Dear
Friends,
Good morning. The tragic story of
Terri Schiavo is taking on a life of its own. It has become America’s most
watched right to die case. But this time, it may be as political as it is
medical or moral. I asked Frederick Riegler, Pastor of St. Isidore’s Roman
Catholic Church in Quakertown about it and Gregory Grim, a Perkasie attorney
who understands the importance of living wills.
You know the sad story. Raised in
nearby Montgomery County, Schiavo has been on life support for 15 years,
trapped in a vegetated state. She is just 41. Last Friday, a Florida judge
ordered the feeding tube removed from her. Unless it is reattached, Schiavo
will die within 10 days.
Now that Congress and the President have intervened,
the case has landed in the federal courts. Members from both parties have
injected themselves into the fray. Is their action political? Are Republicans
attempting to carve out new territory in “culture of life” issues? Are
Democrats showing a willingness to move further to the political center? Is the
House of Representatives’ majority leader, Tom DeLay, rallying conservatives to
the Schiavo case in order to deflect inquirers into his alleged fund-raising
improprieties and violations of House travel rules? In a front-page analysis
(March 19), The New York Times answered “yes” to all three.
What would you do if you were
Schiavo’s husband…or parents? I asked Father Riegler.
“I’d be terribly torn,” Riegler
replied. “I don’t know what I’d do. If I were Terri’s father, I’d want her to
live. Still, I don’t like to make judgements.
“I’ve had to counsel people going
through life and death decisions,” Riegler continued, “And it’s gut wrenching.
You have to be with them…pray with them. It’s a side of the ministry that’s
emotionally draining.”
Riegler turned to the subject of
terminal disease. “That’s different,” he said. “You see people on ventilators
battling diseases like cancer.” He spoke of the agony, which often accompanies
an end of life sickness. “Not only is it not right,” Riegler added referring to
extraordinary means to keep a patient alive, “It’s just not fair. There should
be death with dignity.”
Would a living will, instructing
loved ones to discontinue care, have better served the Schiavo family? “Yes,”
Riegler answered. “A living will’s important. The next of kin needs to know
your wishes.”
Attorney Gregory Grim agreed. He
estimates that nearly 75 percent of his clients have living wills…if they have
wills. But, many don’t. “In Pennsylvania, I’ve heard that 50 percent don’t have
wills at all,” he said.
“Actually, a living will is a
misnomer,” Grim continued. “It’s not about living and it’s not a will. The
state changed the term to ‘Advance Health Care Declaration’ about five years
ago. You’re making a health care decision before it’s necessary. What you’re
saying to your loved ones is, if I’m permanently unconscious and in a vegetated
state, stop treating me. Pull the plug.”
Alas, Terri Schiavo had no living
will, so it became the duty of Judge George Greer to decide her fate. He
believes the overwhelming evidence…that Terri Schiavo will never be restored to
health. Now that the federal courts will determine the outcome, the anguish
isn’t about to end anytime soon.
If there’s a moral to this bitter story, it’s this:
Five minutes with your lawyer can spare your family years of pain.
Sincerely,
Charles Meredith