Professional Documents
Culture Documents
before the Senate Finance Committee ment. Assisted suicide costs about forty ing treatment. grandma and grandpa?" Business (Mpls.)
StarTribune, 1/12/97:D1,4.
that the only way to attack the problem dollars per lethal dose of drugs versus Disturbing? Yes. And, it's just begin- 2 Smith, Wesley J., "Doctors of Death," National
Review Online, 8/19/02.
of health care expenditures was to $40,000 or more to provide appropriate ning. Texas and California already have
Three real-life dramas brought the truth tained a head injury. Because his trau- until all of their children could get
home to me. Ventilators are commonly matized body started to shut down fol- home to say their goodbyes. After 72
culated how many services, how much discovery, was "a respected physician C. Everett Koop, MD, during his tenure Destruction of Life Devoid of Value,
money, bread, jam and other necessities living a quiet life outside of Vienna" as Surgeon General of the United States 1920 (Robert L. Sassone, 1975).
of life, could be saved by killing people and frequently called as an Expert (1981-1989), warned, " . . . we are at * www.noapathy.org/tracts/crimeofbeingalive.htm
A Proverb
There was an old woman living with her son, daughter-in-law and grandson. Grandma came to be what the family considered a "burden." She dropped dishes, spilled
things and couldn't help with the farming. One day the couple had had enough and told their son to take the cart and his grandmother out to the woods — and leave
her there in the cart. The boy dutifully escorted Grandma into the woods, but his parents were surprised when he returned with the cart. When they asked why, he
responded, "If I left the cart, how could I take you to the woods when you become like Grandma?"
Misdiagnoses or Miracles?
A few (of many similar) cases to
ponder:
be stopped. When a friend came to
say goodbye, Jackie opened her eyes
and smiled. She has been inter-
z Kelly Barker, 35, was struck by a
truck on September 1, 2003, suffer-
ing massive head injuries. She was
Ellenbogen, a neurologist with the
Michigan Institute for Neurological
Diseases, who has treated Kelly
z Carrie Coons, 86, was the first New
Yorker for whom a "right to die" viewed for television and print diagnosed as being in a vegetative since her accident. The same doctors
petition was approved by a court. media numerous times. (People, state with "irreversible damage" to who pronounced her vegetative state
She was diagnosed to be in an "irre- 1/86) her brain stem. Had food and water to be irreversible call her recovery
versible" vegetative state. However, z Arthur Wold, 30, had been labeled been stopped, this diagnosis would "miraculous" and "stunning."
a judge withdrew permission to "severely mentally retarded" from have been accepted as true, a self- (Detroit News, 2/10/04)
remove her feeding tube when she age four. Unable to control his body, fulfilling prophecy. In November, Where there is life, there is hope.
began talking and eating on her he could make only random gestures she started to show signs of alert- Patients deserve the time to recover
own. (Newsweek, 4/24/89) and say isolated words. But, in ness. While an aunt was visiting her and opportunities to develop and
1991, at a sheltered workshop, a during Thanksgiving weekend, demonstrate their capabilities.
z S.W. Winogrond was saved by a counselor offered him a computer Kelly suddenly sat up and slid her
wink of his eye just as a surgeon keyboard. He typed, "My name is legs off the side of the bed. Now For more information:
was preparing to remove his kidneys Art." No one ever suspected he Kelly is giving kisses and hugs and, z Brennan, William, PhD.,
and eyes. (Kansas City Times, could read. When asked if he pre- with assistance, taking long forceful Dehumanizing the Vulnerable: When
2/3/75) ferred to be called Arthur or Art, he strides up and down the halls of her Word Games Take Lives, Loyola
z Jackie Cole, 44, was diagnosed in a spelled, "I don't care, just don't call nursing home. "I never expected her University Press, 1995
"permanent vegetative state." A me stupid." (Parade Magazine, to make any meaningful neurologi-
judge ruled that life support could 9/20/92) cal recovery," said Dr. Aaron
of Life Choices (formerly The Hemlock publicized web site sponsored by other insurance covering the cost, and www.learningplaceonline.com/stages/together/
hospice/hospice-limitations.html, 3/6/04.
Society) have sought to broaden the both [sic] organizations, Michael J. the policies and procedures of the pro-
meaning of "terminal illness" to include Fox, who has Parkinson's, was por- gram or agency being considered.
a wide range of disabilities and old age trayed as someone who was "living It is important to know that:
infirmities. Stephen Drake, research with dying." When I last checked, z Hospice insurance benefits can be
analyst for Not Dead Yet, a national they were still presenting a person revoked for any reason and at any
Mission Statement Please send me a complimentary copy of HLA Action News (published
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