would you want to live in a vegetative state for years?

chime in. I wouldn't.

[walkman]

if the doctors say that you're in a coma or a persistent vegetative state, and the chances of recovery are nil, what would you do (if you could make the choice then;))?

I would want my plug pulled. That's not "life" to me.

[Essex_boy]

no I wouldnt either, although Im sure with some people its hard to tell what state their in...

[iDKris]

i'm not sure about the chances of recovery and i'm not sure exactly what happens when you're in a coma, but if the dr said no way possible, i'd say pull it.

as for the other situation, where you will be a bump on a log as long as they feed you, i would choose to have the plug pulled. donate my organs to someone who needs them.

i couldn't imagine putting my family through daily torture.

as bad as this current story is, it's brought a realization that its a real situation and a lot of people have been making decisions and having a living will written.

[lawman]

I'm not a vegetarian.

[pmac]

>>persistent vegetative state

My wife would argue that I have been in this state for years.

[bill]

if anyone pulled my plug while I was vegging on the weekend I'd be quite angry...first they're cancelling Star Trek, and now this...

[Automan Empire]

WebmasterWorld isn't for posting about politics, so I'll put it this way.

I wouldn't want to have my vegetative state be used as fodder for demagogues to get people all riled up over this particular individual's case, leaving no more curiosity/indignation for all the worse things going on meanwhile.

Personally, I draw a strong distinction between quality of life and quantity. Others feel different. This is where subjects such as this get hairy.

[snowman]

If I did, I wouldn't want to be <allowed to die> just because I was. I'd like to know that those around me who say they love me, that they really do and would come and visit and keep the hope alive.

After all, people have come out of comas that lasted for decades.

[edited by: lawman at 4:36 am (utc) on Mar. 26, 2005]

[incrediBILL]

would you want to live in a vegetative state for years?

I already do, it's called marraige.

[walkman]

"I already do, it's called marraige"

weird..I guess one can recover from it.
Happily divorced man here ;)

[graywolf]

I read recently in National Geographic that being a carnivore helped a species make evolutionary strides. The theory being it's more stimulating to hunt things than to pick them off trees.

[walkman]

"I read recently in National Geographic that being a carnivore helped a species make evolutionary strides. The theory being it's more stimulating to hunt things than to pick them off trees."

not related to the thread, but protein (from meat and especially bone marrow) made our brain as large as it is. No offense to the vegetarians; facts are facts

[sonny]

Keep me alive, please! Death is too permanent.
If I am not too much of a burden, by all means hook up those tubes. I'd be happy to wait for science to catch up.
I've got plenty of time for dying and not much for living.

[ken_b]

Difficult as these issues are now, they will most likely get even more difficult in the future.

As the technology advances to allow an evermore intergrated relationship between thought and computer aided communication the concept of "quality of life" is bound to become more critical in these matters, and even more subjective than it is today.

Today's measure of life, and it's quality, might lead one to make certain directives as when to call it quits.

Tommorow's measure might be a whole different story, and lead to a whole different conclusion.

To be left lingering with no means of meaningful communication is not something I would care for.

Which of course begs for a definition of meaningful.

Hard questions.

[vincevincevince]

Without wanting to draw politics into this, I'd like to note that most of the arguments commonly used for ending life in this way could be easily applied to either a) someone with serious mental illness, b) someone with a large drug addiction, c) the very lazy, d) prisoners with terms which exceed their natural life expectancy

And I'm sure none of you would favour death or any of those groups. Many of whom have a low quality of life, may not be likely to recover, contribute nothing to society and are a substantial burden, and don't enjoy the life they are living.

[lawman]

The two issues:

1. Is the person in a vegetative state.

2. Did the person express a preference.

Apparently the courts in this case have determined that a vegetative state exists and that a preference against living in such a state was expressed.

BTW, I have no info other than what I've heard in the news media.

[Kirby]

>2. Did the person express a preference.

Putting this in writing is crucial in the US. My wife and I both have documents as part of our will/trust that specify our wishes. It amazes me how little planning the masses do in the area.

[walkman]

this is hillarious...
Not mentioning names but the congressman who pushed for the law to save the woman currently in the news, pulled the plug on his own dad. LAT has a story about it. No wonder politicians are so loved and respected.

[AWildman]

The other night my hubby, mom, and dad were all talking about this subject. I told them, "You're all in the same room, so listen. Don't let me linger on machines forever. Pull the plug!" And I swear to GOD I will haunt the crap out of any of those people, who heard and attested to my wishes, yet insists on keeping me on machines! I will turn into that freak woman from The Grudge and make that awful noise.