| Living Wills
October 24, 2003 By Ione Whitlock Weaverville, North Carolina A few nights ago Morton Kondracke (Fox News "Special Report" with Brit Hume) opined that, in light of the Terri Schiavo case, the one thing the entire panel agreed upon was that everyone should have a living will. But think about it: In signing a living will, Terri -- like most of us -- would have had no idea that "vegetative state" would mean a condition in which she could smile at her mother, try to talk, and most importantly, receive therapy that might improve her condition. She would have had no idea that there is controversy in medical and theological circles about the diagnosis of "vegetative." She would have had no idea that starving to death is a very controversial means of dying. If she had signed a living will, there would have been no way to save her. She simply would have starved to death. |