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Question for my Fellow Freepers...
March 23, 2005 | Hildy

Posted on 03/23/2005 5:09:24 PM PST by Hildy

You are in your 20's, and you're visiting somebody in the hospital. You pass by a room where somebody is all contorted up, in a vegitative state. Would you say to your husband:

a)Honey, Don't ever let me live in that condition.

b )Honey, If I ever get like that, please make sure you do everything in your power, whatever the cost to you and our family, financially and emotionally, to keep me in that vegitative state no matter how long it takes. I want you to come and sit by my side every day and go home alone every night. I want to have strangers tend to my most personal needs. If I don't respond in four or five years, make sure I'm kept alive by a feeding tube in my stomach. And, most importantly, if you're not sure if I know what's going on around me, please err on the side of caution and keep me in that bed, indefinitely.

Remember, you're 24 years old. Which one would you pick?


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: dramaqueen; gogetavibrator; hildysfakeopus; hitlersminion; inanevanity; ithoughtyouleft; justgoaway; liar; lifeissacred; livebygodslaw; ohshutup; pullmyfeedingtube; zot; zotmeplease
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To: Hildy

I would say "don't sacrifice your soul just to do something that you think will keep me from suffering."

Seriously.

I could tell them "if I get in that condition, please blow my head off with a shotgun" too, but it wouldn't be right.


21 posted on 03/23/2005 5:14:18 PM PST by mhx
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To: Aussie Dasher
I agree. I always said I wouldn't want to be in that "state", however, to be left without water or food to die . . .

It's very sad. I have to admit I've cried now more than once.

22 posted on 03/23/2005 5:14:21 PM PST by Raffus (Thanks to all Veterans for their service to our Country.)
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To: Hildy

I'm sure you'd say (a) at that age. Anyone at that age would say it, and carelessly.

And that's precisely the problem with the evidence they're trying to use to starve Terri. How could anyone know what they would want in that situation until they're in it, and it's too late to tell anyone?

Look, there are no issues here of terminal illness or "right to die." Terri is perfectly healthy. This is a simple "quality of life" case.

If you believe that one person has the right to tell another that their quality of life makes it not worth living, then take the side of Michael Schiavo.

If you believe that every life is worthwhile in its own right, no matter how retarded or crippled a person is, then take her family's side.


23 posted on 03/23/2005 5:14:21 PM PST by The Old Hoosier (Right makes might.)
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Comment #24 Removed by Moderator

To: rhetorica

Oops--that should be A. Sorry.

I'm still working on the being of "sound mind" part.


25 posted on 03/23/2005 5:14:51 PM PST by rhetorica
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To: Jim Robinson
"Bush is saving your ass whether you like it or not."

Thanks for sharing that one.

26 posted on 03/23/2005 5:14:54 PM PST by Samwise (Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.)
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To: Peach

My mother had her respirator turned off at age 44 after a brain hem 2 days after the incident.

If there had been any brain activity at all and any response at all I would have not allowed the respirator turned off.


27 posted on 03/23/2005 5:15:00 PM PST by alisasny (We get 4 more years, you get OBAMA...: ))
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To: Raffus

You and me, both.


28 posted on 03/23/2005 5:15:05 PM PST by Aussie Dasher (Stop Hillary - PEGGY NOONAN '08)
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To: Jim Robinson
Had I known I was gonna live so long, I'd a taken better care of my teeth. ~ John Wayne

John Wayne and I have something in common. :-}

29 posted on 03/23/2005 5:15:09 PM PST by jwalsh07
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To: MikeinIraq

No one disputes that Terri had three years of intensive therapy. The Schindlers testified under oath they know their daughter is PVS. All her guardian ad litems said she was PVS. This case has been the most scrutinized, litigated case of its kind.


30 posted on 03/23/2005 5:15:18 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: Hildy

I am 25 years old. I believe life should be continued until natural death occurs. And no, I do not see imposed starvation and dehydration as a "natural" death. Yes, I have my explicit wishes in writing, and my husband and mother are aware of my wishes.

Now, am I really not going to have to hear from you on a Terri Schiavo thread again, or is this another stunt to get attention, as was your "opus?"


31 posted on 03/23/2005 5:15:37 PM PST by AQGeiger (Have you hugged your soldier today?)
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To: Hildy
go home alone every night.

Oh...so we're NOT talking about the Schiavo case? The husband in the Schiavo scenario has NOT "gone home alone every night" for, what, 10 years?

Put it in writing....or assume that there are some "crazy" people out there who will try to save your life.

We just don't *really* know what Terri wanted....I'd rather err on the side of LIFE. Then, after rehab, she can punch me in the face.

32 posted on 03/23/2005 5:16:10 PM PST by ZinGirl
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To: Hildy

If I had a family as loving as the Schindlers I wouldn't mind being in Terri's state with the feeding tube. Commencing at age 24. You are way too cold on this one.

#1 Terri has a great family willing to take care of her.
#2 Michael Schiavo is a total liar. Not to be trusted on what he claims Terri said

Too bad your mind cannot wrap itself around the above two achingly obvious facts. You are sucked in by M Schiavo. You actually believe this scumbag. Admit it


33 posted on 03/23/2005 5:16:33 PM PST by dennisw ("What is Man that thou art mindful of him")
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To: Peach

you sure?

I could have sworn that she hasnt been allowed to have any legitimate therapy to allow her (possibly) to eat via her mouth or stuff like that.. Physical type therapy...

oh well...

I still would hope my wife would starve me to death if I was like that.


34 posted on 03/23/2005 5:16:43 PM PST by MikefromOhio (Silly Hippies, Bush Won!!!!)
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To: Hildy

I know I wouldn't want to be in that condition and my wife and I are working on living wills to prevent it. In Terri's case it isn't nearly so clear cut. All we have is the word of a man who was once her husband who managed to forget that she didn't want to live for several years.


If Terri is truly unaware what difference does it make if her parents keep her alive.


35 posted on 03/23/2005 5:17:13 PM PST by cripplecreek (I'm apathetic but really don't care.)
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To: Hildy
I would want my husband to go on with his life. Why should his life be wasted because of my condition? Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn't love their spouse.

Beyond that, I would hope that he, along with our children would respect my wishes not to live in that condition, whatever it would take short of putting them in legal jeopardy. I can't imagine Terri would approve of the behavior of anyone in this ordeal.

36 posted on 03/23/2005 5:17:22 PM PST by Trust but Verify (Pull up a chair and watch history being made.)
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To: Hildy
I would say "Don't let me live like that." However, were I to walk by another room with a brain-damaged woman starving to death because her husband and the courts conspired to withhold food, I would say, I would say, "Don't let me die like that."
37 posted on 03/23/2005 5:17:28 PM PST by Samwise (Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.)
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To: jwalsh07

It's relevant because there's the idea that this isn't what she wanted. I'm saying this is probably what she would have wanted.


38 posted on 03/23/2005 5:17:30 PM PST by Hildy
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To: A CA Guy

Please read up on this case. Everyone testified, INCLUDING her parents that she is in a PVS.


39 posted on 03/23/2005 5:18:24 PM PST by Hildy
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To: alisasny

I'm sorry for your loss.

There's a big difference between turning off a machine and deliberately starving someone to death.


40 posted on 03/23/2005 5:18:25 PM PST by Aussie Dasher (Stop Hillary - PEGGY NOONAN '08)
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