8mm
Posted on 07/17/2007 5:29:02 PM PDT by Coleus
According to a study by the Coma Science Group of the University of Liège, Belgium, up to half the patients in an acute vegetative state regain some level of consciousness. Results of the study are also consistent with previous studies showing that at least 40% of patients deemed to be in a persistent vegetative state are misdiagnosed. “The study showed how very hard it is to disentangle the minimally conscious state from the vegetative state,” says Dr. Steven Laureys. And in cases that health workers diagnosed as minimally conscious, 10% were actually communicating functionally.
Comparing past studies on this issue shows that the level of misdiagnosis has not decreased in the past 15 years.
The results “should give great pause to those who advocate not supplying or quickly removing life support for people with traumatic head injury,” writes Wesley J. Smith, an attorney for the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Moreover “when family members claim that they detect signs of consciousness in their ‘unconscious’ loved ones, doctors should be less quick to assert that they are merely seeing ‘what they want to see.’” Finally, “people ought to consider this problem when determining in an advance medical directive to have themselves dehydrated to death if they become permanently incapacitated” (North Country Gazette 6/21/07).
Researchers are seeking “markers that tell us whether we should increase our therapeutic efforts.” Patients who pass the initial functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) could be followed up with electroencephalography (EEG) (Nature 2007:446:355). "Of course, what really needs to be done is to reject the motion that people with severe brain injuries are somehow less ‘human’ or are not ‘persons.’ Unless and until we do that, people in these devastated states will not be safe,” Smith continues. www.wesleyjsmith.com/blog
In Arizona, Jesse Ramirez, Jr., became responsive about a month after a car crash that left him in a coma, and a week after food and water were restored. He had been five days without hydration or nutrition when his wife made the decision to disconnect his feeding tube. His parents and siblings filed a lawsuit to have the tube re-connected, and a guardian appointed by the court. Ramirez was nearly dehydrated to death without lawful authority. Arizona statute reads that “a surrogate who is not the patient’s agent or guardian shall not make decisions to withdraw the artificial administration of food or fluid.” Ramirez’s wife, with whom he had a “tumultuous” relationship, did not have power of attorney. Ramirez is now able to answer yes-or-no questions, nod his head, give a thumbs-up sign, and sit in a chair (Arizona Republic 6/27/07).
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I know some may disagree, that we should ‘let them go’, but I personally believe in fight until you can’t fight...
..but that’s just my opinion.
No surprise in it...but why do people feel compelled to distort facts to try to argue their points, rather than adjust views to match the facts?
Agreed.
As for myself, I have no intention of giving up. I will fight for individuals to decide their own fates. I will fight to maintain respect for each person as someone with his own personal preferences, not just a statistical "life." I will fight to protect the right to live or die, as endowed by our Creator.
"Let them go" is one thing, but denying them food and water IMO is NOT letting them go; it's "helping" them along to their final destination. MAYBE a step up from putting a pillow over the face.
Terri Ping
ping
ping!
But the pro-death crowd won't let facts get in the way. They'll just decide for themselves that no one would want to live like that so the person unable to express their own wishes must feel that way, too. They then have no choice and will simply be murdered to harvest their organs.
bookmark
Yes, Michael Schiavo still runs around the country preaching his poison.
Another reason to “err” on the side of life.
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