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drgnlvr · 03-20-2005, 02:28 AM

Yeah, I've been hearing about this travesty for quite awhile now.

I think the reason it's making so much noise in the news is because it appears to be a grey area. She's not on any other life support except the feeding tubes. So alot of people think it's not life support. She's not "Brain Dead", and there are no machines breathing for her, or keeping her heart pumping.

But the fact of the matter is, even if there aren't any machines pumping her heart, or her lungs, she is still being kept alive by artificial means. Take away her feeding tube, and she dies. Not quickly, like someone who is on a heart/lung machine...but death is still imminent.

People think that dying this way is cruel and painful. But from what I understand, there are two factors involved. First, she'd dehidrate before she starved, and in that, she would fall into a coma, and then die peacefully (E_E, you would be better at telling me if this were the case). The other factor is, in her persistant vegitative state, she is not going to be aware of what's happening anyway, and very likely wouldn't feel any discomfort.

But there is something that really galls me about this whole sordid affair...and that's the people who claim that removing the tube is interfering with "God's Will".

WTF?! And using science to keep her corpse warm ISN'T?!

-Logically-, it would appear that God already made his decision 15 years ago. Logically...I would not be so arrogant as to assume I know what a Diety really had in mind.

You know, I read alot about this. Michael Shiavo is an asshole, by all accounts. He was mentally abusive, and his mind games pushed Terri into an eating disorder that caused this pathetic state she's in. So, in a sense, he could be guilty of her death.....-marginally- (And no, I'm not making light of mental abuse...it's as horrific to the victims as physical abuse...but the scars are just not as obvious).

But you know something? I think her parents could be considered just as guilty. This all strikes me as more of a power play, than grief-stricken parents who just cannot accept that their baby is dead.

Apparently, about 5 years after Terri's illness put her in the hospital, someone at the behest of the parents (or the parents, themselves, I don't remember which), had offered Michael Shiavo a million dollars to get out of Terri's life entirely, and let her parents have complete control over her disposition.

He turned it down.

Now, make of that what you will. Was he determined to keep fighting to give Terri what she wanted? Or was in determined to battle her parents to the bitter end, because he did not want to lose?

Doesn't matter.

The person caught in the middle of this doesn't have a say. So she remains in the twilight because people are stupid and selfish, and the government of Florida likes to interfere.

Yes, E_E I agree with your remarks about sexual predators. Its a much more important issue than one poor woman stuck in limbo. Pull the plug, let her die, and let's get to doing something really worthwile, like placing sexual predators in prison permanently...and preferably in general population.

03-20-2005, 02:28 AM	#3
drgnlvr Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 411	Yeah, I've been hearing about this travesty for quite awhile now. I think the reason it's making so much noise in the news is because it appears to be a grey area. She's not on any other life support except the feeding tubes. So alot of people think it's not life support. She's not "Brain Dead", and there are no machines breathing for her, or keeping her heart pumping. But the fact of the matter is, even if there aren't any machines pumping her heart, or her lungs, she is still being kept alive by artificial means. Take away her feeding tube, and she dies. Not quickly, like someone who is on a heart/lung machine...but death is still imminent. People think that dying this way is cruel and painful. But from what I understand, there are two factors involved. First, she'd dehidrate before she starved, and in that, she would fall into a coma, and then die peacefully (E_E, you would be better at telling me if this were the case). The other factor is, in her persistant vegitative state, she is not going to be aware of what's happening anyway, and very likely wouldn't feel any discomfort. But there is something that really galls me about this whole sordid affair...and that's the people who claim that removing the tube is interfering with "God's Will". WTF?! And using science to keep her corpse warm ISN'T?! -Logically-, it would appear that God already made his decision 15 years ago. Logically...I would not be so arrogant as to assume I know what a Diety really had in mind. You know, I read alot about this. Michael Shiavo is an asshole, by all accounts. He was mentally abusive, and his mind games pushed Terri into an eating disorder that caused this pathetic state she's in. So, in a sense, he could be guilty of her death.....-marginally- (And no, I'm not making light of mental abuse...it's as horrific to the victims as physical abuse...but the scars are just not as obvious). But you know something? I think her parents could be considered just as guilty. This all strikes me as more of a power play, than grief-stricken parents who just cannot accept that their baby is dead. Apparently, about 5 years after Terri's illness put her in the hospital, someone at the behest of the parents (or the parents, themselves, I don't remember which), had offered Michael Shiavo a million dollars to get out of Terri's life entirely, and let her parents have complete control over her disposition. He turned it down. Now, make of that what you will. Was he determined to keep fighting to give Terri what she wanted? Or was in determined to battle her parents to the bitter end, because he did not want to lose? Doesn't matter. The person caught in the middle of this doesn't have a say. So she remains in the twilight because people are stupid and selfish, and the government of Florida likes to interfere. Yes, E_E I agree with your remarks about sexual predators. Its a much more important issue than one poor woman stuck in limbo. Pull the plug, let her die, and let's get to doing something really worthwile, like placing sexual predators in prison permanently...and preferably in general population. __________________ Lover, Bard, Phone Monkey, and MILF!