Terri
Schiavo has become the center of a national debate over
the lengths to which government may go to keep someone
alive.
For the past seven years, Terri's husband, Michael,
has been fighting to have the brain-damaged Florida
woman's feeding tube removed, on the basis of previous
conversations with Terri about what to do if she
suffered a serious illness or accident.
According to Schiavo's husband, Terri - living in a
vegetative state - didn't want to kept alive by
artificial means when she couldn't function as an
able-bodied person. Michael Schiavo has had several
doctors testify her cerebral cortex was damaged so
severely that she will never be able-bodied again.
Schiavo's parents want custody of Terri, rebuking
Michael's testimony with videotapes of Terri responding
in guttural sounds and eye contact, implying she wants
to live.
Terri collapsed in February 1990. For the next 17
months, Terri received medical treatment and
rehabilitative care at several hospitals and clinics. In
July 1991, Terri was moved to Sable Palms Nursing Home.
In February 1992, Terri was awarded $1.6 million in
malpractice lawsuits. Michael Schiavo was awarded
$600,000. All award monies were to be used to pay for
Terri's treatment.
In February 1993, Michael Schiavo denied Terri her
recommended treatment. The legal war between Terri's
family and her husband began soon after.
Congress' Government Reform Committee wants Terri to
come to Washington and testify she wants to remain
alive. This would be the ultimate in dog and pony shows,
because Terri cannot communicate verbally or by any type
of sign language. Her parents and brother admit they
cannot understand her.
On March 18, Schiavo's feeding tube was removed.
Meanwhile, Congress began to consider a bill, the
"Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection Act,"
which would allow such decisions only when there are no
advance directives or will, or when there is no
objection from the family. Over the weekend, Congress
passed, and President Bush signed, a measure allowing
Schiavo's parents to ask a federal judge to reinsert the
feeding tube - which the parents did on Monday. At this
writing, Schiavo's fate remained uncertain.
Legislation such as the incapacitated persons act
frightens me.
Terri didn't have a will or any written documentation
of what she wanted. Thousands of other Americans don't
have such documentation.
The legislation would require anyone who doesn't
leave instructions to become a ward of the court.
Whoever has the most money or the better lawyer could
obtain guardianship of the disabled person.
The battle for abortion rights debates the question,
"When does life begin?" Now there is a bill to
debate when life should end. I don't think the
government should set a precedent for who should live or
who should die, simply because the person didn't write
it down.
I suggest everyone get busy writing down how he or
she wants to die. This may be your last chance.
You can e-mail Barbara McKee at chairgrrl@chairgrrl.com.
Her column runs on Tuesdays.
