Taking note. Thanks for sharing FEEDING TUBES ARE NOT ARTIFICIAL LIFE SUPPORT WITHOUT OUR WRITTEN INFORMED CONSENT!!! I think it is a good talking point. Don't want them to think we are talking about Terri or they just might lose their support. What's wrong with this picture? I agree with your talking point. I didn't get a chance to call Bilirakis' office yesterday but I will this morning. Another reported to me that he supports the new bill. The major hurdle may be the senate so we really need to get Tom Lee on board against crime and supporting the talking point you mention. We need a definitive answer as he has been speaking in the press out of both sides of his mouth. Is he for conflicted guardians, those who attempt murder, and not protecting the vulnerable and disabled from being fleeced and murdererd or is he for good people, justice, helping the disabled and vulnerable not to be fleeced and murdered?! Find out and report back to the list.
Gotta work on lotsa stuff at the same time, multi tasking...
Let's at least get the Florida House Health Care Committee to approve this, get it out of committee
EVERYONE.. THE MEETING IS TODAY WEDNESDAY DO THIS NOW...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1352657/posts?page=3497#3497
Here is what I wrote:
Mr. Garcia,
I am and American citizen living in France.
I wish to offer my input into the committee meeting on HB 701
A Feeding Tube should not be considered as Artificial Life Support.
My cousin has had a feeding tube since he was born, and he is now 20 years old.
You only connect when you eat. The rest of the time, you are not connected to anything.
Many disabled people require feeding tubes in order to receive nourishment.
Food and Hydration are the basics to life, and should be classified as “Ordinary Care”
Not Extraordinary Artificial Life Support.
Unless a person has a written request (my father has one and he HAS requested to not be fed if he can’t eat himself)
We, meaning we society, should not deny anyone food and hydration, unless they has requested this in writing.
Although my father has requested starvation in a certain set of circumstances, I have in my living will, that I WANT to be fed.
Food and Water are basic to life and a feeding tube is placing the food into the stomach, instead of the mouth.
Plenty of people are spoon fed, fed by hand, the feeding tubes are for convenience of the nursing staff.
Please change Florida Law so that disabled people are not starved to death in Florida.
One last thing, this is getting very bad press in France. Americans are being portrayed as barbaric.
In France they love their food and drink and would not consider involuntarily starving people to death.