threeplusfire: (death)
three ([personal profile] threeplusfire) wrote2005-03-21 09:48 am

family jewels

What Congress and Bush did last night was absolutely disgusting. The fact that one family's grief and the most difficult moment of their lives has become a political flag to be hauled from one end of the news media to another... ugh. I don't even have words to discuss my abhorrence of these actions.

There's not an easy answer to this. But one thing is certain- this shouldn't be the President's decision or anyone else in Washington. The only people who should be involved in this are the family and doctors.

There's something grimly ironic about Bush touting his devastating social security project and taking a break to deal with the Schiavo case. The Republican right doesn't give a damn about the sanctity of life and the dignity of the elderly and disabled. If you believe that, I have some nice bridges to sell you.

I think perhaps I should make my own living will. Until I get that all settled, I'll write this entry. I've made my wishes crystal clear to Alan and expect everyone to abide by them. If you quibble, I'll haunt you in a most annoying manner.

For the record:

Should I get hurt, make every effort to save me. That part should be easy.

Should I become incapacitated in such a matter that I become brain dead or locked into a permanent vegetative state- do not keep me plugged into machines. Do not keep my body breathing when my mind is gone. Inject me with lots of painkillers and give me a dignified death. Don't let me starve and waste away. Just make it end quickly.

Take me and send my body to Life Gems. Make me into a beautiful diamond. I am personally very fond of the radiant cut. Take me out into the sun and rain sometimes, and keep me somewhere that I won't get lost.

If there are ashes leftover from the Life Gems process, throw them from the Charles Bridge into the Vltava early on a Sunday morning when the streets are empty and the bright sunlight shines through the towers. Make it is a beautiful morning.

Don't put me in one of those scary caskets, or in the ground. Don't hold my corpse up for everyone to see. Don't give me a grim funeral. Make me a diamond and drink to me.
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[identity profile] tsarina.livejournal.com 2005-03-21 07:29 pm (UTC)(link)
If she left no living will or instructions, then shouldn't the responsibility fall next to her spouse or partner? No one should have to make these decisions because they are painful and terrible. Are we next going to say family members can't put relatives in assisted living facilities when family members are too demented or mentally incapble?

[identity profile] tsarina.livejournal.com 2005-03-21 07:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Can Schiavo chew or swallow? Why exactly does she need a feeding tube? If she can't ingest food then her means of life is to some extent artificial. I think it is dishonest to say it isn't.

I don't want to go around euthanizing people, and I don't think we need laws about it. What we need is honest discussion of what is involved in this kind of care so people can make their own decisions. There shouldn't be legislation of this kind of issue. The issue of life, death and long term care is something that needs to be handled invidually. It is a decision that depends on the individual's own moral principles and desires. Morality is the last thing that needs to be legislated.

The Schiavo family should have handled this privately instead of making a political issue of it. That is what upsets me so much about it.