Pope may need feeding tube, reports say

[Walt Starr]

Last update: March 29, 2005 at 1:24 PM
Pope may need feeding tube, reports say
Associated Press
March 29, 2005

VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II may have to return to the hospital to have a feeding tube inserted, an Italian news agency reported today. It stressed that no decision had been made.

The APcom news agency, citing an unidentified source, said the 84-year-old pope might have to have the tube inserted to improve his nutrition since he is having difficulty swallowing with the breathing tube that was inserted Feb. 24.

APcom said the idea of inserting a feeding tube was a hypothesis that was being considered. The procedure involves inserting a tube into the stomach to allow for artificial feeding.

<snip>

http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/5318705.html

[rsmith6621]

1. Pope May Go Back To Hospital for FEEDING TUBE

snip.....26 minutes ago Europe - AP



VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II may have to return to the hospital to have a feeding tube inserted, an Italian news agency reported Tuesday. It stressed that no decision had been made.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050329/ap_on_re_eu/pope_27


Let this poor guy out of his contract Dear Lord.....

[Walt Starr]

2. Dupe

I beatcha by seconds!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1350894

[fryguy]

3. i thought traditionally...

....the pope isn't sick until he is dead

[seriousstan]

4. Where did you get that idea?

The Pope can step down if he wants to.

[displacedtexan]

23. Wasn't that true until Pope Gregory called for a physician?

Then, all hell broke loose in the Vatican body politic.

Until Leo (1900-ish) they used to bang the pope's head with a silver hammer to signify his death.

I'm not making this up!

Shades of Beatles' Songs.

[Jersey Devil]

30. Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer

Every pope has the equivalent of a chief of staff, called the camerlengo. When a pope dies, the camerlengo must first certify that he is indeed dead. The ritual tradition is to strike him on the forehead with a silver hammer, calling his baptismal name three times. An alternative is to place a cloth over his mouth. If he does not respond, the camerlengo declares him dead, authorizes a death certificate and then seals the papal living and working apartments.

Later, the silver hammer will be used to scratch and break the papal ring and seal, so no documents can be forged in his name.

http://www.ucg.org/wnp/wnp0409/manpope.htm

[Jersey Devil]

32. PS- another site says papal hammering has been discontinued

(there is a ritual to 'prove' the Pope is dead, utilzing wittnesses and a small silver hammer)

Though widely spoken of, this ritual, in which a senior cardinal tapped the pope on the head with a silver hammer and asked "art thou dead?" was abolished long ago, though it is regularly referred to (and no doubt will be when John Paul II dies) it is in fact a modern myth. It no longer happens and has not occured for a long long time. FearÉIREANN 20:43 19 Jun 2003 (UTC)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Pope_John_Paul_I

[kenny blankenship]

36. Telling detail

Later, the silver hammer will be used to scratch and break the papal ring and seal, so no documents can be forged in his name.

Sounds like they have a lot of untrustworthy people around there!

[displacedtexan]

40. They seal the pope's rooms because they used to loot them.

I'm pretty sure that Pope Leo was the last to be silver hammered.

[loro mi dicevano]

5. *BANGS HEAD AGAINST WALL*

IT IS NEVER OVER.

</caps lock ;)>

[livinginphotographs]

7. Haha.

Get Jeb Bush a plane ticket...

[anarchy1999]

20. May I please join in with you. What wall?

This is beyond the pale and we have all collectively crossed over into the "Twilight Zone"!

DAMN!

[cosmicdot]

6. thank goodness the corporate media isn't sensationalist

/sarcasm off

Tonight on Faux/CNN/MSGOP:
corporate media's frenzy-feeding tube and the death of a Nation

[DrZeeLit]

8. IRONIC.... geez. n/t

[Sinistrous]

9. When reading this headline, this thought struck me:

How incredibly, awfully alone this man is. I hope he has some true friends to comfort him in his hour of need.

[slackmaster]

10. Are we all going to be on feeding tubes some day?

Let me say here and now, If I ever become unable to communicate my wishes and am confined to a hospital bed supported by machines, I DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE LIVING.

I hope that clears things up.

[LiberallyInclined]

16. the Carlyle Group is heavily invested in feeding tube technology...

it's the only explanation.

[mikelgb]

25. I wonder...

if this DU post would hold legal muster if it came down to it...

[Walt Starr]

28. It would certainly be admissable evidence in some states

Not all, but some.

[ElectroPrincess]

38. No, it clears nothing up for the Fundies believe if we don't feed you

via a "feeding tube" we are KILLING you. Nope that won't do. In addition to outlawing abortion and contraception, you must SUBMIT to the feeding tube. Not giving you one would be tantamount to murder as Terri Schiavo would remain completely *healthy* by continuing to use the feeding tube. Forget cerebral brain-DEAD, she's breathing ain't she? If yer alive, breathing on yer own, you WILL have a feeding tube - those that are trying to "save Terri's life" will make it so. /sarcasm off

[bmbmd]

11. In my opinion, he is an excellent candidate

for a feeding tube. He functions at a high level intellectually, and has an irreversible tracheal stenosis. He has multifactorial difficulty with swallowing-Parkinsons, stenosis, kyphosis, etc. If he were in my care, I would certainly offer this technology.

