Quality of Life
Hello:
Yesterday, I got into quite a ramble about this week's BLOGExplosion billboard renter, Crystal Clear. [See Crystal Clear and Dark Glass] Crystal writes on socially relevant and current topics like right to life (specifically Terri Schiavo) and illegal immigration, in general she seems to have a strong conservative stance. I didn't get much further than setting up Crystal's position and highlighting some of Liguori Publications' related products before I realized that I needed to break this into several posts. Today, I would like to touch on some of the right to life / pro-life issues. My post won't be anywhere near exhaustive (at least no more exhausting than my readers usually find my writing) but I'm hoping it form a point for discussion. SO PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS, I really want to hear what my readers have to say. Also, please remember that I am not Catholic and my opinions / beliefs are my own. They may or may not coincide with the views of Liguori on any given topic and at any given time. Liguori is a Catholic publishing house and remains true to the teachings of the Catholic Church and the Redemptorist Charism.
In regard to Terri Schiavo, I feel for her, I feel for her family, but I think it is a blessing that she has passed on. When I think of Terri, I can't help but think of the millions throughout the world who will perish from easily remedied medical conditions.
What if Terri had been a single African American mother of 4? What if she had lived in East St. Louis and worked 3 mininum wage jobs that didn't provide benefits? What if she had died from an infection that the free clinic missed? Would we even know her name? Would her children find nurturing environments in the foster care system?
How many people, how many families, how many communities; would have benefited from the medical, political and financial resources which were brought to bear on the case of Terri Schiavo? In the most optimistic of outcomes, what would Terri's quality of life have been? Is it a tradeoff she would have been willing to make?
My training and background is in Economics, which I have always thought of as more philosophy than science. It can be thought of as the study of the allocation of limited resources when there are infinite wants. When one life can be preserved poorly with the resources that could preserve 100 well it becomes a classic Economic issue. While the world was focused on the ethics of one poor soul and a feeding tube, did anyone see the counter balancing outcome that may have just as surely killed several nameless others?
Peace,
P. Del Ricci - Dark Glass
Yesterday, I got into quite a ramble about this week's BLOGExplosion billboard renter, Crystal Clear. [See Crystal Clear and Dark Glass] Crystal writes on socially relevant and current topics like right to life (specifically Terri Schiavo) and illegal immigration, in general she seems to have a strong conservative stance. I didn't get much further than setting up Crystal's position and highlighting some of Liguori Publications' related products before I realized that I needed to break this into several posts. Today, I would like to touch on some of the right to life / pro-life issues. My post won't be anywhere near exhaustive (at least no more exhausting than my readers usually find my writing) but I'm hoping it form a point for discussion. SO PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS, I really want to hear what my readers have to say. Also, please remember that I am not Catholic and my opinions / beliefs are my own. They may or may not coincide with the views of Liguori on any given topic and at any given time. Liguori is a Catholic publishing house and remains true to the teachings of the Catholic Church and the Redemptorist Charism.
In regard to Terri Schiavo, I feel for her, I feel for her family, but I think it is a blessing that she has passed on. When I think of Terri, I can't help but think of the millions throughout the world who will perish from easily remedied medical conditions.
What if Terri had been a single African American mother of 4? What if she had lived in East St. Louis and worked 3 mininum wage jobs that didn't provide benefits? What if she had died from an infection that the free clinic missed? Would we even know her name? Would her children find nurturing environments in the foster care system?
How many people, how many families, how many communities; would have benefited from the medical, political and financial resources which were brought to bear on the case of Terri Schiavo? In the most optimistic of outcomes, what would Terri's quality of life have been? Is it a tradeoff she would have been willing to make?
My training and background is in Economics, which I have always thought of as more philosophy than science. It can be thought of as the study of the allocation of limited resources when there are infinite wants. When one life can be preserved poorly with the resources that could preserve 100 well it becomes a classic Economic issue. While the world was focused on the ethics of one poor soul and a feeding tube, did anyone see the counter balancing outcome that may have just as surely killed several nameless others?
Peace,
P. Del Ricci - Dark Glass
posted by Philip Del Ricci | 9:55 AM
10 Comments:
It's my firm belief that Terry (or any of us) should be allowed to die a dignified natural death at the appropriate point in the lifespan of a viable body. Any prologing of that does not account for the comfort and dignity of the person involved, but the beliefs and fears of those around them. That whole case displayed a lack of trust in God's Will, if you ask me.
That particular case seemed to me to be all about what her realtives thought, rather than her own best interest. It was disgustingly politcized!
