Darren Marlar and I found that out firsthand today when we opened up the phone lines on 101QFL's morning show for people for callers to voice their feelings on the matter. Phone lines erupted with response, which didn't let up until the end of our show at 10 AM.
The majority were in favor of re-inserting Terri's feeding tube--something a federal judge refused to do this morning. However, a few people had different perspectives, including a young woman whose mother had suffered severe health problems, and a couple of registered nurses.
One RN, Margo, e-mailed us with (in my opinion) one of the more balanced perspectives:
"I'm a nurse; and spent 23 years working in a very large long-term care facility in Rockford. Ive pretty much seen it all.
"I am NOT a proponent of prolonging life through 'tubes'. I have watched many people through the years 'starve' to death. Many chose it over their condition; many, it was just the progression of their condition.
"We were thankful for the families that had the courage to allow their loved ones to die without using artificial means to keep them alive --to just be breathing and existing.
"Trust me, these people were never left to just lay in a room and starve to death. Comfort measures were always in place from trying to offer water, ice chips, even food if they were alert; to medications if they were agitated and anxious to help them through. They were cared for...
"However, these were people who had never had a feeding tube, and families and residents who didn't want to go that way.
"There is a progression to dying this way, and, it can go on for 7-10 days..Hard to watch; emotionally draining....YES. But, basically, we allow nature to take it course, and GOD to work.....They really do not know they are starving to death....Really.....We personally just went through this with my mother-in-law, and aunt. BUT, they were both 90, and it was their desire also when they were lucid NOT to be prolonged.
"HOWEVER. I'm am not a supporter of euthenasia(sp).
"If Terry Schivo's tube was to be removed, the time to do that was after evaluations had proven no hope. NOT 16 YEARS LATER....Then it is murder as far as I am concerned.
"Those residents we received into our facility with feeding tubes etc. KEPT those tubes until they died. They were NOT removed to hurry up the process. When their time and days were up, they died tubes in. And, they were not all just old people.....
"As a nurse(though not working now), I do not support the prolonging of life by artificial means when there is no hope; BUT, I also do not support pulling a feeding tube on someone who has had it in for 15-16 years either.
"I'm personally horrified at this, and the precedent it sets...
"It is tough, and there us a very fine between allowing someone to die, and 'helping them along'. Not easy for nurses either.
"The bottom line is all our days are numbered, and GOD has the number. My feeling is the time came and went a long time ago for pulling that tube...She will die when her days are complete; God doesn't need our help.
"I hope this is not too confusing.....
Margo"
In other news...
Amy Grant to star in reality show
Singer Amy Grant will star in a reality TV show called "Three Wishes," in which she'll help make people's dreams come true.
According to her website: "NBC will be making 'Three Wishes' come true in a new special/backdoor pilot starring five-time Grammy-winning artist Amy Grant in an unscripted format in which Grant will lead a team of experts to a small town to help make the hopes and unbelievable dreams come true for deserving people."
Read more about it here.
Here it is...my girls with Da Coach!
I blogged the other day about encountering former Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka at Ditka's restaurant in Chicago. Here's the pic of my niece Katie and my daughter Elizabeth with Da Coach:
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