Murder or Hospice

It seems that for the Lay person, it is easy to be convinced that the removal of a PEG tube is potentially the equivalent to "murder". Mrs. Schiavo is in Hospice care, and there are those who would prefer to vilify this hospice as doing misdeeds because it does not fall in line with their own personal and political agendas. We hear reports that the family is denied the ability to give ice chips and other nutrition to help comfort/prolong her life. I don't know what the whole story is. I am convinced that we may not even know when we watch the TV movie of this crazy event.

But to classify the removal of a PEG tube as murder could change the face of Hospice care in America. This would criminalize the health care workers who bring comfort to our loved ones and ourselves in the end of days. America seems hung up on usurping individual freedoms and decisions, because some politicians believe they know what's better for you and I.

So far, it looks as if the Justices have disallowed the political grandstanding to rue the day. Hopefully they (the politicians) won't criminalize Hospice, there by forcing the doctors to make a decision about either putting the PEG tube back in, or face prosecution themselves. Of course this would the ability of people to die in dignity in America.

But let's be honest, if Michael Schiavo really wanted to take care of this without all this political crap, he could have sought advanced medical attention in a country that doesn't have all of these hang ups, then if nothing worked, requested to end the feeding tube.

Whose life is it anyway?

Over the last few days, I have been bombarded by news here in Florida about Terri Schiavo. Terri Schiavo has currently been in a persistive vegetative state for over 14 years, and the husband has been attempting to remove a feeding tube from her, which has been necessary to sustain her life. The ultimate result will obviously be her death. The debate is whether or not it is the right thing to do doesn't seem like it has much more play than a political beach ball (It's big and bright, but is just a distraction for what's really going on, on the beach).

The Gallup Poll organization reported that a majority of American's support the removal of the feeding tube. Our politicians however have sought to ERROR, as it was put, on the side of life. Yet it is an error. There are too many reasons that this person should be allowed to die in dignity.

• Marital Bonds vs Parental Bonds - If the GOVERNMENT is quick to usurp the rights of spouses, then what validity does any marriage have in the eyes of the government. Does this mean that one must divorce their parents prior to marrying their spouse?
• Is removing a feeding tube MURDER? Well, if it is, then we can start to prosecute HOSPICE providers in this country for their humane desire to help people when they are at the end of their life, and have determined that they no longer desire treatments that could prolong their life.
• The decision has been made in the State of Florida, under the Laws of Florida and reviewed by the State Supreme court. The Republican party, which has for decades stood for State's rights has determined that if they don't like they out come, they will do whatever it takes to override a State's lawmakers and judges to make it come out their way. But not only that, but in this case they violated their own doctrine to push a bill through Congress in record time, most likely to no avail but for political gains. Is Congress willing to do this again in EVERY case?
  

No person wants to lose a loved one. If there was reasonable proof that a person could possibly regain their ability to have their life back, then it would make sense to prolong this persons life. However after 14 years, there becomes a point when one must recognize that the quality of life will not get any better. We can only determine what we would do in the event of a situation involving our own loved ones.

I for one would not want to live in a persistive vegetative state. Every person should have a living will to prevent the angst that this family has had to endure.

Politics and family squabbling set aside, allowing the feeding tube to be removed is the right thing to.