(no subject)

[novapsyche]

I'm not glad she's dead, but I am glad her story will no longer dominate the news headlines.

Call me heartless.

And wtf was up with Jesse Jackson stepping toe-first into things? What did that accomplish?

Comments

[padpedpladuk.livejournal.com]

Now they'll have to come up with something else to distract attention away from problems in Iraq (like no wmd ever found) and undocumentable election processes in the US.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

They'll just start issuing terror alerts again.

[sttatus-quo.livejournal.com]

publicity?
Did you see John Danforth's comments about right wing Christians holding the Republican party hostage? Give that man a cookie.

You aren't heartless. 25 years ago, the probability of her living as long as she did was very small. The cost of the man hours spent providing care 24/7 would probably have provided preventative dental care for a school district and kept many old people from having to make the decision between food and medicine.

We need to decide what our priorities are... beginning of life and end of life issues are attention getting because of the pathos. The money is better spent on the live and viable people we have in this country that have no insurance and few-to-no options. I don't want to see the US turn into a feudal state.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I did read Danforth's column (was it in NY Times or Wash Post?) and was in general impressed.

25 years ago, the probability of her living as long as she did was very small.

Well, I heard on Countdown last night that feeding tube technology wasn't around until 1979. That wasn't too long ago at all.

[chai-tease.livejournal.com]

that was 25/26 years ago...

[sttatus-quo.livejournal.com]

Are you saying that just because we *can* do a thing we *should* do a thing? We have 21st century technology here governed by 20th century ethics and 18th century laws.

And if we *should* do it in all cases... why isn't Sun Hudson still on life support?

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I don't think that's what she was saying.

Technology is always going to advance faster than ethics (witness cloning). And laws will lag behind both.

[chai-tease.livejournal.com]

me? no, i am saying that 1979 WAS 25 years ago. may not seem like too long, but when put in context, her chances of surviving 25 years ago were greatly decreased due to lack of modern feeding tube technology.

[sttatus-quo.livejournal.com]

agreed... and I apologize for the confrontational tone.
And you're right... they were. I was a nurse back in those days also.

[chai-tease.livejournal.com]

no problem
i have VERY personal views on feeding tubes and "heroic measures" in any case, so hearing about this case every day brought back a lot of very painful memories for me that have only been resolved in the past few years.
i was simply pointing out that in stating that 25 years ago someone in her position would have been dead and saying something came about in '79 is the same thing :)

[kali-ma.livejournal.com]

Got him attention, some headline space, and such. Call me a cynic.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

You're a cynic, I'm a cynic....

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

yeah, the jackson thing was O-D-D

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

Well, the Wookie-defense Jonny Cochran is dead, so who else is there to step in? :)

I AM glad she's dead, for her own sake! That poor woman's family (and the laws of this country) tortured her for 15 years! Just imagine what she went through if she WAS conscious but trapped in that husk of a body. And if she wasn't, then what was the point in keeping her alive? Contrary to what the religious right would have everyone believe, life is NOT everything. Sentience and hope and potential are very important as well, and with all of those lost I wouldn't want to be alive at all!