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Tribute

A short tribute to the Schindler family... Terri, her parents, and brother and sister. I base this not on what I read or heard from others but only on what I saw.

Throughout the vigil, I would see the Schindlers regularly, during times which would rend an ordinary family asunder. As I would witness and be near this family of giants, I just was dwarfed in humility, standing nearby and in the shadows, not deigning to even go offer clumsy words of comfort.

They stood strong in the mind boggling adversity and up against the ridiculous mindless ridicule hurled at them with evil intent. We have even seen some of that assault on this thread. But they remained true to their faith, all of them, an inspiration beyond explaining to those of us who witnessed.

For it was the Schindlers, devout, faithful and courageous who were offering the comfort. Time and again we of weaker spine would break. Some of our band of supporters so overtaken with emotion would crumble temporarily and the Schindlers, each of them would take that special time to comfort those who came to comfort the Schindlers.

Watching them stand tall on that Holy Week of Easter with the burdens they shouldered, the scene delivered a new inspiration to us of lesser stripe, a new understanding of how Good stands up to evil in this greatest battle of good versus evil I have ever witnessed.

Terri was indeed blessed to have a family like her mother and father and siblings. Likewise, the Schindlers were blessed with that special honor of being the family of Terri.

I only wish we all could live up better to the example posed by the Schindlers and by the words of Monsignor Malanowski which we posted earlier in this thread.

God Bless Terri and her fine family.

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In Pennsylvania a new term is evolving, addressing what many believe would answer the dilemma faced by Terri. But I can only imagine what if anything would have evolved differently had such directives been in place back when it all happened.

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Most of us are familiar with the daunting medical term "DNR" -- Do Not Resuscitate.

For many persons worried about whether life-saving measures would be taken should they be stricken by disease or a stroke into a comatose state where they cannot choose their medical care, the DNR "orders" provide a measure of assurance that their wishes will be followed.

Now comes "POLST," a slightly more complex document system, but one providing additional assurance that the individual's directions will be observed.

POLST -- Physician's Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment -- are drawn up at participating hospitals and are used on a voluntary basis by emergency medical services, nursing homes and hospitals. It's a system that Dr. Judith Black, medical director of senior products for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, says needs to be broadened.

The POLST procedure is designed "for use with seriously ill people, who it would not be surprising if they died in a year or two," she told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Taking last orders to next step

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