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Is this the story?

Since Steven Becker's March operation to relieve pressure on his brain, discussion has revolved around eliminating food and water, provided through a tube into his digestive tract. This medically assisted food and water was correctly called "comfort care" in records at St. John's Mercy Medical Center before the decision was made to end his life. Now the hospital -- as well as the media -- calls it "life support".

But St. John's and its ethics committee have also decreed that other treatments -- antibiotics, other beneficial medications, physical therapy and a possible operation to correct his now-infected brain shunt -- can also be denied to Becker even though the legal process is still proceeding.

Becker has been deemed by his doctors to be in a "permanent vegetative state", defined as "awake but (assumed) unaware". That diagnosis is disputed by at least one other doctor. But pain medications and muscle relaxants, which can cause sedation, are among the few treatments that may be provided. Why would a supposedly unresponsive person even need pain medication?

It could be. It was a few years ago that I read the story. My recollection is that it was somewhere in Middle America. And that the man's wife was not murderous, just overwhelmed. And the doctors couldn't be bothered to distinguish between the needy and the moribund.

Probably tons of stories could be posted that would fit the description. I could recount at least one more myself, although that woman just had cancer, she didn't need intensive care, but I swear her whole family and even her minister just thought the world would be a lighter place if she died.

That's my point, the Schiavo case is getting a lot of press and a lot of litigation (not wrongly) but this stuff is really happening all around us.

The culture of death is ascendant, and the fashionable think it's fine.