to the life that would allow them some functionality in the world.

Each of us must have the right to decide not only how we want to live our lives but we must also be allowed to chose, if at all possible, how it ends. A government entity does not have the right to decide that choice for me or for others. We can do that legally by having not only a living will but more importantly a healthcare proxy legally drawn and notarized as to our wishes and assign that proxy to someone we trust to carry out our wishes. A copy should be kept with your primary physician as well as in the hands of your trusted proxy. Terri's case brings to the forefront the fact that this is not an age issue. As long as you are over the age of consent, please draw up the two documents needed that will attest to your wishes. Don't leave your life's end to the hands of strangers and to do gooders who might not feel the way you do. You have the option legally to make that determination now. Do so. Not only do you insure how you will be treated if the need arises, you will also take the burden of decision off the shoulders of those you love and who love you.

Rita

USA & Pakistan

LInk to free Living Will docs: https://www.legaldocs.com/htmdocs/livin_st.htm
or
http://www.ilrg.com/forms/livingwill2.html

More sites available if you search.

Marnee

Rete

Not just a living will, Marnee. You should also have a healthcare proxy. This is the document which will be the most instrumental in carrying out your wishes.

Bluegrass Lass

Hyper, I was trying to say, that if she is not in a Persistent Vegatative State and did indeed have some limited awareness, she is still probably suffering in some ways. If you were aware that you couldn't feed youself, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything, don't you think that is a form of suffering?? Remember, her parents are conjecturing that she does have some limited awareness, and I feel that if she does, should would probably not want to go on that way. I for one would have them go ahead and pull the damn plug. That is no life whatsoever.

As for my ending statement about not having the awareness to change their mind, I was refering to individuals who are in a PVS. If a person is indeed in a PVS there is no awareness of what is going on, thus there is no way to change one's mind about "pulling the plug."

Hypertweeky

Just out of curiosity.. how old do you have to be do it?