stop Terri Schiavo from being starved to death

[Eddie]

Save Terri Schiavo From Starvation!
They're about to starve a disabled woman to death in Florida. Out-of-control judges and greedy lawyers are set to remove the feeding tube from Terri Schindler-Schiavo this week. She's not brain dead, nor in a coma, nor on any life support system; she is simply severely handicapped. She laughs and cries and tries to talk with her parents. And the judges and lawyers want to kill her. WE MUST STOP THEM NOW. You can help by taking action below.

http://www.RightMarch.com

[Bassin_Dude]

well, i dont have any sides here. i dont like the way she is being killed tho, starvation is just not ethical in my book. if she has to go, they should take her another more ethical way. something that wont take long and will be better for her. once again, i cant change anything, and i really dont know what would be better. and im not around her so i dont know how she lives. but either way, i dont think she should be killed the way she is being killed.

[ryan7261]

Thats just SAD, they would never have that in Canada.

Shame on Florida's politicians for even thinking about that.

You would get killed in Canada just for the idea of doing that to a helpless person!


Robby.

[gammarama]

I don't want to piss anyone off!!! However, what would want them to do if it were you? I personaly would not want my family racking up 100's of thousands of dollars in medical bills, spending every free moment of their life looking after me and worried about me. I would not want to live like that or keep anyone else from living their life because I am lying in a room hooked to a machine that feeds me, breathes for me, or otherwise keeping me alive. I have a living will in case something like that happens TO ME. I would not want to live like that. In fact, its not really living at all. Your alive, but you are not living. Its called quality of life. There isn't quality in that.
Until you have watched a loved on in that situation you cannot fully understand what they are going through. Watching someone you love die. I've been there. My Step-Father had a stroke 3years ago after brain surgery. He had awaken after surgery, talked to my mother for 15 minutes, she left the room to let him rest and 20 minutes later while sleeping he had a stroke and went into a coma. He suffered massive brain damage and was on lifesupport for a week. He always said the same thing over and over," If anything ever happens to me and I cannot take care of myself or live on my own and have quality of life. Then I do not want to live. Pull the plug or whatever you have to do. I don't want live like that." He even said it before surgery. He lived for an hour after being taken off life support. He went the way he wanted to go. He died with dignity.

Why should they take away her right to do the same?

Would you want to live like that? Not me! I'd rather go fishing with the Good Lord, Jesus, my Stepfather and all my buddies I have lost. I'll see every one else when its their time to go.

[Eddie]

that's why you would have a written docuement stating your wishes.this lady has no written will stating this so you must assume she wants to live.i don't think you want us assuming eveybody would like to die!!!

[gammarama]

Would you want to live like that? 10 , 20, or 30 years..Would you want your wife or loved one living like that knowing what their wishes are.

If you've ever sat there for hours watching someone in a vegetative state, hooked to a machine, you wouldn't!

It's not living. Doesn't matter how long they are hooked up. They are never going to get better.

Every couple who has been together any length of time has had that conversation. Maybe all, but most have. If they have not they should.

[randerson52]

flippin,
i must agree with you, you had some very strong points.
But, starvation is pretty dman cruel

BUT, this is a fishing site, with a non fishing related section, BUT these types of matters should not be addresed here

so my side is with no one, i dont want to be involved

[Eddie]

E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY FOXFAN CENTRAL
Bush Changes Schedule for Schiavo
Saturday, March 19, 2005


CRAWFORD, Texas — President Bush (search) is changing his schedule to return to the White House on Sunday to be in place to sign emergency legislation that would shift the case of a brain-damaged Florida woman to federal courts, the White House said Saturday.

"Everyone recognizes that time is important here," White House press secretary Scott McClellan (search) said. "This is about defending life."

After Terri Schiavo's (search) feeding tube was removed on Friday, members of Congress worked out a deal to pass legislation to allow federal courts to decide the 41-year-old woman's fate and — in the hopes of supporters of the woman's parents — restore the tube that was keeping her alive.

The House and Senate hoped to act on the legislation Sunday, so Bush decided he needed to be in Washington so he could immediately sign the bill, McClellan said.

"The president intends to sign legislation as quickly as possible once it is passed," McClellan said.

During previous travels, Bush has had legislation flown to him overnight by military plane for his signature. But in this case, McClellan said that the fact that a woman's life is at stake made it necessary for him to travel to the bill.


GOD BLESS GEORGE BUSH!!!

[BaSsFiShEr20]

Ok. Now Im riled. I am a proud Republican, and a Christian, but I absolutly do not agree with the GOP leaders on this one. This woman does not live. She exists. she has no quality of life, and will never have any. The brain does not heal itself. once damaged, it is permanent. I work four days a week with the Mentally Handicapped, everything from brain damage to mental retardation. I know what kind of life some of these people have. They don't.They sit, or lay on a bed, and they vegetate. sure, they might be able to accknowledge you with a smile, or a gleam in the eye, but these poor people do not improve.I am not trying to be cruel, and i wish to God there was a legal means of letting her go without pulling the tube out and starving this woman, there is not. Cruel, Yes, but no more cruel than continueing to let this woman live in this state of being. Let her go home to be with the Lord. Its the only way she will be normal again.

