And what if your family wants to bear this burden? That's the heart of the Schiavo case.
I'm sure they would, but that's not the issue. The issue is my wish not to live in a brain damaged state with no hope of recovery. You would force me to do so, and place this burden on my family.
(Besides, we don't know for sure if the Schindlers would want to bear the burden without the $700,000, now do we?)
I am disturbed at RobbyS contention in post #398, that if a person has laid out what treatment they do and do not want, that if the family disagrees with that persons wishes, the family, if they are willing to bear the cost, should have the right to disregard that persons wishes...If I am misreading you, in advance, I apologize...but if that is indeed what you are advocating, I must disagree...
Each person does have the right to decide what treatments to accept and what to refuse....to me, that is a fundamental right...no one has the right to assault my body, and assault is what it is, if against my will, I am subjected to articifical means of life support, such as a ventilator, and I even consider it assault if I am forced to have a feeding tube surgically inserted into me, if I dont want one...
Both of my parents told me in advance what they did and did not want for their care...and they both said that no ventilators, no dialysis machines, no feeding tubes, is what they wished...I had pressure put on me by my dads GP, and by my moms visiting nurse to have feeding tubes put into them...both this GP, and this visiting RN, seemed quite comfortable with ignoring my parents wishes, and substituting their own wishes...I put them both in their place...fired the nurse because of her nasty attitude, and my dad, thankfully was under the immediate care of a caring oncologist, who told the GP to butt out...
No one and I mean no one, has the right to substitute their wishes for my own, not even my own family....my son and my husband both know what I do and do not want...My husband has graciously admitted that he would find it almost impossible to abide by my wishes, ,and he has agreed, that my son, who will abide by my wishes, will have the durable power of attorney over me, when the time comes...I have also spelled my wishes out in writing, so my son, knowing my wishes, told to him verbally, ,and presented in writing should have no trouble with granting my wishes...
I disagree with my husbands wishes, but will of course, abide by them, because that is what he wishes...my wishes are only secondary....
I wish for no ventilators, no dialysis, no feeding tubes, no CPR...I want nothing, I want to be let go..and my husband finds this almost impossible to abide by....he would wish to do everything possible for me...which is why my son will make the decisions if I cannot...my husband on the other hand, wishes for anything and everything be done to keep him living, no matter the cost, no matter the pain, no matter what condition he may be in...I disagree with him, but will take great pains to make sure that everything is indeed done for him, should he ever come to that situation...
But we as a family have worked this out ahead of time...and I give my husband great credit, that he has admitted that he would be unwilling to grant my wishes, and thus has given my care over to our son...my hubby disagrees with me, but would never, ever, demand that his wishes be granted for me, rather than abiding by my own wishes...even family members should abide by their loved ones decisions...
And anyone else, whether a doctor, or a nurse, or a relative, or a friend, has no say in my family matters...no busybodies welcome...