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?
When is rehab over. After how long do you say, nothing is going to work. One year, four years, five years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years. When does it end? If we go down this road, be prepared to fork over 75% of your income in taxes, because that's what it'll take.
Watch "My Left Foot" someday. It's a good lesson in why life isn't thrown away and even institutionalized lightly. A mindless yuppie, unschooled in the sanctity of life, might respond "have me killed if I'm not pretty any more," but we shouldn't be governed by people who have no respect for life--no matter how inefficient it might be.
You might try reading the totality of my post instead of leaping to an emotionally charged and incorrect conclusion. I was referring specifically to severe brain injury.
God Bless you.
haha yeah, he's really smart.
God bless you, kindred sister Two-Bits.
well then by your analogy if a cancer patient decides to refuse any further treatment, are they then committing suicide? chemo could prolong their life, maybe by hours, by days, by weeks, maybe months, but at what cost, my own aunt is still taking chemo even though she is now terminal, she has inoperable tumours, but she's going to reach a point when it is no longer worth it, the chemo that is, is she committing suicide because she didn't die trying every possible medical treatment until her dying breath, I don't think so
I've said this before and I'll say it again, I got no quarrel with the miracles of modern science, if I can be fixed, go to town, if I get cancer or whatever, I'll fight it tooth and nail, but I have every right to define what quality of life is for me, I'd prefer to get the big lethal dose of morphine when the time comes if I were my aunt but I'm not sure that is allowed in Canada (I think of poor Sue Rodriquez)- you can give it to a cat or a dog, but not me to end my suffering, thanks NOT!
Same here.
Please take a look at some video at TERRISFIGHT.ORG and see Terri respond to a doctor's command to open her eyes. Thanks!
Whoa! haha I totally agree with you. No arguments here. There's a point where it's just not worth it. my analogy is actually a pretty poor one to compare that to. but no, letting go is not suicide. i never said that, sorry if thats how it was interpreted.
My hubby said, "Don't say things like that!"
A week later my mom walked out of the hospital with no permanent mental or physical impairment. She passed away about six months ago, but in that seven years she basked in the love of her grandchildren, including my 16-month old daughter. A child she never would have met had the medical experts had their way. No one can say with certainty what Terri wants or what level of conciousness she posesses and no one has the right to kill her.
OFF TOPIC
Jim Moran is going off on Hannity Now!
Honestly Hildy, I would pick the second one, and have actually. I have no way of knowing the the quality of life a person in that position is actually living, and I do believe the will to live is strong in most of creation under any circumstances. There are those who wake up after years in comas and knew what was going on all around them the entire time. Life is life. That is exactly how I feel, honestly. Thanks for asking! :-)
do not apologize, your post is very insightful, you are sharing a great depth of life experience with this very matter....all I can say is wow
this is a hard issue for everyone to deal with at the best of times and if nothing else comes out of this tragedy, it has forced people to talk about this issue and living wills as it applies to themselves
it is interesting that your husband was honest and said he didn't think he could respect your wishes, this happens more than we think, and you took that further step to appoint your son
the reality is everyone has a different opinion on this difficult subject and, eh hem, fellow freepers, everyone's opinion ought to be respected
my own opinion is my opinion on the subject matter has not changed, I would have not wanted to live in a PVS when I was 26 and if I were terminally ill, I'd like the option to get an injection to take me away peacefully......
and now having seen loved ones suffer and die, I am more convinced, not less......
Hildy, your original vanity said, "Answer this question honestly". so i did....I answered it honestly. Since you seem to want an argument...not just an honest answer....I'll bow out now. You'll not change my mind and I'm sure I won't change yours....and that's fine....we just see things differently.
Thank you for that clarification, very helpful.
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