[daleo]

13. You have a point.

He is high functioning, as nearly as we can tell from press reports. If he doesn't leave instructions, though, and slips into a coma or PVS state things could get interesting.

[aquart]

18. He's already said removing the tube is immoral.

[ElectroPrincess]

39. I could be wrong, but I believe THAT statement came from "The Vatican"

Not The Pope personally ... of course he would endorse it. I continue to be disappointed by our ultra-conservative leadership.

[mikelgb]

26. yep

Pope in PVS, not dead, no conclave... very interesting. Be careful what you wish for.

[Delphinus]

12. Um,

I thought he was giving himself over to God, that he was peaceful and all that. :shrug:

[hippiechick]

14. But ... there's that little 'death' thing

... that most 'religious folk' seem to be so afraid of.

'Give themself to God', sure.
Try to convert and spout dogma to everyone else, sure.
But ... actually ... believe what they preach and let
go gracefully ... and DIE ??

Oh my, no ... that's just too ... scary for many of them.



Flame away. B-)

[Jeanette in FL]

48. Isn't that the most amazing thing..

The more religious they are, the more afraid they are of dying and will do anything to prevent it. My goodness, I have been in awe of the hypocrisy of it all.

[ElectroPrincess]

17. Excellent point Delphinus ...

For ONE For ALL ... Feeding tubes for everyone. Yes you too can have the full "up close and personal" experience of metastasized Cancer eating out every single body system. Yes, allow the Cancer to really do it's job. Nope, no exceptions! /sarcasm off

[Bridget Burke]

22. The Vatican bureaucrats aren't ready for him to die.

He's in their hands more than God's.

[w4rma]

15. Well, obviously, if he needs one he should get it. No controversy here. nt

[Walt Starr]

19. No controversy whatsoever

Just irony.

[CountAllVotes]

21. yep

and he might very well recover too! I wouldn't put anything past my Pope John Paul II!

I hope he recovers. People that think John Paul is "conservative" haven't seen anything yet! Just wait until the next pope emerges on the scene! UGH!!!! I hate to even think about it.

Memories are short when it comes to popes.

:kick:

[MissMarple]

24. Oh joy, more angst.

Unless he can swallow food again, we know a feeding tube once inserted won't be removed until they pull it from his cold, dead body. Suffering is an integral part of life and is good for the soul. :eyes:

[don954]

27. im statting to see a pattern here

Farwell... the Pope... did someone get out the smiting stick today?

[Demeter]

44. Lots more--Johnny Cochran, that Alabama Senator...

spring has sprung, at last.

[mikelgb]

29. I want one too

I want a feeding tube. . . eating was always a chore for me anyhow. Ooo... and how much does the sludge the put through it cost per gallon? Could be more cost effective than masticating as well. Any thoughts on these implications?

[Demeter]

45. NO cooking, no shopping, no dishes....

you may have a point there!

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[goodboy]

33. *shakes head* In case you were wondering what IRONY is?

[rainbow4321]

34. Maybe they can go dig Terri's out of the trash and give it to him n/t

[geniph]

35. You know, I remember when Catholics opposed "unnatural means

of preserving life." This was supposed to be God's will - you weren't SUPPOSED to use stuff like feeding tubes and ventilators and suchlike. The lines have gotten more and more blurry over time, till now there are some among us who seem to think that NOT using extraordinary measures to preserve some semblance of life is wrong.

I'm confused. Isn't the whole point supposed to be to let God decide who lives and who dies? Wouldn't that mean that if God chose to perform a miracle and keep someone alive WITHOUT feeding tubes and ventilators, He would do so? Wouldn't said use of medical technologies then show a lack of faith in God's ability to save those whom He wishes to save?

[olddad56]

37. Maybe Dubya will anoint Karl Rove as the new Pope.

[ElectroPrincess]

41. Oh yeah, KKKarl Rove as new Pope ... how 'bout Richard Perle as 1st LT?

:scared:

[olddad56]

42. First we have to 'liberate' the Vatican.

[ElectroPrincess]

43. Oh, you win!

Doesn't Richard Perle look good in black?

[Demeter]

46. Nah! Stripes, Maybe, or Prison Orange would work for him,

[Catchawave]

47. I have no problem with a feeding tube to help a throat surgery to heal.

Good grief, this should be a no brainer, eh?

[daleo]

49. You may be right, but I don't think needing a feeding tube is a good sign

These kind of cascading medical interventions in someone his age seem to just prolong the inevitable, usually. And not by much.