Why Terri Should Be Allowed To Die
Because she ceased to be Terri -- or anything but live meat in a bed -- 13 years ago. Finally, the article I've been waiting for, by Reason's Ronald Bailey. Her family has posted some "short, ambiguous video clips" online, which seem "to fit an AMA's report of how PVS patients can respond to environmental cues without being aware." Bailey explains why her family and others have false hopes, describing what a "persistent vegetative state" means:
Movements are largely confined to reflex withdrawals or posturing in response to noxious or other external stimuli. Since neither visual nor auditory signals require cortical integrity to stimulate brief orienting reflexes, some vegetative patients may turn the head or dart the eyes toward a noise or moving objects. However, PVS patients neither fixate upon nor consistently follow moving objects with the eyes, nor do they show other than startle responses to loud stimuli. They blink when air movements stimulate the cornea but not in the presence of visual threats per se."
"So," asks Bailey, "Is Terri Schiavo still alive? The odds are way against it. It's time that her long-suffering parents and the grandstanding politicians let her go in peace."
Yeah. What he said.
You got something against "live meat in a bed," Amy?
Lena Cuisina at October 23, 2003 11:24 PM
Very good point, Cuisina!
Amy Alkon at October 23, 2003 11:26 PM
Thing of it is, doing all the living wills and so forth won't really help you if the medicos in whose care you happen to land either (A) can't find your paperwork of (B) just happen to be in the mood to fight, i.e., protract your dance with death.
In order to maintain a fashionable toehold in today's rockin' teenage scene, I too have decided to get a tattoo in the near future. But instead of a dragon or Marvin the Martian, it will simply be "DNR" over my left nipple. Hitchens says "This ends badly," and it's true. If you're "lucky," you can look forward to several years in pools of urine and puddles of spittle. Also, your neighbors/roomates are going to want to watch Cops on TV at full volume. Or best case, Animal Planet. Do you understand? Old age and health care means WATCHING TV. How old do you want to get? Not very.
Just to keep the circle spinning here, I recently found a Catholic hospital that was VERY forward thinking about how these things are supposed to play out.
Crid at October 24, 2003 4:29 AM
Actually, the registry prevents the "can't find your paperwork" issue from being a problem. You're listed with a national registry hospitals subscribe to. And, presumably, the people on your living will know they're on it -- as do two witnesses. A decision to turn off life-support isn't something that's decided in twenty minutes.
Amy Alkon at October 24, 2003 5:33 AM
Long term that's true, but in the short term they can really fuck you up.
cridland at October 24, 2003 9:00 AM
What happens if family members don't want to allow you to die even though you signed a living will?
Jennifer at October 24, 2003 9:57 AM
They have no control -- if you don't let them. You designate somebody to be in charge of your care, and then alternates, and spell out what you want. Family members aren't always the best people to give this control to, especially if they have different values than you on whether to let you live on in human turnip form. If Terri Schiavo had put in writing somewhere that she didn't want to be kept alive if she were in a vegetative state for over six months (I believe that's the cutoff where there's hope for recovery) she would be dead today, not just a body in a bed being kept alive so somebody can dress her bedsores. I've just filled out the living will form, but since I have yet to file it, I'll go on the record here saying "pull the plug" if I turn into a human turnip.
Amy Alkon at October 24, 2003 10:16 AM
My question is what did she really want? Her parents say one thing, her husband says another. I think my whole problem with this is the way she would die. Starving to death. Even if she isn't aware of what's going on it seems barbaric. Amy, judging from your hate mail, there will be plenty of people lining up to pull the plug should you ever become a human turnip, rutabega, or whichever vegetable you choose to associate with your personality.
Sarah at October 24, 2003 12:04 PM
Sarah --
I'd like to pull the plug on you -- the large one that's stuck up your ass.
Love,
Lena
Lena Cuisina at October 24, 2003 2:15 PM
My problem in this whole sorry mess is Michael Schiavo. Terri Schiavo may be hopelessly vegetative and it may in fact be the kindest thing to let her die (although I agree with an earlier comment that starvation/dehydration seems a crappy way to go about it).
But.
Michael Schiavo can hardly be considered a reasonable advocate for Terri's interests. He got the malpractice money, bailed on his promise to do the rehab, shacked up with another woman and had a couple of kids, blocked her parents from access at least temporarily, and conveniently remembers his wife really would prefer to be dead than in her present state. This doesn't strike me as the type of advocate I'd like to have were my life at stake: this strikes me as a guy who wants a problem out of his life so he can get on with enjoying that lawsuit cash.
Solution? Disinterested third party named as guardian, 3 months of rehab (paid for by Michael Schiavo as he promised), then a panel evaluation. If the conclusion is still the same, then pull the plug (and use a less drawn-out approach than dehydration. Yeah, I know the law doesn't allow for it).
