Terri Schiavo's Family Concerned About Italian Woman and Euthanasia Fight

Life News ^ | 7/10/08 | Steven Ertelt

[wagglebee]

Rome, Italy (LifeNews.com) -- The family of Terri Schiavo is concerned about an Italian woman whose father has won the right form a court to subject her to a painful euthanasia death. They fear Eluana Englaro will be dehydrated and starved to death in the same way Terri's husband forced her to endure.

Englaro has been in what doctors term a vegetative state for 16 years and has received food and water through a feeding tube.

Beppino Englaro, Eluana's father, has been seeking the right to remove the feeding tube and starve and dehydrate Eluana to death in the same way as Schiavo.

Schiavo's husband won that right after a years-long legal battle that made its way to the Supreme Court. Though she was able to interact with her parents and siblings, Schiavo died after a painful starvation death that covered nearly two weeks.

On Wednesday, Terri's brother Bobby Schindler talked with LifeNews.com about the situation.

He said that if Eluana is ultimately starved to death it would be a "barbaric and inhumane death."

“This court's ruling seems to indicate that American ‘medical ethics’ are spreading like a virus among the international community, threatening countless numbers of elderly, ailing and disabled persons in an increasing and alarming way,” he said.

“Our heart goes out to this family as we know very well the profound affect that these types of injuries can have on loved ones. However, we must remember that we have a grave obligation to do all we can to protect those with disabilities, recognizing that a person with a brain injury is a human being with an inherent dignity and a right to life," he added.

"This young girl needs only food and water and her family’s love to survive. At the very least this should be provided to her," Schindler concluded.

[wagglebee]

“Our heart goes out to this family as we know very well the profound affect that these types of injuries can have on loved ones. However, we must remember that we have a grave obligation to do all we can to protect those with disabilities, recognizing that a person with a brain injury is a human being with an inherent dignity and a right to life," he added.

And that is the problem, the culture of death DOES NOT want us to think of the disabled as human beings.

[wagglebee]

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[wagglebee]

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[mainestategop]

God... I hope I die young and whole. I cannot imagine being subjugated to the culture of deaths inhumane treatment of the weak.

[isrul]

Does daddyo get anything by snuffing the girl?

[isrul]

All you need to do is put a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger. Problem solved. You're in control.

[isrul]

If feeding and hydrating a human being were a legitimate reason for snuffing a human being, all infants would be gone by sun down.

[mainestategop]

All you need to do is put a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger. Problem solved. You're in control.

Heh! No thanks! I just hope that I never end up like Schiavo or that other woman. I pray to God I die before anything like that happens or that I remain sane and in control throughout my twilight years.

[Hildy]

See, it’s comments like yours that make the extreme pro-life people look ridiculous. It has nothing to do with the subject...but you know that.

[TKDietz]

How far do we go with all this keeping people alive by artificial means? Is it now our obligation to keep people alive as long as possible, whether they are brain dead or not? What is this, the “culture of keeping people alive by artificial means even if there isn’t a snow ball’s chance in Hell that they’ll ever wake up?” Who is supposed to pay for all of this? I sure hope I’m not kept alive for months or years after it’s clear I’m not waking up.

[wagglebee]

How far do we go with all this keeping people alive by artificial means? Is it now our obligation to keep people alive as long as possible, whether they are brain dead or not?

Civilized people have NEVER deprived people of food and water because food and water have NEVER been considered "artificial means."

The woman in question IS NOT brain dead, she IS NOT on ANY type of life support.

[TKDietz]

She’s been in a vegetative state for 16 years. Since Italy has socialized medicine, taxpayers are paying to keep this lady alive. It’s probably extremely expensive to do this. If somebody wants to keep somebody who is never going to wake up alive in perpetuity, that’s fine by me. But the person who seeks to do that ought to have to pick up the tab.

[wagglebee]

The cost of a feeding tube is about $30K per year.

Are you suggesting that a dollar amount should be specified and once a person reaches that they are left to die?

