Comments on: A personal story

By: ROBERT

ROBERT — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 17:25:18 +0000

I appreciate your introspective comments on this subject. This is the first blog i have ever read, and have ever responded to. As difficult as this subjet is, it could be even worse! My step mother passed away in June of 2001. She had liver failure, and unfortunately, was not able to maintain good enough health to outlast the wait for a transplant. My families decision was made more compounded by the fact that she was NOT brain dead, but was in a vegetative state. After much soul searching, my father called for a family meeting, and we all agreed that removing her off of the respirator was the humane thing to do. she could have lingered on for several more weeks or months in a coma if we had kept her on the respirator, but she would not have wanted to be left in such pitiful shape. after our consultation with the doctor to let him know our families decision, the care personel at the hospital removed the respirator and asked us if they could inject morphine to ease any pain she felt. we all said yes and held every part of her until she passed away. in the end we were all thankful to be there with her and to know that she had dignity in her natural death.
Science has grown to the point that it can do miraculous things with the human body. The one thing i have realized is that just because you can do something with technology, doesn’t mean you should.
thanks again for your blog,
sincerely,
robert

By: Tara

Tara — Sun, 27 Mar 2005 05:06:06 +0000

knowing me a bit, I bet you can guess that I agree with you.

I can sympathize with your story too. My father had a stroke at the age of 38, it was not massive but dehibilitating nonetheless. He died in his sleep at 45, the night before a planned kidney operation and he had made it clear to me that if he didn’t have control over his body he wouldn’t want to “exist” with the aid of medical technology. It’s hard for me to understand why those who don’t believe in “pulling the plug” say that it goes against God’s plan. 50 years ago Teri would have been dead already, it’s not natural that she is living like she is, it’s modern technology that’s keeping her alive now. I’m going to be blogging on this topic myself soon…

By: panthergirl

panthergirl — Sat, 26 Mar 2005 10:10:50 +0000

Thanks for posting your experience, Pia…I know it had to be painful to do it but it means a lot. I think what Schiavo’s parents are doing is misguided and selfish.

If they were REALLY religious, wouldn’t they think it better for her to “be with God”? That’s the part I really don’t get.

By: Maddie Dawg

Maddie Dawg — Fri, 25 Mar 2005 19:16:06 +0000

A MOST EXCELLENT POST!

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Fri, 25 Mar 2005 12:33:16 +0000

Hi
What a painful blog to write, thank you. I agree with you completely, if the brain is dead the person is gone, irrespective of what science can do to maintain the body.
Like many you miss the point of the big noise about the Schiavo case – the accusations and affidavits from Doctors and care nurses that Terri is not in a PVS at all, even the neurologist hired by the DCF came to that conclusion last week.
How can a family come to terms with their child’s state when one doctor is saying brain scans show hydrocephalus and alien items left in the brain, a nurse who cared for her is saying Michael was injecting his wife with insulin to induce coma and more than one nurse is sayng Terri could swallow soft foods, but Michael wouldnt allow it?
Its a horrible mess on top of a horrible mess.

By: rox_publius

rox_publius — Fri, 25 Mar 2005 04:10:43 +0000

I want to join the chorus of thank yous. Obviously, this is a difficult topic on a number of levels, and perspective like this is hard to come by.

Thank you.

By: Freaki

Freaki — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 16:06:47 +0000

Pia,

Thank you for your personal perspective. No one can and should judge or interject their views on this subject unless they have lived through it. I applaud your post and your conscious effort not to take a side.

God bless.

By: Lady in R3D

Lady in R3D — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 14:01:10 +0000

Hi Pia, I’m a very new blogger and here from Blog Explosion for the first time. Your site drew me in like a magnet, but your post with its icy chill of death and raw truth as only you, who lived it could portray, ravaged my insides.

I can barely type through my tears. I hope your powerful writing, penned with deep love and acute loss, is cathartic. It sounds like you miss him like it was yesterday.

I was told the ache abates with time. No, it changes form, but it doesn’t abate, at least not for me.

To merely exist, is not to live. It’s like an eggshell without life pulsing inside of it. I’ll be thinking of you on Sat and the following week during Passover. Intersting how both holy days use the egg to represent life, not existence. I hope you are wrapped in loving arms while your away.
Lady in R3D ~~8^)

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 03:39:18 +0000

I guess this has brought out a lot of feelings and memories for us all. I just finished posting about my father’s death.

I can tell how close your were and are to your father. It’s still painful, eh? Me, too.

By: Preemptive Karma

Preemptive Karma — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 18:21:06 +0000

Real Life Decisions

There is a lot of hubris out there about Terri Schiavo. And arguably from both sides of the issue. So I thought it might be useful, or at least instructive, to see how others have dealt with the same basic gut-wrenching decision with respect to members…