Unclear on the concept

[docwebster]

You know, this Terri Schialvo thing and peoples reactions here on LJ have got me skeeved just a bit. Why? Because I'm not real sure people are clear on just how that woman is apparently now going to die.

Starvation and thirst, people. She is either going to starve to death or die of thirst.

I just don't understand people.

Apparently, her "husband" wants to "put it behind him".

PUT IT BEHIND HIM?

She's your goddamn wife, you sack of crap, not some old car!

Comments

[kshandra]

You know, beyond a doubt, that I love you.

But here we must disagree.

(When gridlore went in for his surgery, he had a DNR on file, and I had power of attorney. It was incredibly fucking difficult for me to sign the POA, because damnit, he's my husband, and I want him to stick around if at all possible. But it's HIS fucking life, and if he doesn't want heroic measures employed to prolong it, I have to - need to - respect that.)

Quoting from rivka's blog:

None of the 17 affidavits are by providers who examined Schiavo.

Only one of the 17 providers claims to have reviewed her medical records. The remaining 16 providers apparently based their statements primarily on six snippets of videotape, totalling 4 minutes and 20 seconds, which have been posted on Schiavo's parents' website and broadcast repeatedly on the news. Several of them explicitly say that they viewed these clips on the net, and the others all refer to the same short samples of behavior (e.g., Schiavo's eyes tracking a balloon). Many of them say they read news stories about Schiavo. One admits to only seeing news stories and photographs. They all reference their experience with "similar patients," but without qualifying what they mean by "similar." For example, one doctor draws comparisons to catatonic patients - but catatonia simply refers to an absence of voluntary motion or interaction, and can be caused by any number of things. Another references stroke patients, and two more talk about patients with Alzheimer's. As Ampersand points out, not one of them mentions the specific degree and type of brain damage that Schiavo has, as documented by her CAT scans.... (all emphasis mine - KMB)
Perhaps more when I'm sober. Perhaps not, as this is a difficult subject for me to contemplate.