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Gotta admit....she looks like Old Strom.

Oh my goodness... she is the *very image* of Strom.

I love Mel Gibson, and I despise the reasons this movie is getting ripped... but I'm not going to see it. I'm also not going to rip it at all. But I'm a conservative Presbyterian, so I have to give it a "no" on 2nd Commandment grounds.

I talked today to a member of my church who is an MD who does cardiac ressusitation in the hospital where I have treatment. He deals with these issues constantly. My specific concern was Terri's case and Advance Directives vs. what MD's will overrule. His take on it: the Shiavo case is a nightmare that thankfully is extremely rare. And...

It is extremely important in this day that we all have Advance Directives and a designated Medical Power of Attorney IN WRITING, and that the agent/proxy *fully* understands your wishes and will carry them out whether or not he or she agrees with them. If you don't, your next of kin *will* have your Medical Power of Attorney. As we've seen in Terri's case, that's almost impossible to change, regardless of morality, conflict of interest, etc.

Get it done! Assign a Medical Power of Attorney, someone you absolutely trust, and tell him/her *and* everyone in your sphere what you want.</p.

My MD connection confirms that it is so difficult to overturn Medical Power of Attorney (whether written or legally assumed such as in Terri's case) that you don't have to worry about doctors overturning it. The problems occur when family members disagree with the decisions of the agent about what the wishes of the patient would be. It doesn't help Terri, but we need to let our families and friends know that we've assigned a legal Medical Power of Attorney (and an alternate), and spend 10 minutes making our choices clear. I've got a contentious family, and what I have to make clear is that my son Matthew and my daughter Bethany are *not* to be pressured to obey anyone's wishes but mine. The good news, anyway, from my MD friend, is that for *now* most of us don't have to worry about being in Terri's situation, especially if we an Advance Directive. It doesn't make me feel any better about Terri, but everyone who cares about me has in writing what I want, and we'll never go through this.

Remember that if MS and Felos are to maintain their contention that Terri is already dead, they *can't* allow her even the most ordinary of comforts. Once a pro-death court (Greer, et al) acknowledges *any* lack of care as untoward, the flood gates open to admittance that Terri is disabled and entitled to Consitutional rights.

This gets entangled in "Right-to-Die" issues, and the web gets so tangled these people can't keep their lies straight. But it doesn't matter; they just make it up as they go anyway. All that matters to them is that these people die.

I have incurable cancer, and I intend to die of cancer, *not* of dehydration or starvation or an overdose of drugs.

I also have two children with autism. My oldest is 28, and extremely low-functioning. His "quality of life" is totally different from "normal" people's. He likes doing what he does every day; he's a happy guy. He likes his visits here at home, and getting his treats, and getting his head rubbed and getting hugged. When he's not happy he lets us know. That's the extent of Tony's life. Would Tony rather live or die?

There are people, the exact people that want Terri to die, that think Tony should die. It's not a fiction that it *actually* happened in Germany, and the same exact thing is happening here, with the exact same reasoning. It is, in fact, the exact same reasoning that caused the Haulocast. And that's not an over reaction. The "slippery slope" is very, very real. The death of "terminal" people by dehydration and starvation and a little extra morphine in the drip is *old* news. The death of people who are "better off dead" is the death of Western Culture, the completion of the Nazi ideal.

The Scriptural ideal of the righteous person is one who cares for widows and orphans, the champion of the helpless. The champion of the Culture of Death is the one who removes the weak from Society, and disguises it as compassion. And emerges as the Nazi warrior. Good for *this* world. Both Michael Shiavos and George Felos might feel like victorious warriors for now. They may actually win, you know; Terri may die at their hands. But God's revenge for Terri will be terrible, because they *know exactly what they're doing.*

As a terminal cancer patient dealing with "Advance Directives" and how to arm my adult children against the pressure of the Culture of Death, I just came across something online that is perfect for them to remember. After all, the COD *claims* that it is entirely my choices that matter (which we know isn't really true, but oh well). That is: It is my choice to die of my cancer and that alone. Not dehydration or starvation or just enough extra morphine to get it over with. I'm not interested in "dying with dignity" as the COD puts it, which is such a crock. What they mean by "dying with dignity" is that other people involved will feel the minimum impact, will feel the least uncomfortable with the death. And that isn't "natural," that is unnatural. We're not meant to feel the least hurt from the death of loved ones, and it's a sick and sinful society that tries to minimize death by minimizing its emotional and spiritual impact by "dignifying" and "hurrying" it.

Terri is not naturally dying at all! And that's what's so very sick and evil about this whole situation. Nothing Shiavo or Felos or Greer has done lends to one iota of "death with dignity." Terri can't scream in protest; she'll die quietly if they kill her, and that's "dignified" enough for them. Going quietly and without discomfort to others is what is meant by "dignified." But we're also discussing the entire COD (Culture of Death), so I'll go on.

I've kind of flummoxed the doctors because they have to admit they won't know when it will be - tomorrow, or a year from now, suddenly, or gradually. I have small cell lung cancer that has ceased responding to chemotherapy, and is growing. I'm currently going through second-line chemo to see if they can give me some extra time, and I'm in palliative care. But I'm considered "terminal."

As such, I think I'm qualified to state unequivably that the COD's definition of "dealth with dignity" is spurious and evil. My "death with dignity" will be that I will die naturally, of cancer that can't be cured, with people who love me saying goodbye to me emotionally, painfully, and faithfully, knowing we'll be together again soon. My "dignity" will be their love and their grief, and their memories of me throughout their lives, not my going "quietly" without pain or discomfort to them.

Quietly

Why are all of you wasting so much of your valuable resources responding to an obvious and viscious troll?

Something must have happened with her marriage, though... nothing on her website about her husband. All references to her husband has been replaced with "family." If she's had a rift with her husband she should just outright say so.

