Freep this Poll: Was it right for the judge to allow Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be removed?

USA Today ^ | 10/15/03 | USA Today

[Skooz]

USA Today, like other media outlets, insist on saying Terri is "comatose." Note how the article says they are "letting her die," rather than starving her to death. Amazing.

[supercat]

Forced Feeding is a form of life support.

Would spoon feeding be considered "life support"? Why has Schiavo blocked all efforts to do swallow testing?

[swheats]

Really that's a banning offense?

The call for hastening the death of a well person is a banning offense. Wanting to find a better way of honoring a person's living will that can't care for themselves is mercy and compassion. JMHO

[Campion]

She has been no more alive than a turnip for over ten years

Wow, a turnip that smiles and tries to talk and get out of bed. Some turnip.

Wise up. Her husband tried to strangle her, and succeeded only in putting her in the hospital. Now he has legal permission to finish the job. Why do you think her bone scan showed multiple old traumas? Why do you think he's ordered that she be cremated immediately after her death; no autopsy, nothing?

It's almost like he has something to hide.

[swheats]

I didn't realize all of this happened. Was her trying to get out of bed recently?

Makes the picture clearer why the husband refused to release her to her family.

[supercat]

Was her trying to get out of bed recently?

Somewhat recent, though I don't know the exact date. She'd been in the hospital a long time, though; if her condition has deteriorated since then, it would have been in significant measure because she's been denied any sort of rehabilitative therapy.

[Skooz]

Yes 70.09%

No 29.91%

Total Votes: 7108

[Servant of the 9]

Wow, a turnip that smiles and tries to talk and get out of bed. Some turnip.

There are some lower level brain functions operating, but there is no one home.

Wise up. Her husband tried to strangle her, and succeeded only in putting her in the hospital. Now he has legal permission to finish the job. Why do you think her bone scan showed multiple old traumas? Why do you think he's ordered that she be cremated immediately after her death; no autopsy, nothing?

If that were even remotely true, it would be a law enforcement matter, and it's not. The County Medical Examiner makes the dcecision on an autopsy, not the family.

I would want immediate cremation too, because the loons on the torture people with forced Existance bandwagon could very well dig up the corpse and try sticking a feeding tube back in and claiming it still lived.

So9

[genefromjersey]

Thanks !

I took the time to vote YES !!

By the way, those who feel the same way I do might wish to have "living wills" made out, which specify- if you are clearly terminal,NO HEROIC MEASURES should be taken.

[Skooz]

There are some lower level brain functions operating, but there is no one home.

Completely untrue. She has been awake recently. They are not removing ventilators or anything of the sort. They are starving her to death.

[Skooz]

She had no living will. No "heroic measures" have ever been taken on her behalf. None have been necessary. She lives on her own. Her husband has decided to starve her to death to get her out of the way.

[Skooz]

if you are clearly terminal

She is in no way "clearly" or in any other way "terminal." You might want to read up on the subject.

[supercat]

By the way, those who feel the same way I do might wish to have "living wills" made out, which specify- if you are clearly terminal,NO HEROIC MEASURES should be taken.

What sort of truly "terminal" patient survives an infection without antibiotics and then survives 60 hours without food or water? If there weren't some very strong will to live, Terri would have died years ago.

What would Terri have to do or have to have done to convince you that she wanted to live?

Under Florida law, a guardian is required to act in the best interest of his ward, and in cases where a guardian may have a conflict of interest the court is required to appoint a guardian ad libitem. Mr. Schiavo has on numerous occasions acted in a manner clearly contrary to the best interests of his wife. When the guardian ad libitem had the audacity to suggest that such a conflict-of-interest might exist, Felos had him dismissed and not replaced.

If Terri is indeed a vegetable, she should not object to being visited by her parents or having people attempt to communicate with her. His actions seem to be based on a fear of Terri's possible recovery; that is the only motivation I can think of. Can you offer any other explanation which would be consistent with all of his actions?

[madprof98]

The "yes" votes are still more than 2/3. I wonder what kind of people vote to kill other people.

[supercat]

I wonder what kind of people vote to kill other people.

Probably the sort that believes that Terri has been in a vegetative state for the last 13 years.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Titus Livius 59 B.C.-17 A.D. "...Of late years wealth has made us greedy, and self-indulgence has brought us, through every form of sensual excess, to be, if I may put it, in love with death both individual and collective."

[Skooz]

I wonder what kind of people vote to kill other people.

Hopefully, the ghouls will not be in the majority when I reach old age. I might be inconvenient and, therefore, disposable.

[Irene Adler]

"She has been no more alive than a turnip for over ten years, they are simply stopping the extreme body support measures that should have stopped after a week or so."

When my mom, who had signed a living will and filed it with her nursing home had her final stroke, she was flat on her back and unconscious. She was permitted to die because everybody involved knew she wanted it, and she had signed papers to direct that it happen.

I just saw a video of Terri S. sitting up with her eyes open and responding to some music being played for her. She didn't look like any turnip to me.

I sat with my mom during her last days, and I have seen video of Terri. Their situations are not the same, IMO.

[Pegita]

67.92% ~ Yes

32.08% ~ No

Total votes: 7691

[sport]

Well Skooz, wait until it is their turn to have the plug pulled on them and then see how they vote.

Michael states " Teri would not want to live like this."

If that is true, then why did he keep her "like this" until he won his lawsuit and deposited the money in the bank.

If you will check back, it was only after he got the money that, "Teeri would not want to live like this."

[jocon307]

So9

I don't fear death, but I really don't want to be murdered either. I'd like to leave that timing to God, and not some person, who may or may not have my best interests in mind.

I certainly don't expect to live forever, but I'd like to live as long as God wants, and not as long as my "husband", my "mugger" or my "doctor" find convenient.