Yesterday Terri Schiavo passed away, 13 days after her feeding tube had been removed. If ever there was an issue where people are divided, folks, this is it. And I stand somewhere in the middle of it all. I don't think it appropriate to artificially keep someone alive for the sake of having them around but I don't like how this was done. They could not just end her life for her as she must die of natural cause. But, I'm sorry. Starving to death is not a natural cause! If ever someone was found dead, an autopsy was performed, and they concluded that the person had starved to death the news paper headline would never read: "Man dies of natural cause." So I'm torn because I don't believe in mercy killing, but I don't think artificial life is right either. It's so hard, if a dog was not living in the proper health and quality of life, we would "put them out of their misery" but when it is people, we don't or can't or whatever. Now I am not saying that Terri Schiavo was in "misery," as I am moving to the broader scope of things but I don't know... I wouldn't want to live like that... if you can call it "living."
At some point, in a situation like this, the person ceases to be them self. And should I ever reach the point where I am not the Ben Foreman you know then let me die. If I must starve then so be it. Do not let me linger here on earth, let me laugh on glory's side. I would much rather enjoy my new body in heaven as I worship my God than be a prisoner of my own body here on earth. So now it is in writing, let me die. If I cease to be myself then, as far as I'm concerned, I am dead already.
But to return to Terri Schiavo, let me say that I am very sorry that this has happened and I extend my deepest sympathy to the husband and family. And I am sorry that they are separate sides of the fence on this. I can't imagine how tough it must be for both sides.
So what do you think should have taken place. Is this the right thing? How can the system be improved? What do you think?
5 comments:
I dunno. I have a tiny little brain that's very good at expressing my opinion, but really, it's a tough issue. So, I don't know. The whole being alive but really pretty much dead for such a long time, it's rough. Tough. it's all very sad.
I don't mean to attack you but be careful with this. What do you mean by a person ceases to be himself? If you truly ceased to be yourself then you wouldn't be "lingering here on earth", it would mean that you were already dead, as you said. Obviously you could not be starved to death then. But if it is still possible to starve to death, that means there is still a human life there and you have not ceased to be yourself. If you allow the possibility of you being starved to death, you're allowing people to kill you. This is especially dangerous in these days when people have their own definitions of what it means to be a person and to have "quality of life" as they often refer it is as. I'll leave that theology of having a body after death alone for now, but yeah, I'm just warning you that with what you've said, you've left the possibility open that someday you'll be the victim of a so called "mercy killing."
Terry was classified by so many people as a lost cause, the original doctors, the husband, the local politicians. However, she was classified by her family and around the clock personal health providers as able to communicate and recieve love and attention and respond to it. Her documented response to the district attorney's questions just a week ago would suggest that she was not brain dead, simply mentally retarded from whatever injuries she sustained when alone at home with her husband so many years ago. I was always skeptical about her "vegetable" label after I heard that she was scheduled to recieve rehabilitation but her husband adamantly fought against it and denied all occupational rehabilitation to her. I was also questioning why he was looking at funeral homes and plots of land in cemeteries as soon as 1993 when she was incapacitated in 1991. I am on the outside looking in, but with all of the sealed records I have alot of questions that may never be answered.
You are right on the mark, that a dog gets better treatment, that a convicted murderer on death row gets more scrutiny of his personal rights possibly being violated in the most paltry and trivial way, that the rights of Taliban insurgents who have killed American men and women garner more public attention than a woman who has difficulty speaking for herself. The time to die is not for us as humans to decide. It is for His purpose that we live and die. By His I mean God's. I'll open up what others are afraid to address. He is the author and finisher of our lives. I've only seen records of the Third World countries, the Spartans, the Nazis and others like them leave children out in the wilderness or burn-pile because of deformities and wrong gender. It still happens in Cambodia and Vietnam. I don't want that legacy for America, the lineage of death due to weakness and helplessness or even inconvenience.
Mind, soul, and spirit humans are the only ones that God blessed with giving souls unlike the dog. Like you I have trouble with this issue, and that first sentance is the same thing that keeps coming back to me. Do we want the power of taking somebodies soul from their body.
Hi Ben! I understand how you feel, not wanting to be in Terri's position and wanting to be let go to our Heavenly Father.
I too, struggle with the moral issues of euthanasia. I would not want to have been Terri; I cannot begin to imagine the hell on earth of being held a prisoner in my own body and mind.
Does a feeding tube constitute artificial means? What about someone who does not have the use of her arms and legs but has her senses, it a feeding tube an artifcial means? How much do we really know about a brain reprograming itself? It has been scientifically documented that it does indeed--since most of us only use approx. 10% of our brain, the surrounding grey matter can and will relearn tasks. What if Terri's husband had allowed the hyperberic chamber and aggressive and new methods of therapy, would the world have known about the plight of Terri's family's struggle of death over life? I have no solid ground on to stake an opinion. And that scares me.
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