Should she be kept alive or allowed to die? (The Tennessean)

The Tennessean ^ | 10/29/03 | By HOLLY EDWARDS

[pnz1]

Nashville woman's wishes disputed by two who love her

In a Hermitage nursing home, 61-year-old Betty Haynie lies at the center of a complex, painful and controversial division between two men who love her.

One believes she could live if someone would simply feed her more; the other says she's simply too sick and doesn't want ''extraordinary measures'' to keep her alive.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Waiting for the "anti-death cultists" to descend like a plague of locusts to try and take out every living will statute in the country.

[Bluebird Singing]

This is unlike the Terri Schiavo case. There is a living will which specifies that this woman wanted no fluids or nutrition and she is in the final stage of Alzheimer's disease which is fatal.

What is an "anti-death cultist"?

[Catspaw]

In this case, she does have a living will and her boyfriend (who has no legal standing) is the one objecting. Had he married her when he had the chance, he, not the son, would've been making the decisions--but would he have ignored her living will if he controlled the decisions?

[ellery]

If she has a valid living will, then the situation seems clean-cut. That's what's missing in the Schiavo case.

[Mamzelle]

An "anti-death" cultist is anyone who resists the lawyer's imperative to play god.

[Agnes Heep]

What's the extent of the atrocities that a person can specify in a living will?

[Normally a Lurker]

Is one will only ones will if it is written down?

[shhrubbery!]

Should she be kept alive or allowed to die?

The headline betrays the bias.

Let's try it from a different angle:

Should she be kept alive or allowed to die?
Should she be fed, or starved to death?

[Bluebird Singing]

No, recollections of "loving husband" of comments made during TV watching should suffice just as well.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

You are an awfuly bitter guy. This case is different. A person has a right to die. Terri's case is not a right to die case, it is a right to kill case. Furhter,it seems to me that you want it to be a personal fight all your own to show you can discredit yourself, inflame people with conservative ideals on a conservative forum, and show what an all around bully you can be.

Good fight CP.. Wow you know how to pick em. I think you are winning the battle of who can be most insulting to conservatives. If I didn't think everything you say is bunk, I might be slightly offended.

[EllaMinnow]

Under Florida law, spoken words are enough. A verbal statement cannot be used to contradict an actual document, but can be used if no written statement exists.

[Mamzelle]

You speak from a generalized frustration, I suspect, from the Schaivo mess.

You might examine the CV of Counselor Felos, the extremely well-compensated ($350K) advocate for Terri's speedy demise and Michael's convenient widowhood--a spooky character if there ever was one. He sees dead people.

The hospice tradition of easing the dying is a good one--but attracts its share of nutniks, just as the Boy Scouts have to be on guard against pedophile scoutmasters.

Vigilant chaperonage is the key.

[Prodigal Son]

Well, I've instructed my wife to allow me to die if I were in similar straits. Whether you look on that as starving me to death or letting me die- doesn't matter. I've even asked her to OD me with morphine if necessary and if she thinks she can get away with it without losing her license to practice.

I definitely do not want to be kept alive in a vegetative or severely debilitated state. And I definitely do not want lots of outsiders who never even knew me having a say in the matter.

[Normally a Lurker]

As it well should be, IMHO.

Thanks for the post.

[shhrubbery!]

Under Florida law, spoken words are enough.

This is Florida law now, as passed by its duly elected representatives:

...the Florida Legislature, at Gov. Jeb Bush's urging, passed a new law that orders the continuation of food and water when a person is in a persistent vegetative state and hasn't left a ''living will,'' a directive that spells out what care a patient wishes to receive.

I believe this quote leaves out the fact that the new law doesn't kick in unless there is a dispute among family members as to the patient's wishes. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.)

[CDHart]

"Is one will only ones will if it is written down?"

Legally, yes. Just FYI for all, in addition to a living will you need to have an "advanced care directive" as well, and make absolutely sure that your family, your doctors and your hospital or other health care facility has copies.

Carolyn

[bert]

Your hubby is misunderstood and much maligned?

You are a good candidate for a Wesley Clark voter.

[shhrubbery!]

I definitely do not want to be kept alive in a vegetative or severely debilitated state. And I definitely do not want lots of outsiders who never even knew me having a say in the matter.

Well fine for you. But you can't speak for Terri or others in a similar condition.

Leftist lawyer Ron Kuby used to think like you, but he changed his mind.

Kuby saw his own elderly father suffer through throat cancer. He was told he might need his larynx removed to survive. The father told his family that he "didn't want to live without a larynx" and didn't want "extraordinary measures" taken to save him.

Well, when it came down to it, Kuby's father changed his mind. He DID want to live, after all. And he had the operation.

Ron Kuby now says: "If I'm ever in a vegetative state, assume I WANT TO LIVE. And stay away from those plugs!"