Sorry, do not mean to rant, but stop and put yourself in her shoes.

Charles

[Bassin_Dude]

i am definitly a supporter of bush, but i see this as a way to become more popular and get more votes for him next voting time. he is not stupid(alot would disagree) and he sees how many people want this women to live, so what does he do? he helps her live. its that simple. a way to get some easy popularity points. i dont know how he feels on the situation, but he is gunna take advantage of it either way. i would also like to take a side now. i heard an interesting discussion on the radio the other day, and i do think they should let her die. i think it would be better for her, and her family. im sure her family thinks they would be happy if she lived, but think about it, terri and her family wouldnt get happier, her family would relize that she wouldnt be able to get better and she wouldnt ever have a quality of life. i think all these people are really just mad at her husband for wanting her to die. now her husband is alittle sketchy here. today he would not let terri's dad visit her. now if he has nothing to hide, then why not? also he has 2 other children with another women. if he loves terri so much, then why be with another women? but im not gunna join the millions of others that like to characterize him as an evil man. im not there, and i cant talk about this man, and neither can any body else that doesnt know him, because we dont know him. so why can people say he is evil or nice? we cant judge him, because we dont know him.

[ryan7261]

"OK GUYS IT NOT ABOUT THE LIVING AND DYING HERE"

the thing is we all know she would be better off in eternal sleep. But what the issue here is don't starve the girl to death over a two week period!

Theres never a doubt she should die and no one is really disputing that here! They said it would take two weeks for her to totaly starve to death ,and do you think she wouldn't feel that? come on get with the program if I had a choice to see her live or to starve to death I would pick the first.

Now people say your not looking at it from her shoes! Well lets see you starve yourself for 4 days and see how bad you whine and belly ache. and the amagine two weeks of it!

the government down there should of picked "A MORE HUMANE WAY OF LETTING HER DIE" that's the only thing people are pissed at is the choice on how she's going to die!

If you know me at all I never argue any points on this forum but I'll stick to my guns on this one and say " LET HER GO BUT DO IT RIGHT, DON'T STAVE THIS POOR CREATURE TO DEATH!"

Robby.

[randerson52]

Robby,
youre right starvation sucks. Its down right cruel. I dont want to piss anyone off by saying this, but how about using the lethal injection? I know it is used for criminals, but it wouldnt be painful. But youre right they need to let her go, but humanely

[BaSsFiShEr20]

[quote author=PowerBass link=board=Tourneys;num=1111199989;start=0#11 date=03/21/05 at 08:14:59]Robby,
youre right starvation sucks. Its down right cruel. I dont want to piss anyone off by saying this, but how about using the lethal injection? I know it is used for criminals, but it wouldnt be painful. But youre right they need to let her go, but humanely[/quote]

Not legal. Starvation, as cruel as it is, is the only legal means of letting her die. I dont like it either, but there isnt any other legal options. The doctors say they can put her in a semi catatonic state with pain meds during the duration, so she actually would not suffer very much.
Unfortunatly, its a lose, lose situation. Either way you go, fibe years from now, we might ask ourselves, was it the right thing.
Anyway, its back in the hands of the courts now.

Charles

[gammarama]

Thats what happens when you take someone off these machines. Its not any different than a machine that breathes for you. No, I would not want to starve,as I would not want to put a plastic bag over my head til I quit breathing. However, thats what happens. Like I said put yourself in her situation. If you were having to live like that, would you care? You don't think she is suffering now?

It seems cruel and it would a very hard decision to make. But, people have to let it go. Let her go! Stop trying to play God. Taking the tube away is not going to take her life. Her injuries have already taken that from her.

I also think much of the publicity is politically motivated. I am for the most part a Republican. However I disagree with their views on some things. They are trying to swing a few more votes by " Screaming the Loudest", with the help of the Media..

I have not heard one person answer my question.

What if it were you?

[zman]

Sometimes political/ethical decisions come up in the public sphere that are lose-lose no matter which way you go. This is one of those. I can't be too upset with either option because in short, both choices are terrible.

I do think that it is fundamental to the core beliefs of the American ethic that every citizen has the right to life, liberty and property and that these rights should be zeolusly gaurded from outside forces, including the government or other individuals, but given the nature of Terry Shiavo's experiance of life it is reasonable to conclude that her family should be granted the right to make the life/death decision for her.

Of course it goes without saying that what we are fighting about can be applied to numerous hot-button ethical issues, including capital punishment, abortion and doctor-assisted suicide.

