[stabinates the hypocrisy]

[sff_corgi_lj]

I wanted to write something about the tragedy of Terry Schiavo - a white woman comatose for fifteen years as a complication of bulima, which could have been treated before this all happened - compared to the case of Sun Hudson, born with severe dwarfism including drastically undersized lungs.

Sun, for his very short life, lived in Texas, where GOVERNOR Bush signed a law about six years ago allowing hospitals to stop expensive treatment on patients with insufficient funding. In other words, kill the poor.

Sun's family is low-income. Sun's family is black. Terry's is neither.

It tightens my throat and threatens my stomach to compare the anti-choice, pro-war, anti-privacy stance of BOTH Bush brothers with the fact that this baby was allowed to die so dismissively. What makes Terry a person more valuable than Sun? How can the fantasy that she could ever recover any function at all compare with the potential of a baby who might actually benefit from advanced medicine?

Here's the best link I could find for Sun's story:
http://lawnorder.dailykos.com/story/2005/3/19/18544/7086

Deluded 'pro-life' ravings about Terry are thick on the ground.

ETA: HealthLawProf Blog: http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/healthlawprof_blog/2005/03/lifesupport_sto.html

Comments

[soupytwist.livejournal.com]

I absolutely hear you.

*HUGS*

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

I just can't believe these people, y'know? I can't believe the people who support them. It makes me want to cry and hit things, mostly Neo-Cons.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Who is paying for Terry's life support? Is it coming out of her husband's pocket, her parents' pocket or an insurance company? If the latter, then it's coming out of OUR pocket in the long run. *sigh* For a party that used to be based on "less government interference in our lives" they are putting on a poor show all over.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Part of it, from what I heard (which means no fact-checking on this), was paid from a $700K reward from a lawsuit. Apparently her parents and husband attempted home care at her parents' house for some time, but unsurprisingly couldn't manage.

I really want to go after 'Dr' Bill Frist in a dark alley for his claims that 'she can get better!' How cruel!!

[pelirroja-ljc.livejournal.com]

This whole Florida thing is such a mess. How on earth this has been laid up in court for years is beyond me. The woman's HUSBAND (who I believe would have been considered next-of-kin in any other circumstance)should have been allowed to discontinue the feeding tube years ago. Especially since it is my understanding that medication can make the process painless.

The Texas case I am curious about because it said "life support" which leads me to believe there is more than just a feeding tube involved. Regardless, the child's parents should have been the ones to make the decision.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

It was a breathing tube. Not sure if the baby was also on IVs for food/hydration, too, though.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

His mom said he could 'smack his lips' which implies to me that, respiration tube aside, his eating functions were normal. If they had him on an IV, it might have been because the tube was in the way.

[immovablemover.livejournal.com]

First, thanks much for the informative posts. I heard about this Texas law yesterday as the "futile care law," which states that patients can be removed from respirators, feeding tubes, etc. even against the wishes of their families, if further medical care is deemed "futile"--i.e. if the patient is going to die of his or her condition shortly anyway; if medicine can do nothing for the patient but keep him alive. I have not heard anything about this law pertaining to the family's ability to afford medical care, and I would be VERY interested if you could show me where you read it (or show me the text of the law, if possible), where it specifically states this law pertains to insufficient funds as opposed to futility of further care. The links you provided in this and your above entry state that occasionally individuals with Sun's condition survive "long-term": what is meant by long-term survival, and what was the prognosis for this individual? I don't know if he had a case more severe than most or what. (I apologize if you have provided the above information in any of your links; I'm visiting my boyfriend's family in Wichita right now and have had limited computer access recently--it was a 12-hour drive here, ugh ;). I'm not trying to prove you wrong or anything; I'm just REALLY curious about the specifics of this case and of the law because I've heard it two different ways now.

EITHER way, though, the fact remains that Congress and the President completely overstepped their bounds on Sunday night/Monday morning. I can't express how nauseated and horrible the Schiavo case makes me feel--how disgusting it is that so many politicians have used her case to buy votes, to gain clout. I'm disgusted by the pro-lifers who have latched onto this case, spouting (you're absolutely right) deluded ravings all over the place, attempting to use Schiavo as propaganda to fuel their anti-abortion case. It seems the people who are clamoring to save Terri's "life" (when the cerebral cortex--the human and even mammalian center of her brain--has been replaced by fluid) have gotten so caught up in trying to force their version of morality on the rest of the US that they're neglecting and forgetting the fact that she is a person--a person whose wishes to NOT be kept on life support should be respected.

Someone below stated that "for a party that used to be based on 'less government interference in our lives' they are putting on a poor show all over." I agree wholeheartedly with that, and I would only add: for a party that has made a lot of noise about upholding the Constitution, they're doing a good job of spitting all over it.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

...I would be VERY interested if you could show me where you read it (or show me the text of the law, if possible), where it specifically states this law pertains to insufficient funds as opposed to futility of further care.

Good point - I don't have specific backup other than some hearsay on it right now, but consider that if Sun's family had Big Bucks, they could have gone to any private hospital they wanted rather than asking 40 different institutions and being turned down.

I'll see if I can find something more substantial, though.

If you'll take a look at the post above this one, it's some medical detail (somewhat abbreviated, but hopefully sufficient) on Sun's condition. It was a long shot. There's no info I could find quickly on if a lung transplant would have helped with his breathing issues, which question I would love to have answered. But he still had a lot more of a chance than Terri.

[immovablemover.livejournal.com]

But he still had a lot more of a chance than Terri.

Oh, I totally agree--anyone has more of a chance than Terri. Absolutely.

And re: the 12-hour drive... it was horrible, but luckily David volunteered to drive the WHOLE ENTIRE WAY so I just got to enjoy the scenery (read: lots and lots of cornfields) from the passenger side.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Look here. Lemme know what you think. It seems the issue is more 'money' in the broader realm rather than being specifically caused by this law, if that makes any sense

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

P.S. '12-hour drive', ugh indeed. Just long enough to drive you craaaaazy.

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

It hurts m ybrain. it makes me so fuckign agnry i son't know where the hell to staart.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

I didn't do more substantial digging on it (yet) precisely because it makes me furious and nearly (literally) sick to my stomach.

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I'm guessing we know enough by now. I"m skippign ness and background-stuff abouthis lready. needles tosay they've got dutch medical experts onthe case too and weighign in for mal lsides :P
research onthis kdi nof stuff might kil yoru computer or yoru keyboard or desk whatever.
I was just thinking if this rediculous battle goes on she'll be dead before anyone had achance to givee a fucking verdict. And you know what? I won't esurprised if her parents or politicians are going to persue her hustband for murder.
I've nver heard of the other case but it had me about to write numerous mini-rants in my coment about unfairness injustice and s oforth (are those the same?) ther are so many wrogn ends tothis-one.