Judge Delays Ruling on Removing Brain-Damaged Woman's Feeding Tube

[demdave]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) - A judge put off a ruling Thursday on whether to remove a brain-damaged woman's feeding tube after her parents argued that she first should be given the chance to learn to eat
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA21133HKD.html



Does anyone have more info on this, I have heard several differing points of view dealing with how vagative a state This woman is in. Thanks

[Mistress Quickly]

1. I saw a video of her

on some news channel, and her eyes were (seemed at least to me) expressive, and she seemed to be able to follow noise around the room. I thought "This can't be the woman they're talking about!"

I feel bad for her parents. Its scary how they no longer have any rights in her life (I know I know, she's an adult)
yet her husband, who is only related through law, can decide to try to end her life.

I wonder how long she'll survive. That's a sad story.

[demdave]

2. It would take between 10 and 14 days for her to starve to death.

As per the article.

[SiobhanClancy]

4. I saw the video,too..

She is certainly not comatose,nor in a "vegetative state". Even worse,this so-called husband is ENGAGED to another woman who has already had a child. I guess the wedding will take place shortly after he becomes a widower. I can't believe that this man is considered an appropriate legal guardian for the poor woman. If not the parents,then another legal guardian needs to be appointed immediately.

Here is a link to a website,I think it's run by her family:
www.terrisfight.org/

[deek]

5. Thank you for the link

amazing

[deek]

3. Where are

the NOT DEAD YET group? ACLU? I haven't seen a video of the woman, but this is outrageous.

Feeding tubes are not the horrible "artificial life support" invasions many people think they are. My daughter has had one for almost 19 years. It has been a quality-of-life enabler.

I am also wary of the so-called "experts" determining if she is interactive or not. They spend 1/2 hr or so with her and then judge whether she's "worthy" of life or not?

Why should the parents have to defend her right to life? Where are the right-to-lifers NOW???

The path the medical ethics people are taking in this country is scary. It's all about $$ and genocide of the "nonproductive".

Fits right in with the Orwell/Bush paradigm.

[demdave]

7. Where are the death penalty opponents????

This is nothing short of an execution. What, it is only worth the time if it is a lousy murderer? What, don't have time for the white girl? I don't care who's toes I step on here. THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED.

[pop goes the weasel]

9. The activist disability community

has been fighting for this woman and trying to get publicity for quite a while now. You can read some of the archived news about her through raggededgemagazine.com. Their latest article is http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/drn/07_03.shtml#583

[demdave]

6. I just watched the video and had to kick .

http://www.terrisfight.org


Where are the rest of the DU????? Where is the outrage?? I try to always be civil in my responses but this makes me scream obcenities.
Are we only here to bitch and moan??? Is this only a forum for cute quips and off-hand remarks???


This must not procede!!!!!

[mbperrin]

8. Now anyone who wants to

just go right ahead and tell me that the "civilized" approach to this problem is the right one!

Yes, direct action is called for! I mean, if it were my daughter's life at stake, I do believe that I could take forceful means to convince the "husband" that a divorce would be good!

Actually, I do believe in the death penalty in limited cases, but this case is an outrage! Apparently she does not have tons of money to pay for treatment, so "pull the plug" free-marketeers!

BTW, expect more of this sort of thing to save money on Medicare and Social Security - soon I expect a national "duty to die."

Oh, and don't forget - this weekend, Texans go to the polls to decide whether damages can be capped in any lawsuit regardless of circumstance. The doctors say they "need" this in order to practice their best!

Money is OK, but can anyone else see that the sole pursuit of it is deadly?