Essay about The Terri Schiavo Case and Euthanasia

The poem â€Å"To the Mercy Killers† by Dudley Randall refers to the ongoing debate of the right to live. â€Å"If ever mercy move you murder me, I pray you, kindly killers, let me live† (Randall 623). Here he is most likely referring to doctors as â€Å"kindly killers† who feel that letting him die would be a mercy to him. Randall clearly believes that life is a treasured gift, and should not be purposely extinguished for any reason. However, terminally ill patients should have the right to decide whether they want to die or not. In 2003, much of the American public first became aware of a brain damaged woman named Terri Schiavo. On February 25, 1990, Terri Schiavo collapsed in her home from unknown causes. Terri’s husband, Michael Schiavo, told†¦show more content†¦Bush got involved. Michael Schiavo was appalled by these attempts: Right now I am very outraged. This is a sad day for Terri and this is a sad day for everybody in America because the government is going to trample on all of your personal and private matters. This is an outrage, they have no business in this matter. Terri made her wishes, it has been adjudicated in a state court over the last seven years. Eighteen judges have heard this. Appeals have been heard. The Supreme Court justices have heard this, and now the House of Representatives and the Senate are saying that they are wrong. They are thumbing their nose up at the constitution† (Democracy Now). However, the hastily passed laws both the state of Florida and the federal government are eventually deemed unconstitutional by the courts. The feeding tube is removed on March 18, 2005 despite frantic appeals of the Schindlers and organizations that support them. On March 31, 2005, at 9:05am, Terri Schiavo died a â€Å"calm, peaceful, and gentle death† according to Michael’s attorney (China Daily). The eventual autopsy found that, â€Å"The damage was irreversible,† and that â€Å"No amount of therapy or treatment could have regenerated the massive loss of neurons† (University of Miami). The large amount of controversy the Schiavo case caused is still remembered by many today. When the case was in the news, everyone had their own opinion. Some believed that justShow MoreRelatedTerri Schaivo: Euthanasia or Mercy Killing?791 Words   |  4 PagesThe story of Terri Schiavo is definitely a controversial one, both medically and morally. In 1990, at the age of 26, Terri suffered from mysterious cardio-respiratory arrest. Even today, no cause for this arrest has ever been determined. Following her cardio-respiratory attack, Schiavo was diagnosed with hypoxic encephalopathy, which is a neurological injury caused by lack of oxygen to the brain. Post mortem, Schiavos brain was discovered to be half the normal weight, thus proving severe neuronalRead MoreEuthanasi A Way Out Of Suffering1742 Words   |  7 Pages Euthanasia; A Way Out Of Suffering Chelsey L. Isner Weir High School Mrs. Lengthorn Mrs. Pellegrino  Abstract Human euthanization is not something new, but it is widely believed to be unethical. In reality, human euthanization is a painless solution to a terminal illness. The topic of this paper is how euthanization for humans is not a bad thing. During the writing process questions were asked about how religion views euthanasia, if it would be used for suicidal purposes, If Belgium’s lawRead MoreThe Terri Schiavo Case1610 Words   |  7 PagesThe Terri Schiavo Case Research Essay ISU On February 28, 1990, twenty six-year old Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage when her heart stopped for five minutes. Terris condition was the subject of intense debate and media scrutiny over the subject of euthanasia and guardianship. Given the circumstances of Terris vegetated condition, and no physical proof of her wishes, the last word on whether or not Terri would stay alive was given to her husband Michael Schiavo, by the state of FloridaRead MoreEthical Implications and Obligations to Your Profession and Work as a Nurse1007 Words   |  4 Pagesobligations to your profession and work as a nurse The 1973 case of Donald Dax Cowart, and the 2005 case of Terri Schiavo reveals the complex issues surrounding euthanasia, right to die, legal guardianship, and patient autonomy. These are issues that most nurses wish they did not have to face, but ultimately must during the course of our work. Nurses are on the front lines of patient care. In both the cases of Dax Cowart and of Terri Schiavo, nurses spent a great deal of time with the patients in theirRead MoreEssay on The Terri Schiavo’s Case Analysis1037 Words   |  5 PagesThe Terri Schiavo’s Case Analysis When a patient is unable to make decisions for himself or herself, their caregivers and those who know them are appointed to make the decisions based on what the patient would have wanted. This is called surrogate decision making. According to the article Terri Schiavo and End-of-Life Decisions â€Å"when surrogate decision makers and caregivers cannot agree upon what that choice would have been, they may turn to the courts to determine either what the now-incapacitatedRead MoreEuthanasi Euthanasia And Euthanasia861 Words   |  4 PagesEuthanasia, the practice of medically terminating life in order to relieve pain and suffering of a patient, has been a complex and controversial topic since its conception. In ancient Greece and Rome attitudes toward active euthanasia, and suicide had tended to be tolerant. However, the rise of the Christian faith reinforced the views of the Hippocratic Oath, a swearing of ethical conduct historically taken by physicians. This shift concluded a medical consensus in opposition of euthanasia. IssuesRead MoreAnalysis of an Ethical Dilemma Essay1232 Words   |  5 Pages Voluntary/ Assisted Euthanasia By Feba Erattakulangara, Jacinda Koski, Nne Uyoh, Olga Gray Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS 437V February 24, 2013 Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma (Part1) Voluntary/ Assisted Euthanasia Amongst the multitude of ethical dilemmas in health care the debate about voluntary or assisted euthanasia presents to be the most controversial. For over two thousandRead MoreVoluntary/Assisted Euthanasia Essay1200 Words   |  5 PagesVoluntary/Assisted Euthanasia Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care Voluntary/Assisted Euthanasia (Thesis, Description of the topic and related ethical implications, Obligations to your profession and work as a nurse) Debra Burden The purpose of this paper is to define the issue and legalities of assisted death and the key ethical arguments, including the social values and norms, encompassing this topic. Also included in this paper on voluntary/assisted suicideRead MoreEuthanasia Essay : Euthanasia The Right1403 Words   |  6 PagesEuthanasia the right to die whit dignity Euthanasia is one of the most historically debated, discussed topics in medicine, law and ethics. Doctors, religious, lawyers and relatives of terminally ill patients, leave testimonials that make us reflect on the topic. Right to die with dignity or live with pain and suffering? A question that we do ask when we live experiences of loved ones who suffer daily pain, having an undeserving life. Euthanasia is currently referring to the act of ending the lifeRead MoreShould Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal1818 Words   |  8 Pages  Should Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide be Legal?         One day while interning at the Animal Clinic of Bay Ridge I witnessed something so cruel. This middle-aged shiatsu was dropped off at the animal clinic. Mind you, the owners didn’t even bother to come in the room with the dog. As I played with the dog until he would be â€Å"putdown† I wondered why in the world someone would put such a lovely dog down is unimaginable. Despite being sorry for the dog I feel euthanizing both animals and human