Re: Terri Schiavo
Things like this can tear families apart, my grandfather (dad side) who passed away 2 weeks ago from colon cancer wanted to spend the rest of his days at home. My grandmother denied his last wish, saying she couldn't stand to see him go at home. All my uncles and aunts had mixed opinions, and with mixed opinions he was sent to a hospice, when I went to visit him I felt terrible, he didn't speak english and no one spoke Chinese, he passed away after spending 8 hours there. He died in a strange place alone.
Prior to being transferred my father and I had the difficult task of having him sign his Do Not Recesitate (DNR) form, and other forms basically saying they will not feed him through a tube, that all the nutrients he will get is through eating foods himself.
Yesterday, my grandmother on my moms side passed away after spending 2 years in a convalescent home. She suffered a stroke and half her body was paralyzed. She barely spoke and was in bed most of the day. She was surrounded by other sick or terminally ill people living out the rest of their days, I didn't want that life for her but there was no choice. She needed 24 hour supervision.
I think it is the right choice for Terry, I wouldn't want to live the rest of my life on a feeding tube, nor would I want my wife to spend the rest of her life on a feeding tube. I saw so many people at my grandmothers home brain dead being kept alive artificially by machines. Being fed by a tube. What kind of life is that? Its hard to see loves ones pass, but sometimes its just better to let go.