Both the parents and the husband come off badly in this: the parents are clinging to a vanishingly small hope in the face of all reality and Mr. Michael comes off as a complete rat bastard.
dt at October 24, 2003 2:41 PM
Actually, if you pay attention to MEDICAL experts, people in this state don't feel anything. This might SEEM barbaric, Sarah, but only to the huffily ill-informed.
Amy Alkon at October 24, 2003 3:50 PM
The point that everyone's missing is that if it can be said that Terri Schiavo is truly and consummately oblivious to her surroundings -- which, let's face it, cannot be ascertained by anyone for certain -- then obviously, she doesn't object to being kept alive. So, in what way is this cruel? Does she have the awareness to see her life as a living hell? Apparently not.
Personally, I find this whole article to be offensive. The author can mind his own damned business and stop trying to make decisions for other people when he has neither right nor compelling interest. Whether Schiavo lives or dies has no bearing the lives of anyone, save those who are closest to her. I personally don't care what anyone thinks about this. It's not our decision to make, nor does it concern us.
Patrick at October 24, 2003 8:42 PM
"I personally don't care what anyone thinks about this. It's not our decision to make, nor does it concern us."
Patrick --
You and Arianna Huffington jointly win the Common Sense Award for today. This isn't verbatim, but basically she asked: Why the fuck are we getting so distracted by this story? Surely the American public isn't interested in how her husband's predicament illustrates some of the finer points of biomedical ethics. The story of Terri Schiavo is just another human interest soundbite that we can hyperventilate and wring our hands about for a couple of weeks. I've got other things to think about.
-- Lena
Lena Cuisina at October 24, 2003 9:58 PM
Thank you. Perhaps the more appropriate title for this article is "Why Terri Schaivo Should Be Murdered" or "Why Terri Schaivo Should Be Executed." Since we have no way of knowing what Terri's wishes are, "allowing" her to die is presuming to decide what she wants. If it is true (and I'm not saying it is) that she is beyond all awareness, then it follows that she is beyond awareness of any suffering that those sanctimonious know-it-alls are assuming she's under. In her current state, she is not harming anyone, other than those who delicate sensibilities are offended by human beings in vegetative states.
Patrick at October 26, 2003 7:00 AM
Oh, by the way, Sarah. If Amy decides that were she ever rendered to a state where she is past all awareness that she would LIKE the plug pulled on her, I'd be in that line to do it for her. On the other hand, were she to decide that she WANTS to be kept alive, I'd be happy to respect that, too.
Patrick at October 26, 2003 7:04 AM
I'll agree-whom does it hurt if Terri is fed thru a tube for the next 20 years? Other than her husband. Why didn't he just divorce her and marry the mother of his kids? He probably might have to give up some of the malpractice money, but can't he let go of that?
And the medical evidence doens't indicate nerve death. She possibly can feel pinpricks, heat, etc. So letting her starve to death isn't exactly benigh neglect.
I think our interest in the story speaks to the human condition. What if I ended up like Terry? Or my child? Only someone with very little imagination could fail to be moved by this.
Roberto at October 26, 2003 2:24 PM
"I think our interest in the story speaks to the human condition."
I think these stories give people a false sense of security that horrible things always happen to other people.
Lena Cuisina at October 26, 2003 3:14 PM
I disagree, Lena. If anything it feeds the morbid imagination of the reader--what if I .....?
rachel at October 26, 2003 7:50 PM
Oh Lord. I guess what I wrote was easily misinterpreted. I was making a comment about Amy's hate mail (Alkili and Acidic Amy) and trying to make a joke. Ill-advised obviously. I have no problems with pulling the plug if its what the person wants. My mom reminds me every year or so that should she end up in that state, she doesn't want to stay "alive". I respect that. She will not have to go through what this other woman is going through because I love my mom and know what she wants and so do my other siblings. I think my mom has a living will also. However, should my mom change her mind, I will observe that wish. I know that this woman is in a vegetative state and won't be aware of starving to death. However, I'm giving her some human properties, when she doesn't have them, and feeling sorry for her. Kinda like when you think your dog can understand every word you say. The only difference is Terry is a vegetable not a dog. Ill-informed? I hope not. It just seems to me that no one, not even a turnip deserves to starve to death when we don't kill murderers (one step down on the evolutionary scale from turnips) that way.
Sarah at October 27, 2003 7:57 AM
I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE GIVE ALL RIGHTS OF TERRI TO HER PARENTS HE ONLY WANTS HER DAMN MONEY THINK ABOUT MY WIFE!!!!!SHE IS SICK AND I AM SCREWING ANOTHER WOMAN AND THAT BITCH SHOULD NOT EVEN BE IN THIS SHE ALREADY SPENDS TERRI'S MONEY AND GIVE TO HER PARENTS THAT HAD HER AND LOVE HER NOT JUST MONEY I THINK THEY SHOULD MAKE HIM SRAVE FOR 6 DAYS ALSO SEE HOW IT FEELS
KATHY at November 18, 2003 10:59 AM