DEATH, NO DIGNITY (Terri Schiavo Editorial)

New York Post ^ | February 26, 2005 | Arnold Ahlert

[nickcarraway]

THOSE who believe that Terri Schiavo — a Florida woman who has existed in a comatose state for 15 years — should have her life terminated are entitled to their opinions. But spare us the idea that this is about "death with dignity." Here are the details of that "dignified" death.

snip

Dr. William Burke, a neurologist in St. Louis describes the process: "A conscious person would feel it [dehydration] just as you and I would. They will go into seizures. Their skin cracks, their tongue cracks, their lips crack. They may have nosebleeds because of the drying of the mucous membranes, and heaving and vomiting might ensue because of the drying out of the stomach lining . . . death by dehydration takes 10 to 14 days. It is an extremely agonizing death."

Dignified? If you did that to your pet dog, you'd be locked up for animal cruelty.

E-mail: ahlert@adelphia.net

[Conservatrix]

He Ahert, you jerk, Mrs. Schiavo is NOT comatose....

[Darkwolf377]

Yes, but it's dignified for the husband, who of course is who we should be worrying about, right? ;) Why let this woman be alive even if her parents want her to be. I'm sure everyone who backs the husband who found themseleves in a similar situation would simply say "Oh well, I think my daughter is alive, and I want her to continue to be alive, but you're the boss, son-in-law!" Uh huh.

[SubMareener]

If she had been convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death, the Supreme Court would call this cruel and unusual punisment.

[True Republican Patriot]

This article describing how cruel and agonizing Death by Dehydration must be sent to all Legislators and JUDGES as well as Everone working on Terri's Behalf. Shocking and Horrific!!!!

[newsgatherer]

The NYP has become one great paper. Thanks for a great post.

[buffyt]

To me coma means asleep with eyes shut and no reaction to anyone or anything. And even then, when my aunt was dying and in a coma, we sang happy birthday to her on her birthday and her hand started shaking and trembling. They did remove her feeding tube, but I think they had her on pain releavers. I know when my mother in law was dying of lupus they had her knocked out so she could die painlessly. They were unable to help either one of them. All we could do was try to let them die without pain, they were both very old and both had survived cancer and other problems over the years. But Terry, to me, is awake. Brain damaged, not brain dead. There is a difference.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

He Ahert, you jerk, Mrs. Schiavo is NOT comatose....

I've seen the videos, and you're right, there's no way she's comatose. In fact, her responses are very much like those of my younger brother, who had very severe cerebral palsy and died of pneumonia a number of years ago. He literally couldn't do anything for himself; could only make noises (very much like Mrs. Schiavo) in response to questions, yet he could laugh, wink, and had normal intelligence. This whole affair is a travesty and makes me quite ill, especially with the knowledge that if this is allowed to continue the future may see us executing unwanted people by way of the cruelest means possible.

[Ramonan]

A Corollary:
If persons are convcted of a Capitol Crime, [a talk show hosted suggested this]:
Give them the same "termination"/"euthanization" as Terry Sciavo. That way, there is no definite time for the convict to die, and therefore no demostrators, holding candles and singing Kumbaya.

[mtbopfuyn]

Here we go with the comatose/vegetable again. Idiots all!

[Montfort]

Good point! No court would have let a mass murderer be executed by starvation and dehydration. "Cruel and Unsusual punishment."

Bump for Life.

[ViLaLuz]

She is not "in a comatose state," unless he is referring to the state of Florida...

[curiousmind]

Yes, and Judge Greer needs a guide dog that can read braile!
Yes, I see the light!
Don't let up the pressure, keep those e-mails flying, make some phone calls. The ex-pat from France set them back a step or two.
Join together, fight for Terri and the rest of the folks like her or to be like her. She needs therapy/medical treatment, sensory stimulation.
Pray!

[Freepertwo]

Heh! Good one.

[chas1776]

This is what is eventually go to happen!

In January 1983, twenty-five-year old Nancy Cruzan lost control of her car as she traveled down a Missouri road. The car overturned, and she was discovered, lying face down in a ditch, without detectable respiratory or cardiac function. Emergency medical technicians were able to restore her breathing and heartbeat, and she was transported to a hospital in an unconscious state. A neurosurgeon there diagnosed her as having sustained probable brain damage, compounded by significant oxygen deprivation. The estimated length of the period without oxygen was twelve to fourteen minutes. (Permanent brain damage generally results after six minutes without oxygen.) Cruzan remained in a coma for approximately three weeks, and then progressed to an unconscious state in which she was able to orally ingest some nutrition. In order to ease feeding and further her recovery, surgeons implanted a feeding and hydration tube with the consent of her then husband. In October 1983, she was admitted to a state hospital. Subsequent rehabilitative efforts proved unsuccessful. It became apparent that she had virtually no chance of regaining her mental faculties, and her parents—who had been appointed as her co guardians—asked the hospital to terminate the medically assisted nutrition and hydration procedures. The hospital refused to honor the request without court approval.

The United States Supreme Court upheld that ruling. It found that due process was not violated by the Missouri requirement that an incompetent person's wishes in regard to the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment be proved by clear and convincing evidence. In the end, however, further witnesses satisfied Missouri courts that such clear and convincing evidence of her wishes did exist, and medically assisted nutrition and hydration were removed in December of 1990. Cruzan died two weeks later. Missouri now allows health care directives (though not living wills) to instruct that medically assisted nutrition and hydration be removed after a diagnosis of permanent or persistent vegetative state has been made.

[Saundra Duffy]

Animal cruelty is not tolerated by our society. But loads of folks think it's okay to starve Terri to death. Go figure.