I *think* she's breathing on her own. The sticking point for me is that her husband says she wouldn't want to live like she's living. I tend to think he would be the one to know. It's not as if he's trying to knock her off for insurance money, she's been this way for over a decade. Maybe he is tired of seeing his wife suffer in a state of limbo.
It's exactly why everyone should have a DNR order on file if they are opposed to being artificially kept alive. For me I only want a feeding tube if it is a temporary measure, or if I'm sentient. You know if I can talk and carry on my life but can't swallow for instance. I don't want any kind of artificial respiration unless again it is a temporary measure. Charles Mims http://www.the-sandbox.org -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jen -- Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 3:22 PM To: The Sandbox Discussion List Subject: Re: [Sndbox] Right to Die Is she on breathing machines or she is breathing on her own ? If she is honestly comotose as well as brain dead, removing the feeding tube is not going to be painful for her. Im not being judgemental because I dont know the circumstances, but I cant imagine wanting to keep a person comotose for 13 years. That doesnt help anyone in the situation. Although, I do agree with Charles, other members of the family should not be able to come in and fight the decision that the next of kin has made. He/she must have her reasoning. I have seen two people a few years ago die basicly after they became brain dead. In one of those situations I was the decision maker and in one I wasnt. But that decision isnt easy and noone should be *made* to change their mind because someone else doesnt agree. JMO. Jen -- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'The Sandbox Discussion List'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 9:05 AM Subject: RE: [Sndbox] Right to Die > Actually, the hospice folks here swear that removing the tube is > actually more peaceful for the patient than other methods. Their body > shuts down and > goes to sleep. > > > Charles Mims > http://www.the-sandbox.org > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Laurie > Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 11:38 AM > To: The Sandbox Discussion List > Subject: RE: [Sndbox] Right to Die > > I have a problem with just stopping the feeding tube. > That is starving her to death...nope...can't go with that..but if she > is braindead, or in a permanent vegitative state, I can see increasing > pain meds and ending her life that way....no suffering. In my opinion, starvation > is painful and suffering occurs. > > Laurie > --- David <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I'm like you on this one. We had a tough decision with Julie's > > mom...but fortunately the doctor was able to ask her mother if she > > wanted more pain medicine or did she want to be more alert. She > > chose the pain medicine and it basically put her to sleep then shut > > her down. > > She was in so much pain > > and suffering from the cancer. Now this case is a bit different, > > but if they feel that taking the woman off of the feeding tubes will > > cause her pain and make her suffer, I'm not for her suffering. I > > say since she is basically dead anyway, then give her enough > > medication to let it be an easy transition. I don't like playing > > God, but I don't think that is the case. > > > > David L. > > > > Ben Franklin: "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As > > nations become corrupt, they have more need of masters." > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Charles > > Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 9:58 AM > > To: 'The Sandbox Discussion List' > > Subject: RE: [Sndbox] Right to Die > > > > > > I haven't decided on this one. The woman has been vegetative for 13 > > years. > > For all practical purposes she is not alive, and reports I've heard > > is that her brain waves are severely deteriorated. The drain on her > > immediate family (Husband (children?)) must be enormous not even > > counting the financial drain keeping her artificially alive. > > > > I'm looking at it like this, my wife (who according to the laws of > > the state of FL is my next of kin) knows my wishes. If she made the > > difficult decision to cease heroic measures on me I wouldn't want my > > mother to be able to step in and make a different decision. If the > > extended family wins in this case, that is the precedent that will > > be set. > > > > I know for *ME* I don't want to live like that. > > Take the tube away. If it > > is the only thing keeping me alive, I mean, and I'm not conscious. > > Now if I were still conscious and just couldn't eat, then it is a > > different story. > > > > > > Charles Mims > > http://www.the-sandbox.org > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > On Behalf Of Tim Harder > > Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 10:38 AM > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: [Sndbox] Right to Die > > > > > > Has anyone been paying attention to the woman in Florida who has > > been a vegetable since 1990. They are going to remove her feeding tube... > > They say she will *probably* die in about two weeks.... > > Does anybody else find > > this disturbing? I suppose they will have her loaded up on pain meds? > > Is it better for her to go this way... or would it be better for > > someone to give her a lethal dose of something? > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > Changes to your subscription (unsubs, nomail, > > digest) can be made by going > > to > > > http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > Changes to your subscription (unsubs, nomail, > > digest) can be made by going > > to > > > http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > Changes to your subscription (unsubs, nomail, > > digest) can be made by going to > > > http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net > > > > ===== > I wanted a perfect ending... Now, I've learned, the hard way, that > some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, > middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking > the moment, and > making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. > Delicious ambiguity. > --Gilda Radner > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > The New Yahoo! 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