Propping Up A Corpse
People don't understand the costs of believing in irrational crap. I would venture that, if the poor parents of Terri Schiavo were rationalists instead of fundamentalists, they wouldn't continue to insist that she has any chance of popping out of her hospital bed and recovering. CNN reports that they've just been granted the right to file another emergency petition with the Georgia appeals court. (The request for a rehearing was later denied by the federal appeals court.) Meanwhile, here's science speaking over on MSNBC:
The overwhelming majority in the medical community say Terri Schiavo has close to no brain activity and has no chance of regaining awareness. Dr. Ronald Cranford, who actually examined Terri Schiavo in 2002 and testified to her condition, joined "The Abrams Report" on Monday. Cranford is the assistant chief of neurology at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis as well as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota's Center for Bioethics.Below is the transcript of their conversation.
DAN ABRAMS, HOST: You're one of the few people who has actually examined Terri Schiavo and you're hearing all of these people who are coming on from the sidelines saying, "She's has been misdiagnosed," et cetera. How confident are you in your diagnosis and why?
DR. RONALD CRANFORD, UNIV. OF MN NEUROLOGIST: I'm extremely confident. I think at the time of the trial in 2002 there had been eight neurologists who examined her. And of those eight neurologists total, seven of them said beyond any doubt whatsoever Terri is in a vegetative state. Her CT scan shows severe atrophy or shrinkage of the brain. Her EEG is flat and there's absolutely no doubt that she's been in a permanent vegetative state ever since 1990. There's no doubt whatsoever, Dan.
But what about all the religious nutters' doctors who say otherwise?
ABRAMS: Doctor, let me read you this from Dr. Cheshire. I know you've heard about him. He's from the Mayo Clinic and he is the reason that they appealed to the federal courts saying, look we've got a doctor who is saying the following.“There remain huge uncertainties in regard to Terri's true neurological status. I believe that, within a reasonable degree of medical certainty there is a great likelihood that Terri is in a minimally conscious state rather than a persistent vegetative state.”Your response.
CRANFORD: Well actually if you read his report, he says she has no visual tracking and she has no conscious awareness which are the cardinal signs of the vegetative state, so I don't think there's any doubt she's in a vegetative state. He never examined her.
He did an interview with her for 90 minutes, observing her. He never viewed her CT scans. He makes no mention of her EEG, so while he's a reputable neurologist, perhaps, at the Mayo Clinic, his report means absolutely nothing. It's a desperation, last minute move by the governor who just doesn't know what else to do, so he brings in a Christian fundamentalist neurologist. It's just not true.
Dunno, I read another FAQ via Reynolds this morning that said doubt is reasonable. By my math it doesn't matter.
A feeding tube is not the same thing as feeding someone. Feeding someone is bringing them food, and then holding a spoonful in front of their mouth. And then they bite and swallow. You reload the spoon and do it again. THAT'S feeding. It's humane, it respects boundaries while expressing compassion, and people have been doing it for tens of thousands of years.
Sticking a tube down their throat (an indisputably painful and inarguably intrusive maneauver) in order to slam nutrients through their tissues is not the same thing. Doing so routinely has taken an important metric away from us: Lack of appetite, while heartbreaking, is an important way for dying people to let us know that they're breaking for the exit.
Breathing machines have already taken the word "spirit" from our vocabularies, and it's a tragic loss.
Also, does anyone know who's paying for Schiavo's care at this point? Who actually cuts the check for the feeding tube? It'sprobably not the father, who'd be in debt for another five lifetimes at this point. She's almost certainly a public expense.
Cridland at March 30, 2005 8:20 AM
Maneuver. Whatever, it's a frog word.
Crid at March 30, 2005 8:21 AM
I believe it's Medicaid. Nice, huh.
Wise words above, Crid.
Amy Alkon at March 30, 2005 8:30 AM
> I believe it's Medicaid.
There's nothing as obnoxious as someone who wants to do good things with other people's money.
Cridland at March 30, 2005 8:47 AM
>People don't understand the costs of believing in
>irrational crap. I would venture that, if the poor parents
>of Terri Schiavo were rationalists instead of
>fundamentalists, they wouldn't continue to insist that she
>has any chance of popping out of her hospital bed and
>recovering.
I think you're needlessly playing the fundamentalist card.
All it takes is a strong enough wish to believe that Terri
is functional. If you look for any positive signs and
disregard any negative signs, you can convince yourself.
If you doctor-shop to find a doctor who will agree with
your pre-conceived answer, then you can further convince
yourself.
This could happen even if the parents were otherwise
rational. It's not a question about how strongly you
believe in a supreme being; it's a question about how
desperately you want the facts to be as you'd like
to interpret them. This type of failing isn't
limited to fundamentalists.
