Euthanasia? Not exactly
A commenter on an earlier entry wrote:
I'm afraid it's too late for Terri Shiavo [sic] for a more political campaign. It should be a lesson to all of us; If you state your wishes for euthanasia, get it in writing.
So the claim here is that Terri Schiavo stated a wish to be euthanized if confronted with the kinds of disabilities she now suffers, and that there would be no controversy if only she had committed her wish to writing.
Assuming that's true, for the sake of argument, is euthanasia what Judge Greer has ordered for Terri in just over two weeks' time?
Euthanasia is an English word created after the manner of a Greek compound word. The prefix eu- (ev- before a vowel) means "good" and you find it in Greek-derived words like euphony (good sound), evangel (good news), euphemism (good speaking) and eulogy (good words). The "thanasia" in euthanasia is from the Greek thanatos -- death. I'm not sure bout the origin of the "asia" suffix, but the noun euthanasia and the verb euthanize signify assisting some living creature to a more pleasant death than it would otherwise experience. Animals are euthanized both for control of the stray population and to prevent long-term suffering from some uncorrectable condition. Groups like the Hemlock Society argue that physicians ought to be able to perform euthanasia -- assisted suicide, really -- on their human patients at the patients' request. In some places, physicians have performed euthanasia without the patient's consent, sometimes openly, sometimes not.
Even if you object to assisted suicide, as I do, you can acknowledge that the goal is a quick and painless death, and it is usually sought as an alternative to a long period of pain and suffering prior to death.
That isn't what Judge Greer has planned for Terri Schiavo. On March 18, in accordance with Greer's order of last Friday, Terri will no longer be given anything to eat or drink. Even if she is able to swallow fluids, without the aid of a feeding tube, she will not be allowed to have them. Here's what will happen next: She will feel hunger pains within hours, and she'll begin to dehydrate. She'll have cracked and bleeding lips, tongue, gums, and sinuses. She'll vomit until she can do nothing but dry-heave. She'll begin to have seizures from the electrolyte imbalance caused by starvation and dehydration. It will take days, maybe weeks for her to die. In 2003, she survived for six days without food and water before the state intervened.
You call that euthanasia?
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In response to your You call that euthanasia? question, it would certainly be more humane to give her an IV with Sodium Pentathol, followed by Potassium Chloride and Panchromium Bromide, but in Oklahoma that IV is only available in Mcalester, and then only if you have committed murder with special circumstances and have exhausted all appeals.
But worse than either of those alternatives would be to live another 15 years under the conditions she has lived in for the past 15 years.
I clicked on your sign in link and got The site you're trying to comment on has not signed up for this feature. Please inform the site owner.
In response to your You call that euthanasia? question, it would certainly be more humane to give her an IV with Sodium Pentathol, followed by Potassium Chloride and Panchromium Bromide, but in Oklahoma that IV is only available in Mcalester, and then only if you have committed murder with special circumstances and have exhausted all appeals.
But worse than either of those alternatives would be to live another 15 years under the conditions she has lived in for the past 15 years.
It should work now. Changing the name of my comments script from the default (an anti-spam measure) required me to make a corresponding change to my TypeKey account.
Don,
We could ask Terri what she wants, but since her "husband" has forbidden any therapy, she hasn't regained the ability to speak.
Kate Adamson (http://www.katesjourney.com/) wasn't asked, but they started starving her to death. Fortunately for her, her husband fought to end the murder attempt by her doctors. She's also recovered nicely and travels the nation as an inspirational speaker.
There are plenty more like them, Terri could very well be another.
Jack Lewis: "Terri could very well be another."
Without a cerebral cortex, she won't be making any inspirational speeches or any other kind.