Brain-damaged woman must be given 'wake-up' pill, orders judge

Daily Mail ^ | 11/20/06 | LUCY BALLINGER

[ReignOfError]

Aware doesn't necessarily mean communicative. There's a huge difference.

[Mr. Silverback]

She can always make her own choice to die of thirst and starvation, but at least it's her decision and not yours. But that's kind of the point, eh?

Direct hit!

[azhenfud]

Look where Kennedy woke up.

[Mr. Silverback]

If I were a judge, and a family said "Potential treatment? One that will show beyond doubt whehter she's really gone or not? No thanks, we'll just starve her," I'd be mighty suspicious.

[Mr. Silverback]

Does anyone care what the 53-year-old woman wants done? This is her call and as she cannot speak, her spouse if she has one makes the call...then her family. The courts, the church, the rabble on FR should have no say.

Generally, if one of these cases is in court it's because there's some doubt what the person wanted.

[Mr. Silverback]

She chose not to, and essentially "euthanasized" herself.

No, refusing treatment is not euthanasia or anything remotely like it. The two should not be confused, even to make a point.

[8mmMauser]

Pinged from Terri NOVEMBER Dailies

8mm

[sgtbono2002]

Certainly you should have that person's permission before you put them in that situation but I dont agree you shouldnt do it. Someone has to be able to make a decision, the one you pick should be capable of doing it .Once you know how the victim feels it should cause no lasting remorse to accede to their will.

[LaineyDee]

Why is it if a baby is "allowed to die" of starvation or dehydration, society is outraged (unless doctors help, of course - Baby Doe), but allow a comatose person to starve, you're a hero?

Because life has been cheapened selectively. Some of these posts I've read... really disturb my heart. It used to be in the medical profession we would preserve life....no matter what the cost. Otherwise, why would we have spent so many billions on research......trying to find cures?

Those who advocate "food and water" as a treatment...wanting it removed to extinguish those who are inconvenient, probably squeal to high heaven themselves.... if made to miss their lunch by an hour or two.

[robertpaulsen]

"I am sincerely glad I'm not related to you and you have no chance of ever being involved in a life changing decision that would pertain to me."

Yeah, but you'll never see me protesting outside of your hospital room. I'm scared to death I might see you outside mine.

[robertpaulsen]

"PVS patients have a chance at recovery."

According to who? Where did you read that? Can you support that idiotic statement?

The "P" stands for "Persistent". By definition, they have no chance of recovery.

[robertpaulsen]

Godwin's Law lives!

[palmer]

From wikipedia: Some authorities insist that PVS is an irreversible condition and therefore conclude that these recoveries involve cases in which there was not truly PVS.

Are you an authority?

[robertpaulsen]

"Ambien has been given to PVS patients, and its administration is bringing about the return to awareness that is being described with some degree of success."

According to who? Where did you read this? This article makes no reference to what you're describing.

[robertpaulsen]

"If it were fact"

It is a fact. It is the definition of PVS. The "P" stands for "Persistent".

"... but sometimes, yes, sometimes, they do."

They never, no, never, do. If the patient regains consciousness, then they weren't PVS.

[swmobuffalo]

"I'm scared to death I might see you outside mine."

Probably not. I support the judges' decision in this case. PVS is not the same thing as brain dead. Brain dead is just that, NO brain activity. In PVS patients, EEG's show a high level of brain activity. BIG difference.

[robertpaulsen]

"Several PVS patients have already recovered."

Then they were misdiagnosed as PVS.

"When food and water is defined as "artificial life support"; so that it can be withheld from PVS patients"

No one is saying it must be withheld. Do you have a problem calling a ventilator "artificial life support"? Do you think people call a ventilator "artificial life support" so it can be withheld?

"is one of the most frightening thing"

What's frightening is that you would be willing to watch 10 curable people die for lack of resources that a severly brain damaged PVS patient is using. And you'd feel noble about it.

[beezdotcom]

According to who? Where did you read this? This article makes no reference to what you're describing.

Ambien is a trade name of zolpidem. The article talks about zolpidem being administered to people in vegitative states to "wake them up". What was your question, exactly?

[robertpaulsen]

"Since I cannot feed myself, should then I be "allowed" to die?"

No. But if you continue to misrepresent what I said, I might change my answer.

Cool it.

[beezdotcom]

Then they were misdiagnosed as PVS.

Agreed. However, if this issue accomplishes nothing else, it may convince people to not so easily allow a misdiagnosis of PVS.