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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Yogizuna who wrote (102774)	5/1/2005 11:34:58 PM
From: Grainne	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

Okay. I think we might have different understandings of the various terms like "brain dead" and "persistent vegetative state." It seems like you might believe that there is a big difference between these two states. Is that what you think? I'm pretty sure we have totally different opinions on this issue, but I wonder if a little part of the difference is because we are defining things differently. My understanding of "persistent vegetative state" is that there is no possibility of recovery and that the patient-- while their eyes might be open and dart around the room and they may seem to respond--actually has no self awareness and no real awareness of people or events around them. This is the state Terri Schiavo was in according to most of the medical experts who actually examined her. Her brain had liquified when her heart stopped for several minutes 15 years ago. Those video images were edited to make it seem like she was responding, but in fact when she had a guardian, who was an attorney, he would observe her for hours, including with her family members. None of her movements or sounds was actually a response to anyone in the room. They were totally random. My understanding is that most relatives of people in persistent vegetative states do decide to stop feeding them. Most people would not like to be kept alive in this way, with no hope of recovery or any quality of life. In Texas, of course, when Bush was governor he signed into law a bill that allows hospitals to discontinue life support for these people (if their relatives cannot pay all the costs of continuing their care). I believe that Terri Schiavo was on Medicaid. I think as a society, with so many aging people, we are going to have to figure out some guidelines for this kind of ethical dilemma. Our health care costs are totally out of control because most of those costs are within the very last few weeks of life, at a time when death is almost inevitable. I do hope more people write out their wishes in the future. A bunch of dying people on life support is not something this society can afford. Withdrawing food and water doesn't hurt. Most humans and animals have always died this way, throughout history. It is very natural and peaceful.