[wagglebee]

Just for everyone who is concerned about the “cost” of keeping Lauren alive, I’ve done some research.

I am sorry to report that the previous figure I had used of a few hundred dollars per day was wrong. I apologize for this. The actual cost is much LOWER. In fact, the estimate to have a feeding tube (including the nutrition/hydration, tube placement and medical care and antibiotics) is about $31,000 per year, a cost that is quite possibly well within the means of Lauren’s family. It is not unreasonable to think that the combined money her parents will spend on attorneys would, if conservatively invested, provide enough annual income to pay for Lauren’s feeding tube for the rest of her natural life.

http://www.vitalstim.com/pdf/VitalStim%20Fact%20Sheet%20(4601C).pdf
http://www.compassionandsupport.org/pdfs/research/NH_PEG_Dementia_Poster_AGS_2007.pdf
http://www.compassionandsupport.org/pdfs/research/AGS_PEG_Handout_2007.pdf
http://www.emedicine.com/radio/topic798.htm

[8mmMauser]

It is kind of unnerving how pro-death advocates think, especially when they are sure they can outvote God. If they are considering from my perspective, I guess they figure with their concepts of democracy God only has three votes. I also find interesting the straw man floated about cost. It must come from people who hold money higher than life, in other words liberals at heart regardless of who they say they are. From my own experience I can’t grasp even holding costs up as a factor in consideration, simply a possible obstacle to overcome.

I am glad you are bringing out these facts and arguments as sound reminders.

But that straw man is a dog-eared mantra scraped from the used mantra pile, with the same relevance as “Give peace a chance...” or “jobs, peace, justice.”

Yes, cost can be a lesser or greater obstacle to surmount, but certainly, does not play as a factor on whether one lives or dies. The argument says bundles about its own champions.

[William Terrell]

So? Contribute, then. Put your money where your mouth is.

[TigersEye]

Thanks for doing all that research. I thought several hundred per day sounded like too much but I, thankfully, have no personal experience with medical costs. Yet. Since I have little money and no insurance I probably never will unless it's with someone close to me.

As you said before though; cost is not really the issue here. It is a problem that needs to be addressed without a doubt but it's not directly a Pro-Life issue. Yet. The more government gains control of health care budgets the more it will become a Pro-Life ethics issue.