[Infisherman1]

uhhh... did everyone miss the part about her husband wanting her to die because he'd get loads of cash out of her death. Also theres the fact that he has a girlfriend and has had kids via her. Also her family is wealthy enough and they said they would gladly pay to keep her alive. She doesn't need life support she can do that stuff by herself, the only thing she needs is a feeding tbe because she does not have the ablity to chew her food. Plus she is not in a vegetative state and she has been slowly recovering, she can as well recognize people, friends and family, she smiles when her friends and family visits her and she even understands what they say, she just has no ability to talk. So why let her starve for two weeks if the only person who WANTS her dead is her cheating husband and if there are people willing to keep her alive?

[mikee051]

"if i ever get to the point where i cant fish pull my plug."

seriously though, someone that will die without life support isnt really living. dodgeguy you say she isnt on life support but in the same post say she will die if they remove her feeding tube, that sounds like a form of life support to me.

if it were up to me i would have never let it go this far. who would want a life like this, what do you think the woman looks forward to everyday, and do you really think she has never thought of something better. im sure she laughs at times, hell im sure you keep someone alive long enough thell find something amusing. what about the other 90% of her life surrounded by unfamiler doctors and nurses. what do you think someone like this does all day? i sure as hell dont think its what they really want to do.

i mean who wouldnt want a tube down their nose, for the rest of their life ? you can sign me up, right after you beat me into submission.

[Eddie]

master,if food is life support then we are all on life support.there are 33 doctors that were not permitted to testify includind a noble prize nominated neurologist that examined her for 10 hous who says she is not a vegatable and could improve with therapy.she has been denied last rights by her husband from a catholic preist.she was a devout catholic and attended mass per her family and friends.he is in a common law marriage with another woman.he stopped therapy on her after he won a malpractice suit over her case.he did not state she wanted to die until 7 years into the case.i smell a rat!!!yes,she would be better off in heaven.if god wanted her there yet he would have taken her.she would have died the first few times they tried to starve her but she did not.

[bearpaw]

The husband already spent over a million dollars to keep her alive.
Alot of people die each year from the same type illness that she has (or illnesses that are very similar). Unfortunately, the press as well as the politicians are interfering with this issue.

[gammarama]

There is a Timeline of events on cnn.com

[Bassin_Dude]

ya, theres cases like this all the time. why is this one getting so much attention?

[Rich]

Thats what happens when you take someone off these machines. Its not any different than a machine that breathes for you

Actually, it is. Very different. In Novemner of 1999 in dealing with liver disease my fiancee developed a thing called Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome. We had her on life support for a week-breathing for her-when the doctors told us there was no hope. Long story short we took her off life support. One deep breath and she was gone. In this case it has been 5 days and she is still here, being denied food and water.

I think the problem we are having with this is not so much removing life support but the kind of life support. If her case was like the one I experienced I don't think there would even be any notice-it happens every day. However, the fact that she will die from starvation/dehydration or complications of that just doesn't sit right, no matter what side you are on. The irony is that if she was a convicted criminal there would be no question of removing the feeding tube-it would be considered cruel and unusual punishment, and would not be removed. I just hope and pray none of us have to ever make these kind of decisions-once was bad enough for me.

[danrw84]

I think Hula brought up some very interesting information regarding her husband. I had heard he was in another relationship and he was just waiting to reap the benefits of her death. I don't know all the details about him but if he's not taking care of her and if he is out of the picture, why does he care? Ask yourself that question.

[fredhatch]

I dont agree w/ starvation, I do agree w/ quality of life. Yes the hubbie may be a complete jack a@#, but if you think about it. He is her husband and as such should be able to make the final decision since she is not capable. I have told my wife before- If I am in a state where I can't take care of myself-LET ME GO! Ive seen the torture and stress that's caused to family and friends in these conditions. Ive seen families go bankrupt trying to get that one miracle, that never comes. I see stuff similar to this everyday, the only reason this has made such national news is because of MONEY. If that was Jane Doe and lower or middle class, they would have been deceased already. I dont wish for anyone to die, but as stated above- Where is the quality of life if she lives?

[bassmaster1983]

If Terri told anyone what her wishes were if she ever happened to be in this condition is what I would think is the right thing to do. I heard that her husband might have been an abuser. He might have strangled her. There were other things that might have happened. I listened to her sister say she used to go to work with brusies. The people who worked with her asked Terri about them and she responded with "Oh I bumped my self or ran into something." She also said Terri was thinking about a divorce. She said Terris' husband was somewhat of a bully and always wanted his own way. He did not care for Terris' parents and treated them bad. These are signs of a physical abusser. There are rumors and we may never know if they are true. I think Terris' husband wants her dead because if she ever was to recover she might have a story to tell. I also heard that the million dollars he recieved he has spent half of it on laywers to make sure she dies. Does he have something to hide? If it were up to me I would let her survive in her parents care. I've never had to deal with this kind of a situation but one similiar. My brother was killed in a hunting accident and it took a toll on both my parents and sister and me. I would do anything to have him back. Her parents have hope (even though previously it was stated brain damage is irreversible). Let them have her.

Bob