I should have clarified. I do not doubt it took so long, but I really don't know. What I meant was that I would take the opinion that the inventor would consider the feeding tube life support- along the same lines as ventilators/ heart lung machines and other such medical marvels. Yes the tube provided life support- ordinary food and water is life support for everyone. But the press kept saying Terri was on life support knowing full well that most people think it means heart lung machines and that the patient can not breath on their own.