Artificial feeding-Terri Schiavo

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I posted this here becaue I think this subject is something that we as nurses deal with on a regular basis.....Many many people state that they have a big problem with the feeding being stopped "allowing her to starve to death" The Vatican says " To starve her to death is pitiless" Most everyone agrees that it is one's right to refuse to initiate artificial feeding but somehow this situation "is different" How? The patient "starves to death " in both cases-so why has this one galvanized the WORLD? My husband read me a quote from the Bible -forgive me because I can't remember it in detail-it was something along the lines that a woman marries and leaves her father's house and her husband becomes her family....My husband is my POA I hope no-one in my family questions his motives -He KNOWS exactly what I want....I can't question her husbands motives-I know that some suspect foul play and state the results of a bone scan support this...That bone scan was obtained 53 months after she went into her coma-after her body suffered the effects of her eating disorders for a number of years.... Her present level of responsiveness does not pertain to this matter IMHO-she CAN'T eat naturally--she did not ever want to "be kept alive like that " and she can't state otherwise at this point...So- #1 can someone PLEASE make me see why this case is" DIFFERENT" and #2 How do YOU support your patients and their loved ones when they are agonizing over this decision? ONe thing I always ask is "Did your loved one ever give you any idea of what they would want if something like this happened" and if they did then I advocate that stance for that pt as much possible.......I believe that death is the last great trip we'll go on and we should PLAN it as much as possible.The greatest GIFT we can give to our loved ones is an itinerary...........

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=625063

Looks like they might reinsert the tube again.

In, out, in, out, in, out, in, out...

I am really at a lost for word... I am numb...

-Dan

I hope they take their time doing it, as this has gotten too insane for words.

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excerpt taken from msnbc today... (original link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7293186/ )

morphine use disputed

bob schindler on monday said he feared the consequences of morphine that has been used to relieve his daughter's pain.

"i have a great concern that they will expedite the process to kill her with an overdose of morphine because that's the procedure that happens," he said.

felos disputed that, saying that hospice records show schiavo was given two low doses of morphine-one on march 19 and another on march 26-and that she was not on a morphine drip.

hospice spokesman mike bell said federal rules kept him from discussing schiavo specifically, but said "a fundamental part of hospice is that we would do nothing to either hasten or postpone natural death."

comfort measures, including morphine drips, are used in consultation with a patient's guardian, physician and hospice care team, bell said.

felos said he had visited terri schiavo for more than an hour monday and said she looked "very peaceful. she looked calm."

"i saw no evidence of any bodily discomfort whatsoever," felos said, although he added her breathing seemed "a little on the rapid side" and her eyes were sunken.

bob schindler's comments really make me mad. like hospice spokesman bell said, that is not what hospice is about. the public is already confused and misinformed enough about what hospice is and other end-of-life issues! it worries me because people like my mother in law are coming to me ranting and raving about this whole case and taking word the schindler's say as gospel truth.

obviously this man is in dire need of education, if it would penetrate. i'm really beginning to resent all the time, energy and focus that this has taken over nationwide. we do have other crises to worry about and i suppose north korea is still a threat.

why, why, would congress act act for the purpose of one person when they are there to represent the majority opinion of the people?

should anyone tell mr schindler that mso4 could possibly be an addictive drug,and when she makes her miraculous recovery she'll be dependent on morphine? ok, i'm trying to inject a little levity into a situation which is completely out of control.

let the poor woman die in peace. i think that it may do more harm than good to insert, d/c, insert, d/c, insert, d/c...her poor liver and kidneys must be close to shutting down by now. at this point, wouldn't reinserting the feeding tube cause more harm than good?

when my time comes, just let me go. i hope i'm living a good life with a good marriage and raising two little adopted daughters (although they can make me crazy at time, but not this nuts!)

time to stop the madness!

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I really think what contributes to the public's confusion about Hospice is that Terri wasn't a terminal patient, wasn't actively dying of any disease, she has lived 15 years in her brain-damaged state and her feeding tube was removed to allow her to die from dehydration and/or starvation and then she is getting morphine. The public is probably thinking "for what?".

My own thoughts are Terri is not a good representation of the usual hospice patient. This is such a controversial case that she probably should not have been placed in a hospice.

Moving her to a hospital or LTC would have at least let the other hospice patients and their families avoid this high-profile case. Since hospice patients are in the unique position of actively dying, it would have been nicer for them to be spared this.

I work with hospice patients on occasion and our hospice nurses are awesome. The whole hospice program in my community deserves accolades for their commitment to their patients. The doc who heads our hospice is also wonderful.