I have a 'living will' stating that if that ever happens to me, somebody I trust will make that decision for me.
Great post. I'm betting you'll get a lot of response.
Thanks for the comment Phillip, I don't think a topic like this can ever really be gone into in enough depth, it's fascinating.. And something everybody has an opinion on! :-)
I think you got your priorities right, I mean, what about everybody else in a similar situation, would they really get Jeb Bush to 'adopt' them? Probably not! That is a great point.
Sadly people's compassion, fake or otherwise, usually only extends so far, to their own little 'tribe' and set of beliefs. Life should be about finding compassion and tolerance for ALL beings.
I'm betting Terri wasn't somebody Jeb would give time of day to on the street, but perhaps I'm the one politicizing it now.. ;-)
Thanks for some thought-provoking blogging.
Yes A BLESSING of a blog...
Thank you.
I posted the below on My blog, Sophia, Phil:
...................
I was approached by the runner of my current Featured Blog Through a Dark Glass about the issue of Right to Life and Euthanasia, specifically the case surrounding Terri Schiavo.
I recall the case well and contemplated about it a lot. However, I never resolved my thoughts to put them on paper. I spent about an hour and a half last night reading excerpts about the case. Wikipedia has a good article on the case here. If you're not familiar with the case then you would find it beneficial to read up on it. I also followed many of the links offered on Wikipedia. I made sure to read both those for and against the removal of her feeding tube. The two pictures I have on this post are from Wikipedia's article.
I first want to say that this issue is no easy one. It is one where tempers fly and people are offended easily. I will probably disagree with many of you. To be honest, I don't think I can be 100% sure of what I would do if I were the judge. My wife and I are even at a disagreement about the case. So, whatever is said, please don't take it personal or as if I am being rude. I just wish to share my thoughts and reasonings and to hear others. I will give where I stand currently and then my reasonings behind it.
If I were Terri's husband, I think I would have also asked for her tube to be removed. However, if Terri's parents wished to take of her, I can say exactly what I would have done there. So, let me first explain why I would have removed the tube.
Terri had been in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) for several years. The vast majority of doctors agreed about this and the only strong opposers were the two doctors Terri's parents hand picked. Here CAT scan revealed tremendous damage to hear brain and it's obvious that it was beyond repair. The image to the right is a comparison of a normal brain and Terri's. The brain on the left is a scan of normal 25 year old's brain and the one on the right is Terri's 2002 CT scan at age 38 (after 12 years of sensory deprivation). The bright dot is an electrode implanted for experimental treatment in 1990. Her autopsy also showed that there was extensive, severe, and irreversible damage done to her brain. Terri had undergone sever treatments and rehabilations but none helped. The majority of doctors, neurologists, and others agreed that she was in a stage of not having will, awareness, or thought. Her parents showed a 6 hour video to prove otherwise but the majority of neurologists disagreed and thought the conditions displayed by Terri in the video actually proved otherwise.
Of coarse, my opinion would have been radically different if Terri had a living will. If a person's living will expresses a wish to be kept alive, I would grant that to them. However, in cases other wise, I find that prolonging the death of a person who has no hope of recovery and is completely unable to act, function, and communicate is both unnecessary and cruel. The vast majority of people when asked if they would want to be kept alive in should a situation would not want to be kept alive. And while Terri might have been a Catholic, that does not mean that she did want to be kept alive. Catholics do not agree with euthanasia but this case is not euthanasia. There's a difference between ending someone's life and allowing them to die.
So, there's my current stance, but I am not 1005 convinced of my current stance yet. So, please don't be afraid of sharing your thoughts and lease include your reasons.
Just wanted to quicky say thank you for your comments at my blog.
Thank you soo much for your visit as well as your wonderful comment, you made my day really & truly. I appreciate the sentiment a lot,...I hope you have a fabulous week!
Thanks for your comments Phillip. Great post on Terri Schiavo, too. I personally felt that they should not have stopped her life support. It just seemed like there were too many factors for anyone to make that decision (I still feel her husband's motives weren't as pure as he suggested).
Hey there,
I like your blog much more than most of it's theme, but I just wanted to say that if you're going to put yourself up on BOB multiple times a day than maybe ONE new post a day would be good.... Just sayin'
Happy April Fools Day!
The best advice is that people should have a living will. It will sort out a lot of these problems.
I personally think Terry should be allowed to die. They should not rely on the relatives to make the best decision for her that is in her best interest.
Once again, have a living will so that someone you trust can take care of you.
Post a Comment
<< Home