What if Terri is in a persistent vegitative state?

[Hermione]

I am somewhat confused about the Church’s teaching on this matter.

I don’t want Terri Schiavo to die because I’ve read things that seem to say she is conscious, and that her husband is trying to conceal it…

But what if she isn’t conscious anymore, hasn’t been for years, and will not be again? Is it still immoral to remove the feeding tube?

Thanks!

 

[Fox]

I think then she should pass to Him if she is persistent but, she isn’t. If anyone is in a persisent state with no hope of recovery it is morally feesible to let the person go to the Redeemer.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Being in a persistent vegetative state does not make one suddenly cease to be a human being. Terri MIGHT be in a persistent vegetative state (or not), but she is not on life support or mechanical ventilation or requiring extraordinary means to sustain life.

Food and water are all she requires, just as the rest of us do. What is happening now is that she is being STARVED TO DEATH.

She isn’t being “let go”. . .she’s being PUSHED OUT. . .with starvation, that would involve serious jail time were it done to a dog or cat.

Being in a persistent vegetative state, being a quadriplegic, being hopelessly insane. . .none of these NEGATE humanity. None of them are “reasons” to murder another human being.

Terri isn’t being deprived of medications or treatments that allow her to exist artificially. . .she is being denied food and water. . .for 12 days now. Ever been hungry or thirsty? Do you know what happens when the body is denied food and water? Do you know what kidney failure is like? Imagined how it would be as your lips crack, your tongue swells, your body “shuts down”? Ever imagined seeing it happen to your child, while you were powerless to lean over and moisten her lips? Imagined knowing that one little tube which had been giving her food and water (just like you as a Mom had done when she was too little to feed herself) could give it again but that some people who didn’t know her, didn’t know all the information about her and her care, had decided that it was in TERRI’S best interest to be STARVED TO DEATH in front of her parents and friends.

 

[shannin]

Hermione:

But what if she isn’t conscious anymore, hasn’t been for years, and will not be again? Is it still immoral to remove the feeding tube?

Thanks!

It’s not for us to decide that. Her family loves her and wants to take complete care of her. Of course it’s immoral to remove her feeding tube.

Shannin

 

[InstaurareSacra]

If a feeding tube is what is helping her, it must remain, regardless of her “state.” She is a human being, and providing food and water to such patients should be considered natural, ordinary and proportional care — not artificial medical intervention.

 

[johnq]

Hermione:

But what if she isn’t conscious anymore, hasn’t been for years, and will not be again? Is it still immoral to remove the feeding tube?Thanks!

Herimione

Are you confused if she is conscious or not?

Terri is conscious of her surroundings. Someone who is unconscious can not communicate. Terri communicates in many physical and cognitive methods.

Here is visual evidence:

renewamerica.us/images/terri_video.jpg

Click here to see a video of Terri Schiavo laughing and responding to her father–dispelling reports that she is in a persistent vegetative state.

More visual evidence:
Tracking a Balloon for Dr. Cranford

Here is a signed affidavit from a registered nurse.

AFFIDAVIT STATE OF FLORIDA ) COUNTY OF PINELLAS ) BEFORE ME the undersigned authority personally appeared CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N., who being first duly sworn, deposes and says: Terri’s medical condition was systematically distorted and misrepresented. When I worked with her, she was alert and oriented. Terri spoke on a regular basis while in my presence, saying such things as “mommy,” and “help me.” “Help me” was, in fact, one of her most frequent utterances. I heard her say it hundreds of times. Terri would try to say the word “pain” when she was in discomfort, but it came out more like “pay.” She didn’t say the “n” sound very well. During her menses she would indicate her discomfort by saying “pay” and moving her arms toward her lower abdominal area. Other ways that she would indicate that she was in pain included pursing her lips, grimacing, thrashing in bed, curling her toes or moving her legs around. She would let you know when she had a bowel movement by flipping up the covers and pulling on her diaper.

 

[BLB_Oregon]

Tantum ergo:

Being in a persistent vegetative state does not make one suddenly cease to be a human being. Terri MIGHT be in a persistent vegetative state (or not), but she is not on life support or mechanical ventilation or requiring extraordinary means to sustain life.

Exactly. While the debate about whether she is in a PVS might make a difference to a court that has been told Terri did not want to stay alive under those conditions, the Church doesn’t make that distinction. All patients deserve ordinary care, and unless Terri’s body somehow rejects or reacts adversely to or cannot receive nourishment from food introduced by means of a tube, the tube feeding is ordinary care for her.

We may not euthanize someone, even if they were to absolutely and without question lack the mental competence to know that it’s happening.

 

[Lisa_N]

Tantum ergo:

Being in a persistent vegetative state does not make one suddenly cease to be a human being. Terri MIGHT be in a persistent vegetative state (or not), but she is not on life support or mechanical ventilation or requiring extraordinary means to sustain life.

That is the question that no one will answer. Regardless of whether Terri is communicative or not, she is still a human being. What makes an uncommunicative person not human? Did her DNA change? Is her soul gone? The opposition refuses to address this essential issue.

Last night on a talk show the host pointed out that if Terri were a member of an endangered species of FISH, she would not be pulled out of the water and left on the bank to die. Obviously those who want to give Terri a push, do not think of her as human. I just cannot believe it.

Lisa N

 

[Fox]

It is immoral for her to die like this, she isn’t supported by extraordinary means like a breathing tube/ventilator and she is alert and knows whats going on.

 

[1ke]

Hermione:

I am somewhat confused about the Church’s teaching on this matter.

I don’t want Terri Schiavo to die because I’ve read things that seem to say she is conscious, and that her husband is trying to conceal it…

But what if she isn’t conscious anymore, hasn’t been for years, and will not be again? Is it still immoral to remove the feeding tube?

Thanks!

Yes.

 

[Mysty101]

I have another question regarding extraordinary means.

Would the cost of feeding render it extraordinary means? The horrible truth is that many people die of starvation, because they cannot afford food. Does anyone have the right to authorize the depleting of medicaide and/or other insurance funds in this manner if a person is in an unresponsive condition?

I am just asking a hypothetical question. I am not qualified to make any evaluation on this particular situation.