Talking Terri
This morning I awoke with little on my mind except preparing for the County Council meeting tonight. I had posted last night on the Terri Schiavo crisis and was therefore surprised when it came up on the local morning talk show. The host was actually covering another legal issue in the state of Oregon and she seemed unaware of the new developments in the Schiavo case.
The question was about the ethics or morality of the matter among other things. The host is pro-life but often loses touch with the foundations of her beliefs. Today she had a lot of good callers to help her out though. Someone mentioned Terri Schiavo and then someone referred to her as being on life support--something utterly false.
I called in...I was the last caller on the show.
I knew my time would be really short so I talked as fast and as clearly as I could spit it out. Thinking back, I thank God it came out as well as it did. Even so, I didn't get the chance to plug about the recent crisis development. I can only pray, though, that I was able to at least correct some of the common errors that are so pervasive these days.
In related news
Tonight I added this blog to the Blogs for Terri listing and I can be found there already. They are doing all they can to tap into the new-found power of the blogosphere to rally public support. I think they already have public support despite the misinformation that reigns. It's just a matter of correcting the record and making this dinner table conversation in every American household.
The question was about the ethics or morality of the matter among other things. The host is pro-life but often loses touch with the foundations of her beliefs. Today she had a lot of good callers to help her out though. Someone mentioned Terri Schiavo and then someone referred to her as being on life support--something utterly false.
I called in...I was the last caller on the show.
I knew my time would be really short so I talked as fast and as clearly as I could spit it out. Thinking back, I thank God it came out as well as it did. Even so, I didn't get the chance to plug about the recent crisis development. I can only pray, though, that I was able to at least correct some of the common errors that are so pervasive these days.
In related news
Tonight I added this blog to the Blogs for Terri listing and I can be found there already. They are doing all they can to tap into the new-found power of the blogosphere to rally public support. I think they already have public support despite the misinformation that reigns. It's just a matter of correcting the record and making this dinner table conversation in every American household.
posted by Mark at 11:16 PM
I've worked with patients on life support (ventilators that force air into non-functioning lungs) and then I've worked with patients who have feeding tubes. The difference between the two interventions is huge and incomparable. Feeding tubes are basic-it's nutrition for goodness sake! To withold nutrition is to starve, and to starve someone to the point that they eventually die is murder.
I have friends with feeding tubes, high functioning friends who love, enjoy life, laugh, cry, and teach me (and others) so much.
The thought of someone being allowed to take away their only means of nutrion is horrific and wicked.
And honestly, I don't care if people can or can't testify as to Terri's level of brain functioning. Let's say Terri *didn't* ever smile or laugh or converse. Then it's okay? where do we draw the line?
I spent three years in a nursing home working as a CNA, and now going on two year at a hospital. I can testify to the preciousness of life-the capacity to love, in even the most severly demented and "non-functioning" individuals.
Thanks for speaking up and writing boldly. Our prayers and thoughts surround Terri.
I can't believe that this is still going on--what has this country come to? When I was at my teacher's house on Tuesday, she told me that the judge had cleared the way for the feeding tube to be removed, and then ten minutes later they had managed to stop it once again. It seems so ridiculous to me. Its like a very dangerous game of ping-pong.
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