Schiavo Case -- What do you think?

[mike]

This one has me very spooked. It makes me realize that I should really have some document that will help in case this happens to me. We all think it won't happen to us but I realized the reality when I was crossing the street and almost got blindsided by an aggressive truck driver. I could easily have been dead or comatose. While I know I won't be myself if this should happen, I still wouldn't want my body to be in such pain.

What do you think about the decision of the courts and the dozen appeals that were turned down?

 

[NYClex]

It is a tough one. I don't envy any judge who has to deal with this. The first problem in my opinion is the unreliability of medical expert evidence. I have not looked into each and every detail in this case, but one of the basic elements here seems to be if this lady is in a totally vegetative state or not. Her parents claim she is not, her husband claims she is. Both sides can shlep tons of doctors into court for their side. My gut feeling here is, that those "experts" themselves do not really know.

But this is the pivotal point here. According to what I hear Terri Schiavo has expressed the wish not to be kept alive artificially if she would be in such a state. So if a judge is convinced by those medical "experts" who say she is, he will try to uphold her alleged wishes.

That of course is the next problem I have: She nowhere has put down these wishes. As far as I know only the husband is a witness for this, and he definitely has other interests in this case, too. So I am a bit wary of this issue.

And then of course, there would be the issue for me, what the law really wants. So far most cases of this kind dealt with people who clearly were unconcscious, in a coma, often not even able to breathe without a machine. You switch off the machine and they die within minutes.

Here we have a case where the person almost appears to be "normally" disabled, she at least appears to be able to live with a little help like a feeding tube. Letting her die means a long drawn out process. She will die of dehydration. This appears to be very inhumane. Just imagine we would try to execute the death penalty by just refusing to give the convict water. I can hear the whole world cry "cruel and unusual punishment" and right they would be. So I wonder, is that really what the law wants? Should the judges have drawn the line here? Do we need better, new laws?

 

[stevesrm1995]

It is a tough one. I don't envy any judge who has to deal with this. The first problem in my opinion is the unreliability of medical expert evidence. I have not looked into each and every detail in this case, but one of the basic elements here seems to be if this lady is in a totally vegetative state or not. Her parents claim she is not, her husband claims she is. Both sides can shlep tons of doctors into court for their side. My gut feeling here is, that those "experts" themselves do not really know.

But this is the pivotal point here. According to what I hear Terri Schiavo has expressed the wish not to be kept alive artificially if she would be in such a state. So if a judge is convinced by those medical "experts" who say she is, he will try to uphold her alleged wishes.

That of course is the next problem I have: She nowhere has put down these wishes. As far as I know only the husband is a witness for this, and he definitely has other interests in this case, too. So I am a bit wary of this issue.

And then of course, there would be the issue for me, what the law really wants. So far most cases of this kind dealt with people who clearly were unconcscious, in a coma, often not even able to breathe without a machine. You switch off the machine and they die within minutes.

Here we have a case where the person almost appears to be "normally" disabled, she at least appears to be able to live with a little help like a feeding tube. Letting her die means a long drawn out process. She will die of dehydration. This appears to be very inhumane. Just imagine we would try to execute the death penalty by just refusing to give the convict water. I can hear the whole world cry "cruel and unusual punishment" and right they would be. So I wonder, is that really what the law wants? Should the judges have drawn the line here? Do we need better, new laws?

Certainly makes one wonder and think. I think it's a shame that the husband wouldn't just allow the parents to take guardianship over her, go on with his life, air on the side of trying to do what's right , or, best for everyone, not on principle, or something that could easily be construed as something other than trying to impart his wife's supposed wishes. Seems kind of fishy to me as well. Bottom line is that it's really sad, and one could even try to look into why she even felt compelled to wanna lose so much weight? Pressure from dear Michael perhaps? Why didn't he administer CPR? I don't know, just things I've read on the net, so no real firm knowledge of what happened, so legally of course just hearsay, but sure makes you wonder, like I've said, but I'd definately have to agree with NYClex that it all appears very inhumane and questionable.

 

[invisivenus]

there is so much issues to consider with this but in the end i think her husband wasnt as against her as portrayed by the media. she was in her vegitative state for something like 15 years but in florida he could have legaly devorced her after 7, leaving her to her parents will. i think this was probably as hard on his as on her parents and thats why he didnt devorce her 8 years ago or remove the tube the first time he had the chance. im sure as a parent i would have done all i could to keep her alive but after 15 years the chances of her improving decreace greatly.

 

[R_J_Hansson]

Good remedy

As a 'coma' survivor ... I was on a respirator & my Glasgow score was 6 on the Glasgow Coma Scale rates a person's level of consciousness (loc) w/ a 15 being conscious & oriented & your chair or desk receiving a GCS score of 5 ! I was also a paramedic in Newark, NJ ... at the time, the most violent, deadly, murderous, disease ridden city in the USA ... responded > 25,000 time. I am relieved that the court system reacted favorably in the face of incontrovertible evidence that the woman was for most intents & purposes. They resisted Delay's & Crist's shamreless machinations for political expediency. One's brain is gone ... one's life is gone.

 

[R_J_Hansson]

Good remedy

THIS IS A FURTHER TO MY POST W/THE TYPOS FIXED!!!!!


As a 'coma' survivor ... I was on a respirator & my Glasgow score was 6 on the Glasgow Coma Scale. The GCS rates a person's level of consciousness (loc) w/ a 15 being conscious & oriented & your chair or desk receiving a GCS score of 5 ! I was also a paramedic in Newark, NJ ... at the time, the most violent, deadly, murderous, disease ridden city in the USA ... responded > 25,000 times. I am relieved that the court system reacted favorably in the face of incontrovertible evidence that the woman was for most intents & purposes dead given her persistent vegetative state. They resisted Delay's & Crist's shamreless machinations for political expediency. One's brain is gone ... one's life is gone. The cardinal rule in many EMS venues is ... "when in doubt - pronounce" thus saving the world & loved ones this nonsense!