My sister died having ovarian cancer. When she was diagnosed, Stage IV, they only gave her 6 weeks. My sister decided to fight and do what she could to live. I don't know if you know the details regarding ovarian cancer but it is one of the most painful deaths to go thru. My sister was in the hospice hospital numerous times and they would tell her daughter she would not make it thru the night but she did and would go home after a couple of days. She remember one time, she heard the Doctor tell Lisa that she would not make it thru the night and heard her daughter crying. She said I could not talk but I was screaming in my head, "Baby don't cry, it is not my time yet" and totally pissed at the Doctor for upsetting her daughter. She would laugh and tell me if she was given a dollar for every time they told her she had just six days, she would be rich. My sister lived for two years and died on her terms. You could not give any member of our family any amount of money to take away those two years. You could not give my sister any amount of money to give up those two years no matter how painful it was for her. My sister went thru SEVERE PAIN and yet look forward and appreciated every day she was alive. I learned from her what TRUE HONEST LOVE IS. Never not even once did my sister complain, nor bemoan her fate. I thank God for those two years. She taught me how to live and love life and she drew our family very close. My sister was 45 when she died. She had just became a grandmother a year before she was first diagnosed. In those two years, she got to know her Granddaughter and her Granddaughter got to know her.
I know first hand what you speak of. We all have choices and if that choice is to die by man's hand than who am I to say different BUT when this person such as Terri has not been proven to give that decision than I have to err on life. I'm sorry for your losses and the difficult choices you had to make which I know could not have been easy but Peach, before my sister was diagnosed, I would have probably agreed with you but after what my sister showed me during those two years, well, I have to side with God's decision when it comes time for him to call you home. Peach taking someone off of a life support system vs starving someone to death is two entirely different matters. Please know I do not mean any disrespect with this comment.
I'm sorry about your sister. My aunt died of ovarian cancer, so I know full well what she went through. It was the most horrific death I have ever witnessed. I am not going to recount the story here.
But we DID have the feeding tube removed from my husband's aunt. We have walked in those shoes and although the decision was more than difficult, it is something we would do again today, knowing that that once proud woman did not want to live on tubes.
We will have to agree to disagree about this issue; but I respect your opinions as I hope you respect mine.