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Monday, September 06, 2010 |
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Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) - 3/26/2005 3:15 PM Terri Schiavo, the lady in a persistent vegetative state for about 15 years, had her feeding tube removed about a week ago and is not expected to survive beyond another week. Her husband has been fighting to have her life support removed for about half this time while her parents have opposed this. The religious right has been very vocal on this issue and has done everything in their power to re-attach the feeding tube. The fervor on this issue has been nothing short of amazing. I have been watching from the sidelines and have finally decided to share my observations (oh, lucky you.) A persistent vegetative state (PVS) is a particularly complicated fate as there appears to be some responses, but it is just that, appearances. PVS is not brain death; there are some basic functions still working, such as breathing. With PVS, some spontaneous movements, even eyes opening and more startlingly, spontaneous laughing or crying can occur. Obviously a loved one in this state would be emotionally confusing as they can breathe, open eyes, etc.; unlike complete brain death where none of these activities would occur. PVS victims have lost all higher brain functions, including thought and consciousness. What is lost will not be found, because much of the brain is essentially liquefied and incapable of recovery. Terri essentially died about 15 years ago, but her body didn’t get the message. I can understand and appreciate the difficult choices that have faced her family. Had Terri felt strongly about what she would want done should this happen to her, she would have written her wishes down and everyone could have been spared making these tough choices. But she didn’t. The religious right has seized this with an intensity that I would never have expected. The talk radio world would have everyone think that Terri is a victim of assisted suicide. This is a false analogy because had Terri made a living will that indicated she did not want to be force fed, she could have chosen this and it would have been respected. This is not a case of assisted suicide. Some have suggested that Terri’s husband is simply trying to kill her. Well, I have a few thoughts about that notion. Why did he wait for seven years before he attempted to have the feeding tube removed? I really don’t know, but I’d imagine that he was holding out hope that her PVS would change. After seven years (a bit lengthy, should you ask me) he would seem to have given up all hope that she would return. This is not the action of a man who simply wants to kill his wife. He has said that she indicated to him that she would not want to live like this. I believe him. I have not filled out a living will to state my desire to not be sustained in such a manner, however I have told my wife. The religious right has made it sound as if people want Terri to die. This is complete foolishness and really demonstrates a complete lack of understanding. Terri’s death may mean something to her husband, her parents, and thanks to the publicity, to millions of people, but it means nothing what-so-ever to Terri, because Terri has no ability to think. She may not be clinically brain dead, but the portion of her brain that holds conscious thought certainly is. Terri has no quality of life. She has no hope for even a mundane existence. She has no capacity to think, react to pain or the world around her. She is nothing but a collection of human organs that are kept alive not for her sake but because it is technically possibly to do so. It seems so obvious to me that the religious right are missing the real point here. Those who spend most of their time preoccupied with the intangible and nebulous have clung to the physical as though it was the soul and spirit of Terri. Terri’s body is an empty shell, any spirit or soul she may have had, has long since been absent. This is a human tragedy. Terri’s husband is, in my opinion, trying to respect his wife’s wishes and move on with his life. Her parents, unable to face the reality of their daughter’s condition, have been fighting to keep her body alive. Frankly their efforts are resulting in nothing more than a morbid “living photograph”. When you come to the last page, you close the book. Terri didn’t care enough about her fate to assure her desires were appropriately documented. Terri’s husband says that she made her wishes known to him, and he has the legal authority to act on them. After years of fighting in the courts, after countless assessments, after bitter fights and accusations this human tragedy is finally coming to a close. Hopefully from this we can all learn a lesson, make your wishes known. If you don’t have a living will, make sure your family and friends know what you want. For the person afflicted with PVS, it is a non-issue, but for those left behind they have to either live with the decision you’ve made or struggle to make their own. The religious right is a scary lot, and never have they been more unveiled than during these recent events. Terri’s body is a pawn in what has become a cruel emotional battle. What new laws shall be passed by the religious right as a result? Undoubtedly it will become more difficult for people to make a choice that differs from the “all-moral-and-wise” religious right. A married couple with the expenses of raising a family will likely have to choose between spending thousands of dollars on legal documents, “just in case” or lose any choice and control over their fate. Technology seems to always be one or two steps ahead of society’s ability to comprehend the consequences of applying it kcuhC, chuck@kcuhc.com |