In the Hospital, a Degrading Shift From Person to Patient - New York Times

In the Hospital, a Degrading Shift From Person to Patient - New York Times

Schiavo 'Is Failing,' Her Father Says (washingtonpost.com)

Can we please pay attention to anything else in the world...this is the last paragraph in the article

The heavy security presence has created some complications for the families of hospice patients who are not involved in the Schiavo case. One woman told CNN that she was unable to be with her grandfather when he died because she was held up at security checkpoint after being told that he was about to expire. The commotion has also prompted an elementary school about a block from the hospice to close and send its students to other schools because of concerns about school buses having difficulty getting through the clogged street.

Its so important. We've prevented other people from being with their loved ones when they die...while in a HOSPICE. This is just pathetic.

Schiavo 'Is Failing,' Her Father Says (washingtonpost.com)

An Ethics Q&A by Jon Stewart

Brilliance. Sheer brilliance. Its sort of sad that the finest source of news, political commentary and humor is on Comedy Central. However, the Daily Show is consistently the sharpest commentary on the issues of the day. This clip is lovely.

COMEDY CENTRAL

Terri Schiavo's Unstudied Life

Not a brilliant article, but about the only attempt I've seen to really try to present Terri Schiavo as an actual person rather than a cause. What galls me more than anything about all of this, regardless of your point of view about it, is that almost every person involved or commenting on the situation talks about what they think or what they'd like to see happen...none of which matters a damn. This whole thing should be about what Terri Schiavo's wishes would be for herself. Period.

There's an actual person at the heart of this whole mess...its easy to forget it when trying to navigate the politics, figure out how to maximize the gains for the Republican or Democratic parties or sort through court decisions. Try to keep in mind...this is about a woman who had something bad happen. Its not about her parents, her husband, congress, the President, the Governor...its about her.

An interivew with Jesuit Bioethicist Rev. John J. Paris

An excellent interview regarding the Catholic churche's teachings on the relevant issues in the Schiavo case.

MSNBC - ‘No Moral Sense’

ABC News: Decision to End Life Support a Common One

Just as the article states...there is nothing uncommon about Terri Schiavo's situation nor the dillemas facing her family. The difference in this particular case is the involvment of outside groups and individuals.

More on all of this from my own head after I finish up a paper and get over this flu bug that is working its way through UVa.

ABC News: Decision to End Life Support a Common One

Hospitals can end life support; Decision hinges on patient's ability to pay, prognosis

I'd have preferred to link directly to the Houston Chronical's website for this but the link is dead at the moment. Since full credit is given here, I'll settle for this.

The issues in this case have, in my opinion, far greater implications than do those in the Schiavo case which really boils down to a disagreement between the family members. This has to do with a hospital being able to decide on futility and act on it in the absence of the ability of the patient (or his/her family) to pay for care.

Hospitals can end life support; Decision hinges on patient's ability to pay, prognosis

Boston.com / News / Local / Mass. / Hospital, family agree to withdraw life support

Another case that didn't make it to Washington.

Boston.com / News / Local / Mass. / Hospital, family agree to withdraw life support

HealthLawProf Blog: Life-Support Stopped for 6-Month-Old in Houston

An absolutely fascinating look at the law in Texas that allowed life support to be removed over the objection of the mother of the patient.

HealthLawProf Blog: Life-Support Stopped for 6-Month-Old in Houston

Oh Yes, other things have happened as well.

An example of what happens in the absence of major financing.

This sort of thing happens frequently...and has mostly to do with money. The fact is, we don't have unlimited resources available for health care and choices get made. Its difficult to remember such things in the face of recent news.

CNN.com - Baby at center of life support case dies - Mar 15, 2005

11th Circuit Opinion

From FindLaw, the most recent decision in the Schiavo case.

FindLaw Legal News: Special Coverage: Terri Schiavo Case: Legal Issues Involving Healthcare Directives, Death, and Dying

Pretty much all of the public legal documents having to do with the Schiavo case.

FindLaw Legal News: Special Coverage: Terri Schiavo Case: Legal Issues Involving Healthcare Directives, Death, and Dying

Apparently, the real issues escape them

The NYTimes reports on the current "splintering" effect that the recent Schiavo law is having on the Republican party. The politics (and we haven't seen even the beginning of the fallout from this action) aside, I found the statements by some who voted for the law giving federal courts jurisdiction in the case or who thought the law was a good idea interesting.

For Example -- "There's a larger issue in play," [said] Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, "and that is the whole issue of the definition of life. The issue of when is it a life is a broader issue than just a state defining that. I don't think we can have 50 different definitions of life."

No one is claiming, at least not in court and not in congress that Terri Schiavo is not alive. Some are stating that they believe she doesn't have a life worth living (but that's their opinion) and some (i.e. Michael Schiavo) are claiming that she wouldn't want to live like this. But this case has nothing to do with defining life.

And this -- Senator George V. Voinovich of Ohio, a former governor and a strong advocate of states' rights, decided to support the bill after determining that his opposition to euthanasia outweighed his views on federalism, an aide said.

On this one, again, its the wrong issue. This case is not a question of euthanasia because no one, at least so far as I'm aware, is pushing for anyone to do anything to proactively cause Terri Schiavo's death.

This is a case about refusal of medical care. That refusal has incredibly solid legal standing.
See Cruzan for the case that established the right of an incapacitated person to refuse artificial nutrition and hydration though it will result in their death.

See also Quinlan for the decision which established the right to refuse life saving or supporting medical care.

Basically, Quinlan established the right of a person to refuse even life sustaining care and Cruzan defined artificial nutrition and hydration as medical care that may be refused. Also, take careful note of the authors of those opinions. One of those opinions in part, here on blog.bioethics.net, the Scalia concurring opinion from the Cruzan case.

Apparently, then, many in congress and many of those who support the legislation passed over the weekend were looking at issues that don't exist in this case.

The Most Recent Schiavo Decision

The best source...the decision itself from Pitt's Law School.

http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/whittemoreschiavoorder.pdf

DC Media Girl

Terrific collection of quotations from Michael Schiavo.

DC Media Girl

Hey, Look, Consensus

Following on the poll from yesterday, these from perhaps the last actual sources of news and legitimate opinion in the main stream press.

A Damaging Intervention (washingtonpost.com)

The New York Times > Opinion > Editorial: A Blow to the Rule of Law

ABC News: Poll: No Role for Government in Schiavo Case

ABC News: Poll: No Role for Government in Schiavo Case

This is really an astonishing poll. You'll find that regardless of political affiliation or religious belief, people by and large think Congress has done the wrong thing and they also think that Terri Schiavo's artificial nutrition should be stopped.