To mix Terri up with hospice patients I think does a disservice to the whole hospice movement. People are now going to associate it with the "right-to-die" movement. Regardless of whether it has nothing to do with that - the public is naive or uneducated or whatever.

steph

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Folks, please refrain from starting additional Schiavo threads in the nursing forums.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ditto. :yeahthat:

steph

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I really think what contributes to the public's confusion about Hospice is that Terri wasn't a terminal patient, wasn't actively dying of any disease, she has lived 15 years in her brain-damaged state and her feeding tube was removed to allow her to die from dehydration and/or starvation and then she is getting morphine. The public is probably thinking "for what?".

My own thoughts are Terri is not a good representation of the usual hospice patient. This is such a controversial case that she probably should not have been placed in a hospice.

Moving her to a hospital or LTC would have at least let the other hospice patients and their families avoid this high-profile case. Since hospice patients are in the unique position of actively dying, it would have been nicer for them to be spared this.

Steph,

I have not seen every post in this thread, but every one of your posts I've looked at seems to be rational and thoughtful. I appreciate and compliment you on your strong and intelligent stance. :)

~Kitty~

BTW......has anyone here seen every post in this thread??? ;)

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
BTW......has anyone here seen every post in this thread???

I usually do read every single post before I respond to a thread. However, I've not only stopped reading this one, but I have no idea if I responded to it or not. :chuckle

Anyhow. My thoughts in a nutshell--and forgive me if I contradict myself--

I don't think of Terri's death at this time as a natural thing, I think of it as euthanasia.

Had the tube been pulled within the first few weeks of this dx, I would've been all for it.

Now? I just really feel uncomfortable with the process.

And it's so ironic that the Pope has had a GT inserted. Guess we won't have to worry about how that'll go, will we.

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Funny that we live in a world where we are not allowed to end a person's suffering through euthanesia (sp?) but we ARE allowed to let them die of thirst and starvation. There is a place in this world for Dr. Kevorkian! :crying2:

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:deadhorse

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I usually do read every single post before I respond to a thread. However, I've not only stopped reading this one, but I have no idea if I responded to it or not. :chuckle

Anyhow. My thoughts in a nutshell--and forgive me if I contradict myself--

I don't think of Terri's death at this time as a natural thing, I think of it as euthanasia.

Had the tube been pulled within the first few weeks of this dx, I would've been all for it.

Now? I just really feel uncomfortable with the process.

And it's so ironic that the Pope has had a GT inserted. Guess we won't have to worry about how that'll go, will we.

The thread icon on the forum has a little ziggy arrow to indicate if you've responded to that thread.

I agree with your post regarding timing of removal. It is wrong. They are killing an apparently robust, brain damaged woman.

From what the media is saying this morning, Pope actually has an NG vs. GT. But I wonder if they removed it for his appearance at the window?

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.
BTW......has anyone here seen every post in this thread??? ;)

Each and every one. I don't post much in here, but I will tell you that 99% of the posts in this thread are meaningful and well-written, more often than not with sources cited.

I've learned, and am learning, a lot from the dedicated, caring professionals in this thread. I can't wait to join your ranks.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.
I really think what contributes to the public's confusion about Hospice is that Terri wasn't a terminal patient, wasn't actively dying of any disease, she has lived 15 years in her brain-damaged state and her feeding tube was removed to allow her to die from dehydration and/or starvation and then she is getting morphine. The public is probably thinking "for what?".

My own thoughts are Terri is not a good representation of the usual hospice patient. This is such a controversial case that she probably should not have been placed in a hospice.

Moving her to a hospital or LTC would have at least let the other hospice patients and their families avoid this high-profile case. Since hospice patients are in the unique position of actively dying, it would have been nicer for them to be spared this.

I work with hospice patients on occasion and our hospice nurses are awesome. The whole hospice program in my community deserves accolades for their commitment to their patients. The doc who heads our hospice is also wonderful.

To mix Terri up with hospice patients I think does a disservice to the whole hospice movement. People are now going to associate it with the "right-to-die" movement. Regardless of whether it has nothing to do with that - the public is naive or uneducated or whatever.

steph

Excellent post, Steph! I belong to several non-nursing forums and private boards, and I'm constantly having to explain to non-medical-type people exactly what hospice is, but then I feel like I'm speaking out of the OTHER side of my mouth about why Terri is IN a hospice facility.

It is hard for people to understand, and all the garbage being reported in the media is not helping. It's all very confusing, and I fear that hospice is going to get a bad name.

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