Ron at March 30, 2005 8:59 AM
No, it's not, but I would venture people who strive to be rational (nonbelievers) are far less likely to believe in irrational crap and live in Wishfulthinkingville.
Amy Alkon at March 30, 2005 9:10 AM
The truth is that regardless of their beliefs, the parents are in acute denial. They are *not* showing love for Terri, only concern for themselves in keeping her "alive", and I use that term loosely in this case, at any cost. The husband, who everyone is so pissed off at, is the one that is acting in her best interest. If the parents could let go of their denial, and everyone else could let go of their religious/political agenda, Terri Schiavo could finally die with dignity: and of the key players, no one but Michael Schiavo seems interested in that. This is wrenching for everyone closely involved, but the parents CLEARLY are choosing not to process this. And not to *project* my personal life on to this, but I have not seen my parents in 14 years, and would venture to say they have NO idea what my wishes are or what is best for me.
Nuff said.
Goddyss at March 30, 2005 10:19 AM
I cannot believe Medicaid is covering Terri's hospice account. Those guys are paid to detect hopeless cases and quit paying for them -- they ain't stupid. I heard that church groups are paying, but how that's arranged is not clear.
Also -- minor correction -- the feeding tube is not thrust down her throat but actually surgically installed through the skin into her stomach. That's why re-inserting it would require a hospital visit (the hospice apparently isn't equipped or staffed for surgery).
Stu "El Inglés" Harris at March 30, 2005 12:43 PM
"the feeding tube is not thrust down her throat but actually surgically installed through the skin into her stomach."
At this point, they could shove the feeding tube up her sorry ass for all I care. Is everyone else ready for this story to go away now, FOREVER?
Lena Cuisina and the Hearts of Stone -- Live! at March 30, 2005 1:06 PM
everytime I see the news I hope that this poor woman's body has passed on so this can finally be over for her and her husband
alex the sea turtle at March 30, 2005 1:48 PM
Mi tortuga favorita! Como estas, Alex?
Lena-doodle-doo at March 30, 2005 2:03 PM
Muy Bien, Y Tu?
alex the sea turtle at March 30, 2005 2:49 PM
At the risk of being repetitious, let me repeat myself. This story would hit the E section of all the daily fishwraps if just one thing happened. All it takes is the husband to quit claim the unfed one over to the desirous parents. They can take her anywhere they want, but sans public funding. Let them take care of her however they want to. You might see an update from time to time by the media, but it's off the front page all the way back to Ann Landers or Abby or whoever is doing that stuff these days. Oh, yeah. Amy, you do that. Okay, all the way back to our beloved goddess' column. What's so difficult about that? Except that it probably breaks fourteen hundred local, state, and federal statutes. And the coastal commission, the EPA, the FCC, the ABC, and any other abbreviated bureaucracy you care to name. Not to mention all the lawyers circling in drooling shivers (yes, a group of sharks is called a shiver). Whatever happened to simple, common sense decisions? Rhetorically speaking, of course. Everyone has their own answer on that one. Mine's the best though.
allan at March 30, 2005 6:25 PM
The way I see it, the husband is acting in what he believes to be in Terri Schiavo's best interests -- what he believes she'd want. What's in it for him to stay in it this way? Money's almost gone from the court award, he's been offered a million dollars to do what you suggest Allan...he isn't doing this out of spite. He stuck in there for about a decade -- studied nursing to take care of her -- and gave up when he finally decided it was futile -- her hope of coming back. I would only hope I'd have somebody like that (Lena or my little sister) fighting for my right to die instead of becoming somebody's big dolly because they're too deluded to let go.
Moreover, regarding my supposed similarities to Dear Abby, something tells me Dear Abby isn't reading what I'm reading today: "Attractiveness and Sexual Behavior: Does attractiveness enhance mating success?" by Gillian Rhodes, Leigh W. Simmons, and Marianne Peters, all biologists in Australia. PS If Dear Abby even has a clue as to what "sexual dimorphism" is, I'll eat my big toe. Search "Dear Abby" on my blog and you'll see what I think of her.
Allan, once again, you are rivaled by none in your ability to be a simplistic thinker.
Amy Alkon at March 30, 2005 6:40 PM
Call me what you will, but I still say you are a beloved goddess. I admire your writing and clever phrasing quite a bit. That was compliment I threw in my comment that may have looked like a snarky thing. But I do admit to favoring straightforward solutions which puts me in a limited group it seems. Simplistic philistines all.
allan at March 30, 2005 8:34 PM
Dateline 3/31, 07:00
Well it's all academic now. RIP Terri.
Stu "El Inglés" Harris at March 31, 2005 7:08 AM
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