The Omnifarium

Terri Schiavo is Dead

Category: Politics
Thu, 24 Mar 2005, 19:33

Terri Schiavo died 15 years ago. Or at least her brain died then. Through unnatural intervention, doctors have kept her body alive for the past 15 years. But now, pretty much all avenues of legal and political challenge to keep Terri's body alive have been exhausted, and her feeding tube has been removed. Her body will likely die in the next few days. We offer our sincere sympathies to those who truly love Terri in their loss.

The real tragedy, however, is the fact that her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, have yet to come to terms with their daughter's death. Supported by self-serving politicians (mainly Republicans) and dogmatic, uncaring religious leaders, they stubbornly cling to the pathetic notion that somehow Terri can be brought back to life. (As Terri's husband Michael pointed out, even if a cure were magically developed, you can't grow back a brain.) Moral and political leaders with their own "pro-life" agenda are letting the Schindlers down, badly. Right now, they need proper support more than ever to accept the inevitable.

Sadly, I suspect the madness will not end with the physical death of Terri. I fully expect that the Schindlers' bitterness will drive them to pursue further legal action against Terri's husband, making a sad situation even more tragic.

There's an additional odd twist to the story. One neurologist recently suggested that perhaps Terri still has some minimal consciousness left. If that were true, then what kind of personal hell has she had to endure for the past 15 years? Aware of her situation, but unable to move or speak? And if in pain, with no way of asking for much needed relief?

Hans

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