Reply #38: I just need to say this today.... [View All]

[woodsprite]

I am SOOOOO tired of being in Terri's sickroom when so much else has to be addressed with this country. I'm SOOOOO tired of seeing all these nutso religious people who really have no idea what Jesus was even about, let alone practice his teachings.

My father died under a DNR, my mother was talking, thinking (not clearly ALL the time), eating, not in pain, and could have been sustained for awhile (don't know exactly how long) if platelet transfusions were given daily. But, she had severe diabetes, legally blind, very very depressed with her situation, a history of kidney/heart/bp issues and she was not going to get better. Her organs were dying a slow death due to blood that couldn't be processed or used to carry oxygen/nutrients. Eventually, the blood issue she had would have bled her out or killed a major organ, even with the transfusions.

The last time in the hospital was 30 days of daily transfusions, all kinds of testing, screens put in major arteries to prevent blood clots from going into her heart, lungs, brain, all with the thought that we could fix the problem if we could find it -- after all that, the drs. told us they couldn't find the underlying problem so it couldn't be fixed. They tried everything possible, even shipping her blood around the country to other testing centers. WE had to make the decision to let her go.

She was on Medicare, but my Bro and I would have paid our share to keep her on the transfusions if it would have helped, but it wouldn't. For every day we WERE able to "buy" for her, the quality was there, even though it was in the hospital. We communicated, laughed, shared stories, grandchildren visited. When we stopped the transfusions, there was a change in her demeanor. Almost a lightening of her heart, a relief in some way.

I never would have even thought to take this to court to make them keep her on platelets - whether we were paying or Medicare was paying - until something gave out. EVERYONE HAS TO DIE!!! You can either accept it, or not, but either way -- you have to deal with it. I just feel like screaming it to these people! Not that it would help them, but it would sure make me feel better. What gives them the right to literally make a federal case out of something that should have happened long ago with the diagnosis she was given, and something that every single person in this world has to deal with?

They should be at their daughter's side, not fighting in the courts. And if they believe, which they supposedly do, they should be praying for God's will to be done rather than a miracle. That's what that whole line "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven" is all about. We don't know what God's plans are. When you only pray for miracles or favors, sometimes the answer is "NO". It's simple Bible lesson #1. I can't understand how so many supposed "Believers" just don't get it.

OK - I'll climb down off my soapbox now ....

Thanks for letting me vent and get that off my chest!!! :) Yelling at the TV, or giving Hubby an earfull wasn't working for me this morning. ;)

Edit to add: One of the factors we used to decide was that we felt we were using valuable life-saving resources in a futile attempt to prolong the inevitable. At best, it would have bought her a month or two in the hospital, where it could be used in a different situation to give someone their entire life back.