Story in the San Jose Mercury News:

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/8346730.htm

This article still brings to mind what I mentioned before in another thread--that this is an issue in developed countries where everyone has the right to medical care and the technology is available, but not necessarily in undeveloped countries. Double standard?

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 04, 2004

Answers

GT,

not everyone in developed countries can get access to medical care either.

-- (.@...), April 04, 2004.

GT I tried to access the article but it is no longer available..what did it say?

-- lesley (martchas@hotmail.com), April 05, 2004.

Hi Lesley,

This article was talking about tube/IV feeding of comatose patients--and apparently the Catholic hospitals in the area were somewhat surprised by the Pope's comments--namely that the feedings should continue. The Schiavo case was brought up, as was the point made by some medical ethicists that (in their opinion) feeding when there was no hope of improvement was not right. Several medical people expressed concern that the Pope's comments would bring more stress to families at admittedly an already stressful time. Finally, it was pointed out that inserting tubes in the stomach is not a minor thing, but closer to a surgical procedure (carrying risks of complications, etc.).

I thought the article was interesting because if you truly "let go and let God" and pray for a recovery (as opposed to withholding care because you want to get hold of the inheritance early), you seem to be in contrast to the Pope's statements. We wil all die at some time, why the desire to prolong life in such an unnatural fashion? And, like I said, this only seems an issue in the developed countries--not the rest of the world. Life is worth preserving only in the developed countries? Surely not!

It doesn't seem to make sense either when you look at it in the context of other medical procedures, i.e. IV fertilization (providing you use all of the babies, not just some of them), or cryogenic suspension.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 06, 2004.

Catholic hospitals were "somewhat surprised" that the Pope said we should not starve people to death?? There is no requirement to prolong the lives of terminally ill patients by extraordinary medical procedures. But that isn't what the Pope was speaking about. He was speaking about normal mimimal maintenance consisting of keeping a person clean, comfortable, hydrated, and nourished. There is absolutely nothing extraordinary - or medical - about that. We are allowed to "let go and let God" by withholding extreme medical intervention in cases where such intervention is virtually certain to contribute little to the person's state of health. But it would be hypocritical to say we are leaving the situation in God's hands while we systematically withhold the basic needs that can sustain life, thereby intentionally killing the person before his illness can do so.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), April 06, 2004.

Paul, the issue seemed to be about feeding with tubes when people couldn't swallow. When you have to put those tubes in the stomach. It was not talking about someone say, sipping liquid nourishment through a straw. If the illness causes the inability to swallow, it is not helping the person to get better by feeding them through tubes, it is just prolonging the suffering for no reason. And again, no one is addressing the issue that this is ONLY an issue in the US and other developed countries....

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 06, 2004.

Just as in many issues, there is no "easy" answer..thanks GT for being kind enough to post the synopsis of the article..perhaps I can shed a different light on the subject for you (and perhaps not LOL)..I spent over half of my life in Nursing/Medicine..during those 33 years, I have witnessed many interesting things. I have seen people declared "brain dead" who woke up..quite unique an occurance, yet it does happen. I have seen people with severe spinal cord injuries have full and complete restoration of all function when we thought they would never do so.Again, very unusual and quite rare, but it does happen. I have seen people have simple feeding tubes withdrawn and die agonizing deaths which took over 2 weeks..not a pretty sight. A gastrostomy tube is a very simple device inserted into the stomach in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia..it is hardly "hi-tech"..in undeveloped countries, a feeding tube through the nose is still used and they work quite well..they just have a habit of being less efficient and get blocked more often..but they ARE used..they are so simple that families administer fluids at home..in a village if necessary. I am certain that yes,somewhere in the world, there must be someone who cannot access medical care at all..so because that person exists, or even if an entire town exists, all people should be denied the benefits of medical care until every single person in the world has equal access? As far as the Pope's statement, I agree 100%..not because the Pope said so, but because of my own personal experiences over many years of caring for the sick and dying..to withold simple fluids and food from a human being is to deny their humanity..one only has to stand ONCE and witness this to be profoundly moved.

-- lesley (martchas@hotmail.com), April 06, 2004.