the Terri Schiavo situation

Well, the whole back-and-forth going on between the parents and the husband and the government and Gov. Jeb has really gotten me to thinking about if I was the one laid up in bed.

Although I've told my wife what to do and what not to do should I become incapacitated, clearly that won't be enough. So for the past few days I've been writing it out in my pad and hopefully making it as clear as possible to everybody what I want done. I'll probably be typing it up this weekend, and may also make a few copies of it.

*sigh* What I'm getting at here is that I want all bases covered. So I am strongly considering sending it out to one or two of you. Because I've got the thought that even if my parents and wife were at odds about it, even if they had the exact same copy, a third and/or fourth party also in possession of a copy would without doubt be able to swing things in my favor. And as I've said, I've tried to spell it out as simply as possible even though I know there would be people coming up trying to question/reinterpret it.

But basically I don't want what's happening to Schiavo's family to happen to mine. If I can't go naturally or in my sleep or something quick, then I at least want the final say in how I go.

So I may be contacting a couple of y'all.

Incidentally, there's nothing wrong with me right now (as far as I know [img]wink.gif[/img] ). I'm feeling well, have a good appetite, have a strong sex drive. So don't be worried that I've been given news that I'm gonna fall into bad shape or anything. I'm alright. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Crazy, talk to a lawyer, get your wishes notarized, and write a living will.

What Eris said. Your best bet is a living will. That way individual interpretation is pretty much thrown out the window. Courts tend to be very literal, thank goodness.

And I am as proud of our courts, including the Supreme Court as I am disgusted by our President and Congress.

Oh and if you can't "afford" to be taken care of should you become incapacitated, you need not worry about Congress getting involved. Good ole' W doesn't support right to life for poor vegtables. They get taken off life support in Texas even if the family wants to prolong thier life.

But nah, politics doesn't enter into this at all... [img]rolleyes.gif[/img]

Yeah, I've thought of all that, too, but I assume there would be a cost attached to it, for one. Second, I don't see how "I don't want to be kept on life-support" can or should be misinterpreted. Especially if it's in my own handwriting or at least signed with my own signature. It shouldn't matter if it has an official stamp on it or not.

Jesus H. Christ, when the hell did a person need someone else to verify they meant what they said??? There's a lot of crap going on with having to get your own damn word made official, and I'm not buying it. Hell, I shouldn't even have to write it out. I should just tell my parents, wife, and kids and let it go at that. But no. People have a goddamn bad habit of getting involved in things that don't concern them at all and making a big to-do about something that should be cut-and-dry. [img]mad.gif[/img] [img]mad.gif[/img] [img]mad.gif[/img]

Ok, I'm obviously ranting now, so let me put this post to sleep.

I have a problem about being buried.

Here in Italy they can't just take your remains, burn it and let the ashes go to Andromeda.

You can't formalize you will on that issue, so basically, even if you said somthing like that, they can choose otherwise.

Moreover, they can't throw the ashes to the wind: you need to buy a freaking space at the cemetery and they'll put the urn there (so stupid).

They're changing the law, but it takes time.

Sweetie, Mommy and Bro know I want to be cremated and I want my ashes to be thrown in the sea. Wish they'll do that.

Even earth would be fine: I hate that Italian Catholic habit to put bodies in little spaces in walls. They seem ovens and there is no air in them. I hate the idea of my body imploding.

Fortunately, some years ago the Government created a small tag, similar to a badge, where you could write if you didn't want to be kept alive by machines and if you wanted your organs to be explanted.

That was a great idea: I always keep it with my ID card. If I get hit by a bus and go meet other buddhas somebody will take everything they need.

Devil's Advocate shows up, and offends the hell out of everyone.


http://www.tshirthell.com/shirts/products/a464/a464.gif

Now that is a tension breaker!

And my two cents: It's all the parents who refuse to acknowledge their daughter died 15 years ago and she's never coming back...let it go...

(I dunno, I saw a little of that "Fat Actress" show while Showtime was doing their freebie promotional and Kirstie looked pretty good to me.)

Kirstie Rocks!

One of my favorite Cheers episodes is where she gets fired, and then loses it. Her hair looks like a rat's nest, and she's so bitter and defeated she doesn't bother to fix it. Cracks me up everytime I picture her.

I haven't followed the Schiavo case much, and I should probably write a living will myself. Not only would it suck to be kept alive like that, it would be a financial burden on anyone that decided to foot the bill.

That's the hard part though. Will your family, or trustee have the guts to pull the plug when the moment of truth arrives? That happens a lot in the health care industry. That's why you need to make somebody who won't get all emotional your durable power of attorney.

Maybe I just have different thoughts on death and dying than most people. o_O

Let it be known...

should I be put in that state, just leave beer at the bedside, throw some painkillers in the IV, put on a Beetles record, and let me die like a fucking Viking.

Like a Viking?!? So we light you on fire and push you out to sea on the hospital bed?

What if you're in a hospital that's land-locked. Should we just find the nearest pond, or lake? How about a waterslide park?

Wooo!! Waterpark!! Waterpark!!!

Quite frankly, I'm not worried. My parents both understand that I do not want to be kept alive in that state, and no one else I know has enough money to keep my alive against my will.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by eris esoteric:
Quite frankly, I'm not worried. ... and no one else I know has enough money to keep my alive against my will.

---

<font size="2" face="Comic sans ms, Helvetica, sans-serif">That was brilliant, and true. For me btw...

Well, Terri died this morning at the age of 41. Although I'm tempted to say "it's over," I feel this is just a bitter beginning.

Oh it's the beginning of a battle over money that was put away in a trust fund... we'll see how long her parents wait before they try to snatch that away from Michael, just like herlast shred of dignity. If you want to read a good little commentary read Anna Quindlen's in the new Newsweek. Excellently stated, she said everything that I didn't really know how to say.

Just read it online. I agree, I think she hit the nail on the head.

But what's this you've said about a trust fund? I haven't heard about that. (Of course, I'm not reading everything about the case either, so I'm obviously missing out on some things.)

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 31, 2005 04:49 PM: Message edited by: crazy a ]</font>

Very good article. Thanks Miral. I thought the money had run out and there wasn't any left to pay for life support and rehab.

crazy, here's the living will form from the new york state bar association. it's the one that i think my boyfriend and i are going to sign (and i don't see any reason why it couldn't be used by residents of another state). the wording's unambiguous and it appears to make sure that all of your bases are covered (and lets you have more room to specify things if need be). no fees necessary, just paste into a word processing program, print out the document, and sign along with your witnesses. hope this helps.

It may have run out, but I have read and heard so much of the case that I don't remember what's coming and going, but now it's the cremation or burial debate. Parents want her buried Michael wants her cremated... I betcha if Michael wanted her buried her parents would have wanted her cremated.

I want by body donated to science.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Miral:
I betcha if Michael wanted her buried her parents would have wanted her cremated.

---

<font size="2" face="Comic sans ms, Helvetica, sans-serif">I uttered the same words about an hour ago. :D

Starky: Thanks, will take a look at it.

Miral: And science will no doubt be pleased as punch to have a specimen such as yourself. [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

*smiles*