Removing A Feeding Tube

[russic]

I've been following the Schiavo thing for a little while, and the method of death strikes me as a little odd. The topic seems to be with me lately as i work in a lab involving rat brain research. When the brains are required for study, they get an injection that simply puts them into a sleep that they don't wake up from. I realize a new thread exists here on the ethics of this practice, but thats not quite what i'm raising. Wouldn't a simple shot be a little more "humane" than a slow starvation? I don't know the status of people deemed to be "vegetables" . . . perhaps they don't suffer as much as you or I would under times of starvation (perhaps somebody can enlighten me on this). Is the difference between putting a needle in someones arm and removing a feeding tube really that much different?

[Moonlight_Graham]

yeah its not a very humane thing to thirst to death. i feel the same as you. But then it brings up the whole issue of doctor-assisted suicide & opens another can of worms.

[Seanathon]

There really isn't any other way to let her die, since euthanasia is illegal. Though apparently she wouldn't feel anything due to the parts of her brain that are essentially destroyed.

[TheKwas]

The only legal way of killing her is by starvation, so injections are a no-no.

[HoboFactory]

I'm bothered by the sensationalism.

[borntohula]

I'm bothered by the sensationalism.

im glad someone else is.

 

last month the media was all like "we're not going to report any REAL news. if you've got a problem TELL IT TO THE TSUNAMI"

 

and now, they're focussing on this dumb case, the only reason being that theres a conflict whether or not to let the person die, within her own family. in texas, they're in the process of pulling two other people's feeding tubes as we speak. howcome i have to look for that shit myself?

[saturnine]

this bitch is still alive? shit, i've seen death row inmates wait less time to die

Edited March 27, 2005 by saturnine

[borntohula]

this bitch is still alive? shit, i've seen death row inmates wait less time to die

yeah but they don't get starved to death

[saturnine]

but they get ass-raped.. which is worse?

[borntohula]

good point.

[Munk]

Aaaanyway. Yeah, you know the country has the proper stance on Euthanasia when starving someone to death is the legal loophole...

[ToadMan]

Good point JM... I mean humane euthanasia like you would do to you pet is illegal, but staving somebody to death, that's OK.

 

Peace

[Munk]

I think people need to stop applying black & white laws to things. Topics like this can't just be legal or illegal. Too many factors.

[saturnine]

in canada, the question would've been answered before it was posed

[Katastrophina]

I really hate her parents right now. It seems as if they're trying to keep her alive so they don't have to be pained by her death. She's been laying in a hospital bed for the past 15 years, being bathed by others, being fed weird shit through a tube, never being able to communicate with people. That's barely a life. Going on that way for another 15 years is far worse than starving to death.

 

Then again, a shot would be much painless and more humane. Oh but of course, it's illegal. Interesting.

[saturnine]

if the parents were decent human beings, they'd donate her organs and help 4 or 5 people live. but hey, it's america.. there's no profit in that.

[ToadMan]

I wonder who will get the rights to her story?

 

Peace

[Munk]

I really hate her parents right now. It seems as if they're trying to keep her alive so they don't have to be pained by her death. She's been laying in a hospital bed for the past 15 years, being bathed by others, being fed weird shit through a tube, never being able to communicate with people. That's barely a life. Going on that way for another 15 years is far worse than starving to death.

If she's in pain, I'd understand putting her down. But as it is, they can't confirm that she is, so "barely a life" is still a life and she should be allowed to live. Assuming her parents wish to keep her alive [and she doesn't have an opinion either way].

[borntohula]

I really hate her parents right now. It seems as if they're trying to keep her alive so they don't have to be pained by her death. She's been laying in a hospital bed for the past 15 years, being bathed by others, being fed weird shit through a tube, never being able to communicate with people. That's barely a life. Going on that way for another 15 years is far worse than starving to death.

If she's in pain, I'd understand putting her down. But as it is, they can't confirm that she is, so "barely a life" is still a life and she should be allowed to live. Assuming her parents wish to keep her alive [and she doesn't have an opinion either way].

her parents arent her legal guardians. thats where this whole conflict came from in the first place. the husband is, and he doesn't think that she would want to live like she is now.

[Katastrophina]

I really hate her parents right now. It seems as if they're trying to keep her alive so they don't have to be pained by her death. She's been laying in a hospital bed for the past 15 years, being bathed by others, being fed weird shit through a tube, never being able to communicate with people. That's barely a life. Going on that way for another 15 years is far worse than starving to death.

If she's in pain, I'd understand putting her down. But as it is, they can't confirm that she is, so "barely a life" is still a life and she should be allowed to live. Assuming her parents wish to keep her alive [and she doesn't have an opinion either way].

Yeah, but what's the point of having a life if you can't live it? Seems kind of pointless. ;)

[Moonlight_Graham]

I'm bothered by the sensationalism.

i agree. Holy smokes the media never shuts up about this.

[Katastrophina]

Aahh, of course, media always has a say in everyones personal business. Look at Scott Peterson; if the whole thing wasn't being filmed all the time, if he wasn't constantly being talked about, he wouldn't be on death row. The bigger reaction, the bigger decision.

[borntohula]

Aahh, of course, media always has a say in everyones personal business. Look at Scott Peterson; if the whole thing wasn't being filmed all the time, if he wasn't constantly being talked about, he wouldn't be on death row. The bigger reaction, the bigger decision.

i agree with you, because the senationalism on the part of the media has been known to attribute to a judge's decision. once a person is caught and the finger is pointed, the public reacts, and puts pressure on the criminal justice system for "rightful justice" or whatever they think is a suitable punishment, regardless if that person is guilty or not.

 

you can see where that happened in the famous canadian wrongful conviction of david milgaard.

 

but at the same time, look at all the attention put on the OJ trial... you would think that the media would've played some part in the outcome, but he got away.

[calgarydave]

I loved it, they held an emergancy session of congress for this, but when someone tries to pass a bill that would stop the CIA from deporting people to nations that they have secondary citzenship to, no one shows up and no one votes for it.

[leftofnormal38]

this whole thing is blown way out of proportion, shes been like this for years upon years and obviousl is not getting better. america needs to put its priorities in order