You need to remember that when socialized medicine was forced on these countries, their was no caveat about how it would be okay to kill them if it’s too expensive.

[duckman]

“They fear Eluana Englaro will be dehydrated and starved to death in the same way Terri’s husband forced her to endure.”

They should call Jeb Bush. He’ll know what to do. /sarc off

[TKDietz]

I'm suggesting that if the doctors are saying the person is a vegetable and they'll never wake up that no one should be forced to pay to keep them alive.

[isrul]

It has everything to do with the subject. It speaks to motive. Unless you're a homicidal maniac, you need some reason or rationalization to snuff your kid. Just want to know what it is.

[isrul]

We may remain sane. But I doubt we will be in control. Not by then. Even if then is not that far off.

[Sun]

Food and water are ordinary means; not extraordinary means. To deny a person of food and water, is just plain murder.

[TKDietz]

To keep a vegetable alive forever is just plain pointless, and in a way maybe cruel. I sure wouldn't want that for myself. Let me pass with some dignity when my time has come. Let my loved ones move on with their lives when it is apparent I am not coming back. There is just nothing natural about keeping someone in a vegetative state alive for years and years and years on end.

I've touched a nerve here. I should have never posted on this thread. Really what gets me is that I know there are a lot of people here who would go way beyond getting upset about letting someone in a vegetative state go. And I personally think you can take this “culture of life” too far. But hey, I know I'm not going to get much agreement on this thread, and you darned sure won't change my mind either. So maybe it's best if I just called it a day on this thread and stopped responding to any further posts.

[Salvation]

Pray for an end to euthanasia and the conversion of the world to a culture of life!

[Sun]

A human being is NOT a vegetable, and it is not “dignity” to treat a human being like a vegetable.

And there are many stories like this one:

“When Aldrich awoke in April, doctors still had little hope for her. ‘’They told me I was going to be a vegetable,” she said. ‘’They said I was going to be blind.”
——snip——

‘’I can’t wait to go back to Montreal,” to the hospital, she said. ‘’That way they won’t give up on anybody else.”’
——snip——

http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2005/05/01/woman_fights_back_from_near_fatal_coma/

[TKDietz]

Like I said, we aren't going to agree. I don't want to be kept alive forever. Most people I've talked to about it wouldn't like it either. My father has named me on his living will and health care proxy to make decisions regarding his health when he is unable to do it himself. He's given explicit instructions in the event he should end up in a vegetative state. He wants us to wait a while to see if the doctors might be wrong, and then to let him go if he doesn't wake up. He does not want to be kept alive if he's not really there. What's the point? He's a neurologist. He knows what it means to be in a vegetative state. I'm the same way. I do not want to be kept alive under those circumstances. I don’t really think it's “denying” someone food if they can't even ask for it, if they don't even know they are getting it. You're just keeping an empty shell alive.

Again, you will not agree. I could care less. I'm done talking about this.

[Sun]

“I don’t want to be kept alive forever. Most people ..”

It’s not up to you, or “most people” (even if that is true). It’s up to God, and it is wrong to starve or dehydrate someone to death.

It’s too bad so many people don’t know how a PVS diagnosis is wrong about half of the time even by neurologists; maybe then they wouldn’t be so quick to make the wrong decision.

And speaking of “living wills,” a “Will to Live” is better than a “Living Will” and can be downloaded to be used, or just used as an example, from www.nrlc.org.

Always make sure you know what you’re getting into with a “living will.” For instance, if you say: “I don’t want to be on a respirator,” it could mean one thing if it would only prolong an imminent death for months or years, and another thing if it would only be needed for 48 or more hours after an accident, and one could be restored to normal health.

