Reply #33: This is a great question and I thank you for posing it. [View All]

[SillyGoose]

The way I see it, we all have the right to specify our end-of-life wishes. However, in cases where someone has not specified those wishes we could cross into an area of euthanasia and I'm not entirely comfortable with that.

This issue will likely come into play for me because my Mother is in the mid to late stages of Alzheimer's. I have been giving this very serious consideration since the Schiavo case has been thrust into the national spotlight. My Mother did not leave a living will so I have no idea what she would have wanted other than to know she is/was a devout catholic.

At this point, I could not fathom withholding food/water from her if she becomes unable to eat or drink on her own (I am seeing isolated incidents now of her choking on things). If her body was shutting down and she was expected to die imminently for other reasons, I am conflicted: insert a feeding tube knowing that other causes will eventually outweigh the food/water issue or cut off her food/water and end the process prematurely?

The latter smacks of euthanasia and I don't fully embrace that. I obviously will be doing a lot of research into this issue so I can make the right decision if that awful time comes for me to make this decision.