Friday, October 08, 2004
News tonight
It has been a gorgeous day today. Cold but bright and sunny. Not very busy at work so had a chance to think a little and communicate with different people. It was amazing to talk with an elderly lady who said she was 89 !!!! And I thought she was about 67 years old. No I am not talking about plastic surgery. She said she has lived here since she got married... 68 years.. I was asking the lady about the area and what has changed in these years. It was so interesting that I have decided to talk more when I have time. She is going to find some old photos for me look at.
This could have been a happy blog but I don't feel like writing anymore after listening to the news tonight. Of course everything is overshaddowed by the news of the hostage Ken Bigley's execution. Also the news and photos of the tiny premature ill baby clinging to life, whose parents are preparing to let her die in their arms. The judge gave permission to her doctors not to resuscitate her if she stops breathing. The parents have been fighting to keep her going.
If there is no quality of life then what is the point in prolonging the death?
I must stop talking about death now. I am starting to depress everyone.
This could have been a happy blog but I don't feel like writing anymore after listening to the news tonight. Of course everything is overshaddowed by the news of the hostage Ken Bigley's execution. Also the news and photos of the tiny premature ill baby clinging to life, whose parents are preparing to let her die in their arms. The judge gave permission to her doctors not to resuscitate her if she stops breathing. The parents have been fighting to keep her going.
If there is no quality of life then what is the point in prolonging the death?
I must stop talking about death now. I am starting to depress everyone.
# posted by butterflyuk : 10/08/2004 11:30:00 pm
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Don't take this too personally, butterfly. I don't mean any offense or anything, but I must respond to your proposed question with one of my own:
You don't have children, do you?
Personally, if I were to be in a courtroom where a judge would issue such an order regarding my child, I'd walk up and slug the guy square in the face!
I agree that quality of life does, in some regards, override quantity. But when the quantity has been near-zero as it is, what's the point of letting the life end with no chance of ever having any quality to it?
Also, consider that these are the parents of the child, that you are indirectly questioning here. That's their baby that you're telling them to just let die. I don't know if that's their only child or not, as I have yet to read news of this situation. (Care to give a link?) In any case however, I can garuntee you with 100% certainty that, right now, that baby is the most precious thing that ever existed in their lives. I'm willing to bet that every day, even after a long hard day at work, these parents go together to the NICU in the hospital to spend an hour or two with their baby, even if it's only watching her through glass.
That baby, right now, means everything to these people, and they'll be willing to die for sure if it means giving her even the remotest chance of recovering and living out her life. So I can't even begin to imagine the swarm of emotions they must have had that day, to hear a judge tell them that, even if there is a chance of resuscitation, that her doctors are not allowed to rescue their daughter from death by suffocation. In myself, I could only expect the most overwhelming feeling would be rage against anyone who would issue such a decree. If this was someone who was older, and had their chance to live out life, then I might accept it a bit better. But to make such a call on a newborn baby - to me - is absolutely absurd.
That's all I'm going to say, before this post starts to get ugly. I'm pissed now.
- Iszi
You don't have children, do you?
Personally, if I were to be in a courtroom where a judge would issue such an order regarding my child, I'd walk up and slug the guy square in the face!
I agree that quality of life does, in some regards, override quantity. But when the quantity has been near-zero as it is, what's the point of letting the life end with no chance of ever having any quality to it?
Also, consider that these are the parents of the child, that you are indirectly questioning here. That's their baby that you're telling them to just let die. I don't know if that's their only child or not, as I have yet to read news of this situation. (Care to give a link?) In any case however, I can garuntee you with 100% certainty that, right now, that baby is the most precious thing that ever existed in their lives. I'm willing to bet that every day, even after a long hard day at work, these parents go together to the NICU in the hospital to spend an hour or two with their baby, even if it's only watching her through glass.
That baby, right now, means everything to these people, and they'll be willing to die for sure if it means giving her even the remotest chance of recovering and living out her life. So I can't even begin to imagine the swarm of emotions they must have had that day, to hear a judge tell them that, even if there is a chance of resuscitation, that her doctors are not allowed to rescue their daughter from death by suffocation. In myself, I could only expect the most overwhelming feeling would be rage against anyone who would issue such a decree. If this was someone who was older, and had their chance to live out life, then I might accept it a bit better. But to make such a call on a newborn baby - to me - is absolutely absurd.
That's all I'm going to say, before this post starts to get ugly. I'm pissed now.
- Iszi
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3723656.stm
I think this is the link Iszi. I still don't know how to put links or add people to my blog ! If it doesn't work I will e-mail you the page.
You thought right. I do not have children but I do understand exactly what you are saying. I would be the last person to give up on someone I care for, I love. I can never imagine myself in taking a decision to end any life, even animals. I have been through a similar pain. My father died of cancer at the age of 56. He was in terrible pain despite morphine and other drugs etc. When relatives, even my family, wished he was released from his pain (only via prayer, not by human acts if you understand) my reaction was just like yours. As the days passed and I saw the state he was in, I changed my mind. If there is no hope what so ever to change the situation for better then letting the person suffer is selfish. We are thinking about how we will feel by losing them. That is the time to let them go. I would not want to live in agony with no quality of life. Only problem is (another question) are we really sure at that point that the person is not going to get better? If the medical opinion is no then should we believe in miracles and ignore that opinion?
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I think this is the link Iszi. I still don't know how to put links or add people to my blog ! If it doesn't work I will e-mail you the page.
You thought right. I do not have children but I do understand exactly what you are saying. I would be the last person to give up on someone I care for, I love. I can never imagine myself in taking a decision to end any life, even animals. I have been through a similar pain. My father died of cancer at the age of 56. He was in terrible pain despite morphine and other drugs etc. When relatives, even my family, wished he was released from his pain (only via prayer, not by human acts if you understand) my reaction was just like yours. As the days passed and I saw the state he was in, I changed my mind. If there is no hope what so ever to change the situation for better then letting the person suffer is selfish. We are thinking about how we will feel by losing them. That is the time to let them go. I would not want to live in agony with no quality of life. Only problem is (another question) are we really sure at that point that the person is not going to get better? If the medical opinion is no then should we believe in miracles and ignore that opinion?
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