<p>This term is commonly, but incorrectly, referred to as "brain-death." It can follow a coma.<br>
People in a persistent vegetative state cannot think, speak or respond to commands and are not aware of their surroundings. They may have noncognitive functions and breathing and circulation may remain relatively intact. </p>
<p>They also might move spontaneously and even grimace, cry or laugh. Some people might regain some awareness after being in a persistent vegetative state but others might remain in the state for decades. </p>
<p>Source: National Institutes of Health</p>
<p>As it states, she may regain some awareness.</p>
<p>I think it's sad that the judges haven't examined all the facts in the case either, and I think many disabled and handicapped people are going to be fearful that they may someday be at the mercy of the courts. From everything I've heard it's all very slanted toward Michael Schiavo's wishes and he cares nothing about Terri's parents, who have feelings too. It's like he's got some vendetta against them.</p>
<p>It is interesting that many people are against 'starving' her to death, even though experts say she won't feel pain and it is actually very peaceful, and they don't have a problem with taking someone off of a ventilator. Is choking to death better than starving?</p>
<p>People who support death (i.e. euthanasia, abortion, and the death penalty) make me physically ill. I mean, whatever happened to "life, liberty, and property"? </p>
<p>As you can probably tell, I hate radical social leftists for giving radical fiscal leftists (me) a bad name. </p>
<p>So what if she's a frikin vegetable?!?!? Whe you stop to think about it, we're all nothing but clumps of inanimate atoms aka VEGETABLES. Seriously, get over yourselves you bunch of murders. If you choose not to, then that's great! I'm sure that after all of the great family lessons you're going to teach your kids, they won't have a problem in seventy years when they decide to take your life away!</p>
<p>after this episode my mom told me about how her father died</p>
<p>after being in and out of hospitals for years due to his diabetes, when my grandfather was very close to the end of his life, they brought him home to be with the people he loved when he passed. It was eventual, there was no hope of recovery for him. </p>
<p>my parents told me that this is what they would want to do as well instead of being in pain with tubes snaking around you all the time</p>
<p>btw, liberals are actually pro-life becuase we call for increased funding for healthcare for the poor.</p>
<p>did u know that 18000 people in the us die per year from preventable causes!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I'm sorry about your grandfather. Were I ever to end up like that, I'd choose to PROlong (as in, not curtail) my life with the help of the machine. But I support individual will. Of course, there's no evidence that Terri Shiavo ever wanted to have her eighth amendment rights trampled on. Talk about justice and respect of individual life, liberty, and property, huh? </p></li>
<li><p>That's a very awry definition of pro-life, what you describe is pro-equality. </p></li>
<li><p>That's not the number I memorized in health class, I guess it's changed since then?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>It has as the number of uninsured people in america has risen</p>
<p>we now have 44 million people uninsured in the us. This leads to increased healthcare costs for the rest of us because these people are using emergency rooms as primary care facilities which is much more expensive than just going to the clinic when the problem starts</p>
<p>"Talk about justice and respect of individual life, liberty, and property, huh?"</p>
<p>exactly!, it should be a persons own right to end their life when they deem fit. congress shouldnt intervene and tell you what you can and cannot do with your life.. it is yours</p>
<p>my basic philosophy is, unless its not harming anyone else, then consenting adults should be free to do as they please</p>
<p>Well at least we agree on that, but uhhh....when did Terri Schiavo say she wanted to die? To assume that she does with no reasonable evidence in hand.....is whack.</p>
<p>the florida court system and the federal court system all in all 24 justices(12 democrat, 12 republican) have determined that it was her wish to have her tube removed</p>
<p>sure I can understand a few judges being inept but if the entire system is whack then terri is the least of our problems</p>
<p>That doesn't say anything, wheres the proof that she wants to die? Really, there is none. And please, if you're going to blame "the system," define it first. </p>
<p>BTW, did you watch Larry King tonight? </p>
<p>There was a very saddening phone call from a handicapped woman in Las Vegas who could barely speak, worried at the horrible prospect that people like her might be deemed genetically inferior and worthy of extermination in the near future. So, if you think Shiavo is "the least of our problems" then are you essentially saying that those individuals who take from capitalist society and give nothing back other than their charming smiles and inspiring perseverance, ought best be eliminated? </p>
<p>Brave New Warts....here we come.....to kill you......(and then, true to liberal social thought, we'll kill ourselves....oh yeah....then we'll blame it on "society" :rolleyes: )</p>
<p>Well I do wish she can die peacefully........however, why did her husband wait til today? and not done so last year or the year before?.......I think it's over that girlfriend.....period</p>
<p>mzlover, you said you would choose to prolong life with a machine if you had no chance of recovery and were in this situation? But think about what kind of life it is that you'd be prolonging. You wouldn't even know that you were prolonging anything, you wouldn't remember anything. . . There's beauty in dying but not in that. What is the importance of living that kind of partial existence? Why is that so important? WHY!? Why is dying naturally so bad?</p>