[TKDietz]

This lady has been in a vegetative state for 16 years. I can't help it but my gut tells me the doctors were probably right in saying she wasn't going to wake up. All I'm saying is that I don't think someone should be forced to keep another alive in this state. If you want to keep someone in a vegetative state alive for decades, that's your prerogative. Go for it. Just don't expect me to pay for it. Don't expect taxpayers to pay for it. Don't force a family member to pay for it. Maybe all you people so concerned about this ought to form a special charity to keep people in persistent vegetative states alive in perpetuity. You guys can pay for it. Put up the money and the healthcare industry would no doubt be delighted to accommodate you.

[wagglebee]

I'm curious, do you have a list of conditions that a person should simply be allowed to die if they have?

What about someone who has a heart attack, or a stroke, or cancer? ALL of these cost FAR MORE to treat than it costs to insert a feeding tube.

I always find it odd that people start talking about how it isn't "humane" to let a person live in a vegetative state -- how is it inhumane to keep a person alive if, according to you, they AREN'T EVEN AWARE OF THEIR CONDITION?

Also, why is it that people like you ALWAYS bring money into it? Which is it, is it the humanity or is it the money? Keep in mind that all we are talking about here is FOOD and WATER, nothing more.

As for your premise that people in this condition "won't wake up" perhaps you should do a little more research:

Girl Once Comatose and Scheduled for Euthanasia Will Testify against Attacker

 

Never Forget About Terri Schiavo - Girl Awakens from Coma.

 

Re-Defining My Life Away: Turning PVS Patients Into Non-Persons

 

British Researchers See Normal Brain Activity in Another "PVS" Patient

 

Pulling the Plug: Ethicists Debate Ramirez Case

 

Jesse Ramirez, Considered a “Vegetable” Like Terri Schiavo, Now on His Way to Recovery

 

Permanent Vegetative State (PVS) Diagnosis Often Inaccurate More Data Shows

 

Woman in 'Vegetative' State Like Schiavo Wakes for Three Days, Speaks, Eats Cake - Relapses

 

Boy in "Hopeless" Vegetative State Awakens and Steadily Improves

 

Vegetative patients may have awareness

 

Vegetative State May be Caused by Brain Cooling from Oxygen Temperatures

 

Terri Schiavo Family Says Terry Wallis Case Shows Errors Diagnosing PVS

 

Groundbreaking Study Finds Drug Arouses People from a Permanent Vegetative State

 

Carrots Don't Cry

 

Rush Limbaugh: Injured Firefighter Was Given Chance to Live (Great e-mail to Rush!)

[BykrBayb]

What's the point? He's a neurologist. He knows what it means to be in a vegetative state.

He may know some of the many definitions of PVS, but if he doesn't know the point in not killing someone, he doesn't know what it means.

I can't help it but my gut tells me the doctors were probably right in saying she wasn't going to wake up.

All of the popular definitions of PVS are in agreement that it includes wake and sleep cycles. People with PVS diagnosis wake up at least once a day; more if they take naps.

I understand that brain injury is an uncomfortable subject. For some people, it's easier to end it, even through death, than to face it. Not everyone has the maturity to deal with adversity. But even weak people like that display a strong will to live to when faced with the prospect of their own demise by euthanasia.

Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it.

Þ

[BykrBayb]

As impressive as Wagglebee’s list of articles is, I’d like to point out that it’s just small sampling of the examples of people (yes, people) submitted for execution who have “woken up” from “PVS.”

Can you imagine what it must be like to have to prove to the world that you’re alive and human, with people like you refusing to even look? Disability isn’t the worst thing. The abuse inflicted by those who refuse to see the disabled as human is the worst thing.

Þ

[8mmMauser]

Pinged from Terri Dailies

8mm

[Sun]

“All I’m saying is that I don’t think someone should be forced to keep another alive in this state.”

No one’s putting her on any kind of sophisticated machine to keep her heart pumping, etc.. All that they are doing is giving her food and water. To starve and dehydrate someone to death is murder.

I would be happy to give to a charity to feed disabled people, even if their nourishment is a feeding tube.

I give to charties that feed needy people, and buy groceries for the local food pantry, so, of course, I would use my own money to help to feed the disabled, whether they use a fork, straw or feeding tube.