boxermom

I agree. We need to ponder this, and look for the human spirit in all these cribbled, brain damaged, or retarded people. What makes us human? What makes us want to become a nurse? Why is one student nurse changing her major after listening to all us nurses argue about, Is this a life worthy of living? Nurses do see that there is human life and a soul in these people. I recently cared for a CVA patient that was sent back to die at the nursing home, who started swallowing when I did oral cares, just as Terri did. She is now eating pureed food, because I got speech involved. boxermom

This priest that testified in this case isn't following what his bishop said. go to http://www.priestsforlife.org/ to see what the bishop and the pope has said. In the Catholic faith, the pope and the Archbishops and bishops are the policy makers, not one priest, who quoted a pope 50 years ago. I attened a prayer service on Tuesday nite at the St Paul Cathedral in St. Paul, MN where our Archbishop, who is on the libral slanting side said the tube should not have been removed.The Florida bishops also said this. I don't totally understand the political rules in this case, but our constitutuion states the right to life as a truth. Natural law states a right to life. I, and others have writtened to congress about Terri's rights. It's not just about Terri, as many have already said. This is about preserving the life of less than perfect humans, the disabled, the old. Keep up the good work Stevilynn, boxermom

As a nurse, I hope everyone of you are patient advocates.

Kyriaka and others that are standing up for life. Keep up the good work. The Human Life Alliance at http://www.humanlife.org is a great organization. The Pope has a stand on this for any Catholic nurses. I tried in the past to express myself on this issue of Terri, but you have had the patience to carry on. May God bless you, for opening the eyes of many people.

Anytime someone close to you dies, it is devasting. The loss of a parent is devasting. I know, I've been there. It doesn't matter how old they are, they are still our parents. I've also comforted many families when their parents died. Yes, there is comfort in knowing they lived a good long life, or they died suddenly and didn't have to suffer long, or we were able to control their pain or that the familiy believes they are in heaven now, but it is stilll devasting, and a loss. No one has ever said, I'm glad they're dead. Please don't judge Terri's family.She is disabled and they are there for her. Her disablity is also a loss to her and her family. She has a decreased quality of life, but everyones quality of life isn't the same. Her family decided her life was worthy of life. At what point do you say it's not a human life ? I don't believe in life at all cost either. I don't believe in mercy killing either.

Please don't jump to conclusions before reading about Terri Schivo's case at this web site http://www.terrisfight.org/ She is a disabled person, she is not brain dead or in a vegtatative state. Florida's legislature pasted a law, which Jeb Bush, the governer signed into law.The law replaced her feeding tube which the husband had decided to remove. Nazi Germany's Hitler killed many groups of people including disabled people. I just want everyone to consider that death doesn't always come easily and when we have decided that, "OK, I'm ready.Take me to Heaven." I work in a nursing home, and work with disabled people. I'm sure none of them wanted to live the end of their life there, but most of them are satisfied with their life and their families are glad the nursing home can care for them. I have had alert residents that recover and have their feeding tube removed and sometimes go home. Quality of life is very individual, and changes. Advance directives are great, but don't throw away life either.

Jeb Bush is showing courage in the face of a society that wants all life to be perfect and planed. Life is a gift from God.Please check out this web site.http://www.terrisfight.org/

I am a nurse to promote life and ease suffering, I am not God. Patients should have a living will, which would help the doctor decide at what point to give in to the human condition of dying and stop measures to prolong life of a terminally ill person. A priest or minister should be involved to guide the person or family. Morphine should be used to ease suffering , not to help the person die faster. Ethics comittee should be consulted.