Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Trading Places with Terri Schiavo

A fair number of bloggers are very concerned about Terri Schiavo's fate. Lot's of them, the "Right to lifer" types, are hoping the Jeb and co step in again and keep her tubes in place.

I just have one proposition and one question for the those who suggest she need to be on life support for X number of years.

Proposition: How about trading places with her?

Question: If they make the decision to leave her on life support, and if Jesus let you, would you give her your life in exchange and take her place in the hospital bed (assuming all legal, medical, and health care expenses) until you die?

Let us know your answer and explain why in the comments.

slice:

Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage in 1990 when a chemical imbalance believed to have been brought on by an eating disorder caused her heart to stop beating and cut off oxygen to her brain.

While she breathes on her own, she relies on the feeding tube to survive. Doctors have ruled she is in a persistent vegetative state with no hope for recovery.

End slice:

5 comments:

Ferdinand T Cat said...

Actually, it was a malpractice lawyer hired by her husband that ruled she is in a persistent vegetative state with no hope for recovery. She is demonstrably able to respond to her environment.

Brain damage would be hard to live with, but I sure as heck wouldn't want to be starved to death, which is what hubby is trying to do.

Anonymous said...

QED: Brain damage isn't hard to live with.Who is supposed to pay for Ms Schiavo's continued life support? Is it supposed to come out of Ms Schiavo's future earnings? Does T Cat support her with his fortune or his labor? Does T Cat expect other people to do it?

Who isn't capable of espousing nice sentiments when it doesn't cost us anything?

Ken Grandlund said...

Anyone who says that they would trade places with anyone in this circumstance (not a parent wanting to save a minor child from suffering)is probably not being truthful. No one would wish to be in a vegatative state.

That said, the issue is not whether you think she should be kept alive or whether the church thinks she should be kept alive, but what she indicated she would want if this situation occurred. Apparently she directed her wishes to her husband, but her parents disagree. This is not their choice, and she probably didn't tell them because she feared their response. Her husband she could trust to follow her wishes and he has tried.

This ultimately is not a court issue either, as it should be an individual choice for everyone. It is a reminder though of the importance of puttin gthis stuff in writing.

Ken Grandlund said...

Anyone who says that they would trade places with anyone in this circumstance (not a parent wanting to save a minor child from suffering)is probably not being truthful. No one would wish to be in a vegatative state.

That said, the issue is not whether you think she should be kept alive or whether the church thinks she should be kept alive, but what she indicated she would want if this situation occurred. Apparently she directed her wishes to her husband, but her parents disagree. This is not their choice, and she probably didn't tell them because she feared their response. Her husband she could trust to follow her wishes and he has tried.

This ultimately is not a court issue either, as it should be an individual choice for everyone. It is a reminder though of the importance of puttin gthis stuff in writing.

Ken Grandlund said...

Anyone who says that they would trade places with anyone in this circumstance (not a parent wanting to save a minor child from suffering)is probably not being truthful. No one would wish to be in a vegatative state.

That said, the issue is not whether you think she should be kept alive or whether the church thinks she should be kept alive, but what she indicated she would want if this situation occurred. Apparently she directed her wishes to her husband, but her parents disagree. This is not their choice, and she probably didn't tell them because she feared their response. Her husband she could trust to follow her wishes and he has tried.

This ultimately is not a court issue either, as it should be an individual choice for everyone. It is a reminder though of the importance of puttin gthis stuff in writing.