Because I've been thinking about the Terri Schiavo case. . .

[xiphias]

If I'm ever in a situation more or less like that one . . . do whatever brings the most comfort to the people around me.

If it brings people comfort to have me able to vaguely track a ball across the room, or something like that, keep me in that state. If that's painful, and it would be more comforting to have me properly dead and finished, do that.

In a dispute between my spouse and my parents or my sister, my spouse gets final say. She's the one who lives with me, she's the one who holds me when I wake up out of a sound sleep equally terrified of death and of losing my mind. Those are my nightmares.

So, let's face it. It would be a choice between which nightmare I would face. And, well, it doesn't really matter. They're both nightmares. So -- given that I'd hate both choices, let the choice be made on what would help others more.

Comments

[vuurvasthouden.livejournal.com]

Good post.

What I don't understand is that the Schindlers seem to be forgetting that Schiavo has final legal say (two times over, since he's her guardian as well) over Terri's care in Florida, even without considering his legal motion for her guardianship:

Title XLIV

Chapter 765 -- HEALTH CARE ADVANCE DIRECTIVES

765.401 The proxy.

(1) If an incapacitated or developmentally disabled patient has not executed an advance directive, or designated a surrogate to execute an advance directive, or the designated or alternate surrogate is no longer available to make health care decisions, health care decisions may be made for the patient by any of the following individuals, in the following order of priority, if no individual in a prior class is reasonably available, willing, or competent to act:

(a) The judicially appointed guardian of the patient or the guardian advocate of the person having a developmental disability as defined in s. 393.063, who has been authorized to consent to medical treatment, if such guardian has previously been appointed; however, this paragraph shall not be construed to require such appointment before a treatment decision can be made under this subsection;

(b) The patient's spouse;

(c) An adult child of the patient, or if the patient has more than one adult child, a majority of the adult children who are reasonably available for consultation;

(d) A parent of the patient;

The parents don't even get to have say over the patients kids what happens to their own [incapacitated] married child, when the child is an adult.

I don't know why this is even being debated/exploited.

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

I can't say why they've turned to the religious right for support, but I believe that they are hopeful, maybe beyond reason, that their darling daughter will one day come back to them as a whole, happy, and healthy being.

That is my guess as to what motivates them. In some ways I cannot fault them their belief; acceptance of death is rarely easy and when you see your girl moving and acting alive it must be hard to accept that what is animating her is brainstem reflex and not cognitive thought.

I have only sympathy for the husband, the family, and Terri.

[we-r-art.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with your statement. It's a very
difficult situation either way. It has prompted me
to draw up a Living Will.