Maybe not so laughable. Although I am admantly anti-nico-nazi and a two pack a day smoker, and fight for smokers rights, I was addicted from the first time I actually inhaled one day when I was 14 years old. I immediately wanted another, and from that time I was a smoker.

No reason for smokers to be mad at me. Please don't be.

I now have small cell lung cancer. Terminal. And of course it's blamed entirely on smoking. (I'm now 49.) I don't believe the spin, and I'm not in denial or making excuses that all those years of the terrible sin of smoking cigarettes is now killing me. The terrible sin I'm afflicted with is reason. People on both sides need a dose of it.

I had breast cancer 15 years ago. Other people in my family have had, and continue to get, cancer of many different kinds. We are genetically predisposed to cancer: cervical, brain, breast, and lung. Most of us also smoke, but most of us don't get cancer. My father died of emphysema but no one else in the family, smokers or not, got it.

If the medical and political communities were more honest, instead of hysterical, more people might listen. I believe smoking may have *contributed* in *my case* to lung cancer, but not that it caused it.

It's too much in one post to get into it, but I'm in the midst of a medical quamire. Breast cancer, prostate cancer, are being cured, and advancing all the time, but lung cancer is automatically considered terminal. Why? Because there's no research money into cure. It's politically incorrect to have lung cancer - there's no sympathy. I've caused my own death, so why throw bad money after it? The medical gestapo has decided that *ALL* SCLC - and ALL NSCLC - is caused by smoking. That's a whole lot easier than trying to figure out other causes of lung cancer. And then everyone else believes it, despite the fact that most smokers don't have any diseases at all.

I'm a terminal cancer patient on a medicaid hmo, and just *trying* to get the pain meds I need has been impossible, and *stupid.* I need every pill and I use every one because of pain. The DEA had better solve its problem and leave chronic sufferers alone. If getting my pain meds gets harder I'm going to sue them if I can. WHY should I have to suffer while I die just because there are abusers?

For those who keep pointing out that MS has used none of the money for therapy or what would be considered normal care of Terri, remember that the contention of the pro-death squad is that she is not really alive anymore and hasn't been for 13 years. Allowing therapy or anything other than leaving her lying untended in her bed would be an acknowledgement that she is still alive. Any act of care would contradict that.

Wait a minute... This is wrong. Greer is NOT on the Hospice
Board. I know that's false.

Because I've recently been diagnosed terminal (cancer) and because of Terri, I've been determing an advance directive. To my suprise, there is already an advance directive that forbides the withdrawl of hydration and nutrition. Meaning, there's nothing new about this at all, as I've been finding out. People are regularly being dyhydrated and starved to death in this country all the time, which is why it's such a struggle for Terri. We think it's exordinary, but it isn't.

I'm planning on making it exordinary by making sure that my advance directive is the one that makes it clear that I am *NOT* to be deprived of hydration or nutrution, or any other means to "speed me along," - even if I change my mind later because of pain. My family and friends will remind me and say no, and hug me and love me, but remember I really mean "no." Terri sshould live long after I do. I hope so!

Thank you, Sara Green Mele, you angel. Terri needs therapy, not death!

It is simply ghoulish to dehydrate and starve a person to death. If you argue it's right to do it, you've passed over to the dark side. You're not compassionate, you're just trying to use "compassion" as your excuse to make the Culture of Death legitimate. You know what side you're working for, and that's why righteous arguments against you enrage you so much, and why righteous victories against you inflame you to work so much harder for your Master. He isn't disguised to God's people; we see him and his agenda.

He won't win. Terri may die in the battle. God will win the war. No matter how you rail, you'll fail. Chatter and rattle away. Flame away. But actively killing a human being because you don't think she should live is murder, "legal" or not. God will get you. Be pompous and arrogant while you can. Life is short - it won't be long before *you* are before the Judge of the Universe. What will you say to Him that will impress Him?

But what *is* it? :0)

I've been a FReeper for a long time but been away for a little while - not very long, as I've been sick. WHAT is this ZOT that I keep seeing all of a sudden?

A few weeks ago I had a very disturbing dream about the legal killing of my autistic son. The very next day I heard about Terri Schiavo. It was eerie, and frightening. I believe it was coincidence, but the aftermath of the dream made it all the worse.

James Dobson is a gentle soul and you are a hard-hearted cretin. I'd say go get bitten by something more vicious but it would be hard to find something more venemous than you and your ilk. Bite yourself then. Go gnaw on your fingers and leave God's children alone. We're done with you and yours eating us alive, and we're taking back what you've stolen.

The "die with dignity" crap annoys me to no end. "Dying with dignity" means being so wasted as you fade away you can longer scream at being murdered. It means no one notices when you die; they have to look twice.

I hope not to die with "dignity." Death is not going to take me politely if I can help it. Death is our great enemy, who has lost its sting. I hope to die with victory, not with resignation, except that God will immediately snatch me up up out of its momentary defeat into new life.

Until that happens, I am to grab onto life.

Well, not the full hour of an attorney as promised, but things are popping there, so understanding.

I'm concerned that something significant is going on, and the news overnight will not be good. Over here in the background, I've been giving most of time to this case, because of being admantly pro-life, having disabled children, and being a terminal cancer "experiencer." I'm weary and trying very hard not to be discouraged and pessimistic. Even if the news is bad, God is good. But God doesn't expect us to be sanguine about it.

I'm afraid things aren't going well for Terri, and tomorrow will be a bad day for us. I hope I'm wrong. I need to convince myself to go to bed so I can be as healthy as I can be tomorrow. "Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof." It's not as though I can change anything tomorrow by being frantic about it tonight. All I can do, and the best I can do, is go to bed and pray.