If Terri Schiavo IS conscious, isn't it very inhumane to keep her alive?

[latteromden]

If she is "minimally conscious," wouldn't it be absolute hell for her to be in this state, day after day, for 15 years, especially if it's NOT what she wants? You would not leave a sick and dying pet alive - you would put it to sleep so it wouldn't have to suffer. If Terri is at all conscious, her family is prolonging her suffering, are they not?

[davidinalameda]

1. these posts are prolonging my suffering

is nothing else going on in the world?

[blondeatlast]

2. That's what the little "x" is for. some of us do want to discuss the

issue.

[Catchawave]

9. Yes, thanks for pointing that out Blondeatlast!

Quite a few DUers don't have cable and rely on these discussions to keep up with the news.

[latteromden]

3. Yeah, mine too. But hell, I'm bored.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

6. I hate myself for this,

but it's like watching the python at the zoo getting fed. They toss that little pig or bunny in the cage, and who doesn't want to watch THAT?

I hate myself for watching this stuff, but I can't seem to give it up. I think, like the python, it's the horror of these bastards that has me mesmerized.

I'm waiting for the Good Friday lightning bolt to take out Randall Terry and the rest of those ghouls.

[blondeatlast]

7. We aren't ghoulishly hovering over Mrs. Schiavo's bed, but we are debating

every aspect of the case that comes up, and I see it as perfectly rational for political geeks.

We are also seeing--and EXPOSING--all that is wrong with the Republicans in power. They are imploding and it's like watching or reading a great political thriller.

[Hissyspit]

4. Of course it probably is... That's why I told my family last night:

"Don't you ever do that to me! Pull the plug!"

[blondeatlast]

5. It's complicated, but she'd let her family know if she had any

consciousness.

I've cared for people in both SVS and PVS states, and if she were SVS, she very possibly could make her feelings known.

In PVS--it's simply impossible. She truly is a breathing corpse, with all due respect to Mrs. Schiavo.

[KharmaTrain]

8. Moot Point

Minimally conscious? Is that like kinda pregnant? There is no consciousness here, since the areas that control that function in the brain is liquid...it has no electrical waves that would determine any concept of conscious.

So your question is moot as she's not even a vegetable...more like a machine...with only respiratory functions going.

Having been in my own similar situation in having to remove the feeding tube from my mother, I'll tell you the decision every step of the way was the quality of life. We kept her on a minimum of drugs (only for apparent discomfort) and let nature take her like it has for billions of others.

I see Terri in a real "limbo"...her soul (if there is such) no longer resides in her body...all that remains is the infrastructure...a burned out building per se...and if those who really did believe in such would want to reunite the two so she could meet that invisible cloud being.