Terri schiavio was a woman who collapsed in her home in Florida as a result of full cardiac arrest. The cardiac arrest caused her extensive brain damage which resulted from proper supply of oxygen to her body and especially her vital organs. She was in a comma for two and a half months after which the medical team in charge of her health declared her state as a vegetative state. Attempts by medical practitioners in terms of physical therapy and speech therapy in order to revive her to full consciousness all proved futile.
Her husband was of the opinion that she had lost complete consciousness and it was inhuman to keep her on life support systems. He was of the opinion that her feeding tube should be removed. Her parents on the other hand were of a completely contrary opinion. They were of the opinion that their daughter though not responsive was completely conscious and removal of her feeding tube was tantamount to murder. They argued that their daughter would eventually make a full recovery and her current vegetative status was just a phase in her recovery which she would soon overcome.
The courts played a major role on whether to take terry sciavio off life support or not.in 1998 the sixth circuit court of Florida ruled in favor of her husband in removing her feeding tube. What resulted was a prolonged judicial battle which saw the decision overruled then later upheld on multiple occasions. The case even took a political frame with the then president George w bush advocating for Terri being kept on life support and even signing legislation to that effect.in February 2005 the courts finally ruled on removal if her feeding tube and she died two weeks later.
Being pro-life I am of the opinion that a great injustice was done to Terri. She was starved to death by the very people tasked with keeping her alive. I am opposed to the court’s decision and how Terri was treated.
References
Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation. (2005, February 4). Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation. Retrieved November 9, 2013, from http://www.terrisfight.org/
