Walker says doctors have a special name for patients with terminal diseases, whose families refuse to issue a "do not resuscitate" order. They call them "futility cases."
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WALKER: And what do we do when we have a clear-cut case of medical futility, where we have families saying, "no, we're not going to make them DNR, we can't stop the ventilator, no, we don't want the hospice, do everything." So that's a tough, tough problem. It's very demoralizing for the caregivers, because in some cases, they feel like they're really torturing individuals. So what's the answer there?
The most famous such case, of course, was Terri Schiavo. Her parents wanted her kept alive at all costs; while her husband wanted her feeding tube removed.
Life and Death and the Bioethics of Elder Care
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"When the law permits killing as a medical 'treatment,' society's moral guidelines are blurred, and killing could gain acceptance as a solution for the chronically ill or vulnerable," said Brownback, a favorite of religious conservatives who is considering a run for president.
Kansas senator wants to derail Oregon assisted suicide law
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What world are these people in? Terri wasn't a "problem" and nobody claimed she was. Her maintenance costs were minimal. She wasn't suffering.
They did TORTURE her, not by continuing care for her but by NOT caring for her. They tortured her when they took away her water and food.
"At the end of our lives, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.’" -- Mother Teresa.