Would You Want To Continue Living Like Terri Schiavo?

None | 10/20/03 | Self

[auggy]

Assuming therapy had been attempted and nothing has helped Terri, would you want to continue living in the same condition Terri is?

[oreolady]

YOu haven't answered my question, Auggy, HOW DO YOU CHOOSE TO DIE?
BY WHAT METHOD???

[auggy]

"I believe the point is, many believe that Terri has NOT stated one way or the other. All we have to go on is her "husband's" sudden remembrance that, after he asked for and received lots of $$ to pay for her rehabilitation, he suddenly recalled she told him not to try and keep her alive in such circumstances."

If, I remember correctly, the Father stated that the lawyers got all of that money.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Would I want to live like Terri? No.

Would I want someone to murder me if I ended up like her? No.

I am currently disabled. I don't want to live like I live now. There are days I say I want to die. If someone heard me say that and used it as evidence, I'd be in trouble. But I don't want anyone to kill me now or in the future whether I have hope of recovering or not (and unlike Terri, I do).

God has reasons for everything He does. When man interferes there are consequences.

[libravoter]

Some states include food/water in defining "life support", while others SEPARATE the two terms, food/water, and respirators/heart machines!!!

Excellent point. It is also important to assign someone you TRUST as your health care proxy and make sure they know what you would want.

Much like organ donation, you can have your wishes in multiple documents, but it's usually the family's choice.

[auggy]

"You sound very selfish: life is not always about "what I want".

I don't think that me stating I would not want to continue living in that condition is selfish. In other words, you think I shouldn't have a right to say whether or not I want to live or die, like that?

Everyone should have that right. That is why there are Living Wills.

[auggy]

"YOu have that right to your opinion on how you would want to live, Auggy, but the real question is this: BY WHICH METHOD DO YOU WANT TO DIE?"

There is only one way to die. The way they are doing it.

[auggy]

"I wouldn't want to live if I was you. Where do we go with that?"

Sorry, you feel that way.

[auggy]

"Would you want therapy to be attempted before the decision was made, though?"

Yes, I would want everything possible to help me.

[Notwithstanding]

We do not have a right to demand that others cut off our food and water.

If I lock myself in a cage and let everyone know I want to be left alone to die, then the local authorities are obligated to come to my rescue (thank God) - depsite my stated wish to die.

Why we should honor the supposed death wish of a mentally incapacitated woman?

[TYVets]

"There is only one way to die. The way they are doing it."

Fast, (no water, no food) for 60 hours, then honestly answer that question. Is that the way you want to die?

[Catspaw]

All right. Your choice. Most people who say they wouldn't want to live like Terri are unaware that therapy has been deliberately withheld from her; some I've talked to seem to change their opinion of the case when I tell them that.

Sorry, it's not persuasive for me. I made my decision years ago and made my wishes clear in writing to my family, my doctor and the hospitals in the area (the latter two are state requirements) in a living will.

[auggy]

"I just wish to God that Terri had a living will, but she doesn't. And now all I wish is that her family can find some peace in such a horrible time. "

That is the best thing I have heard all night.

[auggy]

Very well said.

Death should be God's decision, but there are times when it is also in our hands. It would be nice, if this was never an option, but it isn't. We have to sometimes do what we don't want to do, even when it comes to life and death.

[auggy]

"I would not trust her husband or his lawyer of death to advise me about myself or a member of my family. To be truthful, there is too much smoke in Terri's case. There is a lot of fire that has not been seen so far."

I agree. There are too many suspicious events or non--events. This should all be done ,before carrying out the death sentence.

Therapy, and examinations all should be exhausted to help the poor woman.

[auggy]

"Fast, (no water, no food) for 60 hours, then honestly answer that question. Is that the way you want to die?"

Yes, I would, if that was the only way.

I pray I am never in that condition, but I feel any type of death would be better than that life.

[auggy]

"Why we should honor the supposed death wish of a mentally incapacitated woman?"

God has given us the knowledge to perform delicate surgeries to save lives. God has given man the knowledge to develope ways of keeping people alive, when they would die on their own. If, God has given man this kind of knowledge, don't you think God has also given man the knowledge to discontinue the life supports, when there is no hope for the person to ever think again or move their limbs, or have any kind of life other than in a vegetation state?

[Notwithstanding]

Deliberately starving an innocent person to death is NEVER a good thing.

No one has a right to be starved to death - even if mentally competent.

[supercat]

Sorry, it's not persuasive for me. I made my decision years ago and made my wishes clear in writing to my family, my doctor and the hospitals in the area (the latter two are state requirements) in a living will.

Fair enough. If you would not would rather die in such a condition than attempt therapy, that would be your decision to make for yourself. I see nothing to suggest it's the decision Terri would make for herself.

[GOP_Thug_Mom]

Let's see, do I want to put my loved ones in the position of seeing that I'm murdered? Don't think so.
"Thou shalt not kill". I think I'd rather suffer here on earth for a while (God give me the strength!!), than suffer for eternity in HELL for authorizing my own murder!!!

[supercat]

I pray I am never in that condition, but I feel any type of death would be better than that life.

But what exactly does "that life" mean? The torture Michael is inflicting on Terri by refusing her loved ones access while he visits her privately with his sweetie-pie? The torture of being denyied any sort of rehabilitative treatment, and on the occasions when someone does sneak some past your tormentor, having it suddenly shot off as soon as he discovers it?

Or by "that life", do you mean the life that Terri might live if she were allowed therapy and if, by some miracle, Lord Voldemort's most recent starvation attempt doesn't do even more severe damage than had already been done?