Read this article in the Tribune about how often this kind of occurs. Here is a quote for you: "More than 25,000 children die each year from cancer, heart defects, neurologic disease, complications of prematurity and other conditions, Frader said. And some 60 percent of these deaths occur in pediatric intensive care units as a result of decisions to limit therapy in one way or another." Yeah, at some point I'll rant about it all. But for now, check that article out. It is short and sweet.
Also, there is this article on pain and suffering with the removal of nutrition and hydration.
Remember, all my conservative readers, the Trib supported Bush in the last election. Try to stay on track, please.
And here is a blog worthy of note as well. It simply poses some interesting ethical questions. Some of the comments on the post are pure drek, but that is the freedom of blogging.
If we are competent adults, we have the right to refuse medical treatment at any stage of an illness. That might mean opting out of a second round of chemotherapy after a first round of cancer treatments has failed, preferring to focus on preserving quality of life for the time we have left. It might mean deciding to die of a terminal illness at home, even if hospitalization could add a few extra hours or days. It might mean requesting aggressive pain management, knowing that it might depress respiration and shorten our lives. We have the right to say "enough," and let the natural dying process take its course. We have the right to have the integrity of our bodies unviolated by unwanted medical treatment - just as we have the right to insist on aggressive efforts for life extension. We have the right to choice. And when we are no longer able to exercise that right ourselves, we have the right to designate our closest others to do so on our behalf.This is the truth of it. I think what has everyone so up in arms about the Schiavo case is that we are all finally coming to terms with the legal reality we have chosen for ourselves at the state and federal level. As the first Trib article says, this happens often. Schiavo is not some flash in the pan. One need not be terminal in the state of Illinois to have the legal right to cease interventions. The issue of a patient being terminal is an issue of law. A patient's prognosis need not be terminal here in Illinois to qualify for hospice care. I don't know about Florida. It would appear not.