Tuesday, March 31, 2009

It's Terri's Day

from the Terri Shindler Schiavo Foundation
"Four years ago today, by the order of Judge George W. Greer, Terri Schiavo died a slow barbaric death by starvation and dehydration over a period of almost two weeks.We must never forget what happened to Terri and the horrible way she was killed.

However, just as important is to remember that what happened to Terri is occurring every day in our nation. Moreover, in this very moment countless people are suffering slow, agonizing deaths in hospice, nursing homes, and hospitals in America and around the world."
It struck me four years ago, as we were suffering her agony with her, that it was appropriate that she suffered the most during Holy Week, and died just after Easter, only four days ahead of Pope John Paul. The treatment witheld from a healthy though disabled Terri and treatment given to a dying John Paul (stomach feeding tube) was exactly the same. I almost suspect that the Holy Father accepted the feeding tube as a message to the world. Since he was in his dying days, he was NOT obligated to accept a feeding tube since it's use might be more harm than good, but he wanted to become an example of death with dignity that Terri was denied.

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