I know what a feeding tube is up close and personal. But they are used for many other reasons that for those in the situation that Terri is in.
I feel that my husband trumps my Mother and he WILL speak for me. That is the most important aspect of this sad and heart wrenching situation.
But not all husband's have their wives interests at heart like yours and mine. Being married to MS or OJ is not quite the same. That's why living wills are needed. Not just their word.
Where I live, if something happens to me and my husband our kids are made ward of the state unless we put in writng where they are to go. Even if our verbal wishes are otherwise.
With nourishment and hydration, Terri could outlive the judge, husband, and attorney, all dying natural deaths. I'm not predicting that, but I've seen to much unexpected to know that we must expect the unexpected we simply lacked the foreknowledge to plan for.
Life is strange indeed.
They are always used for feeding. Always.
And I had the number wrong - it was 850,000 people using them in this country.