Posted on 02/24/2005 3:08:47 PM PST by prairiebreeze
My brother was like that for about two months with Gillian Barre...but he recovered. It counts...sometimes being kept going is a temporary thing to get over a critical illness that will run its course, and then you will get better. If being trached was because of the flu, or a pneumonia, this is can be a good choice. If this is because of something that is not recoverable, such as a person who has Lou Gehrig's, now that is a different question.
I agree that there are times to be kept artificially alive. I am not sure that being 84 and in failing health is one of them
In the old days pnemonia was called "Old Man's Friend."
This is one of those things...when you are clear of mind and choking or suffocating to death, you might decide you don't like it...I guess it's one of those bridges that have to be crossed when you get to them.
I know if I had Lou Gehrig's, I would not want to go the respirator route...but if I were clear minded but sick with the flu, and choking from it, I might give in...thinking that this would be temporary.
Prayers said for a complete recovery. Good Lord please watch over your faithful and loving servant.
Gee, I hope the culture of death doesn't extend to the Vatican. After all, John Paul II can't breathe without a tube. What if some euthanasia contingent claims that he's suffering diminished quality of life and demands the removal of that tube?
Why does the Drudge headline say ''Silenced''? Did the trach permanently affect his voice?
Prayer ping for His Holiness.
I wonder if whoever said that is still on ebay trying to auction off the bridge over that narrow channel into SF Bay? That is, one might be suspicious.
I just hope more 'documents' and 'decrees' don't come down in the meanwhile all supposedly signed by the Pope. It's only to recall Wormtongue in Jackson's retelling of LOTR, as he holds up the order against Eomer - it's from the King, he signed it this morning.
One has to pray that JP II gets right with God and The Church, while he still lives. But his time surely is running out. And it will be interesting to see who is the new Pontiff, and whether he at all moves more finally and openly to the left and rebellion, or toward more Catholic orthodoxy, this from the fairly ambiguous, always suspect, and categorically disastrous policies of the PC Popes.
You forgot #4; he has Parkinson's, which drastically limits his ability to fight off infection, especially respiratory infections.
Don't take my post wrong.
I'm not Catholic and I have a lot of respect for this man and I'm praying for him.
This statement of Cardinal Sodano's has been twisted by the media. The liberals are just dying to get Pope John Paul II out of the way so they can elect some dissident into office and get all the things they have dreamed of passed--women priests, contraception and abortion approved, homosexual relations approved, and so forth. It will never happen. There have been weak popes and sinful popes, but in 2,000 years not even the most sinful of them have done anything of that kind.
Many of the liberals who so eagerly anticipated the Pope's death a decade ago are now dead themselves. God will take this Pope to Himself when it is time.
Takes me back to my school days. A lot of prayers were sent by the nuns to St Jude on my behalf!
My prayers are with Pope John Paul. He is a great man.
**Or so they say**
Do you have a source that says otherwise?
Bumping your thoughts. Prayers for the Pope.
If he wanted to go on breathing...............Accept it -- it's not time for the Pope to die right now.
Thanks for your input from the medical side of things.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Euthanasia
2276 Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.
2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.
Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.
2278 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of "over-zealous" treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.
2279 Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted. The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity. As such it should be encouraged.
Please see the Catholic beliefs about euthanasia I just posted above. I can't believe that I am hearing Republicans talk this way. It's very disheartening to me.
Thanks for your input!
But it is each person's decision and the Pope has made his.
Hopefully we all can respect that.
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