More on Schiavo
Bob:
I have been an estate planning attorney for 30 years. I have recommended "living wills" - health care directives to every estate planning client that comes in to my office. I can only remember 1 instance where someone didn't sign a "pull the plug" order. The overwhelming number of clients do not want to be kept alive in the sort of condition that Schiavo is in ---- FOR 15 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think the exception should swallow the rule.
Both of my parents could have been kept alive weeks or months beyond their actual date of death. They both told my brothers and I what they wanted....Terminate all care except hydration and pain management. They died with dignity.
This circus created by the right to life lobby is ridiculously cruel to both the patient, her husband, and ultimately her parents and family. Certainly in California, and I imagine in Florida, the conservator of the person has the right to make these ultimate decisions with court supervision. Do you want to repeal this legislation and go back to the era of the Nancy Cuzan case in Missouri!
I have been an estate planning attorney for 30 years. I have recommended "living wills" - health care directives to every estate planning client that comes in to my office. I can only remember 1 instance where someone didn't sign a "pull the plug" order. The overwhelming number of clients do not want to be kept alive in the sort of condition that Schiavo is in ---- FOR 15 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think the exception should swallow the rule.
Both of my parents could have been kept alive weeks or months beyond their actual date of death. They both told my brothers and I what they wanted....Terminate all care except hydration and pain management. They died with dignity.
This circus created by the right to life lobby is ridiculously cruel to both the patient, her husband, and ultimately her parents and family. Certainly in California, and I imagine in Florida, the conservator of the person has the right to make these ultimate decisions with court supervision. Do you want to repeal this legislation and go back to the era of the Nancy Cuzan case in Missouri!
Comments
Is this video tape current, was this a clip intended to show something that really isn't there.
Today, out of the woodwork crawls a nurse who accused Mr. Schiavo of administering insulin to Mrs. Schiavo in an attempt to kill her. She alleges that prior to this attempted murder, many years ago, Mrs. Schiavo was talking and reactive. Does this "high drama" sound a little ridiculous at this stage.
Is it true that the State of Texas has a law allowing a hospital to withdraw life support from an indigent patient over the objections of the patient's family?
I realize that this just might be a case where the Judge made a poor ruling. But it does represent an interesting hypothetical to discuss the general topic of euthanesia.
Under what circumstances should a Judge order a citizen to be killed?
If someone is truly brain dead, with a flat line brain readout, that's one thing. But when you have a conscious, smiling person with severe brain damage, that's another.
Should severely retarded people be "put to sleep?" People in severe pain, like a suffering animal? Who should decide: Judges, doctors, or family?
If I was the Judge, I would let the family take care of their own.