TerriSchiavoBioethics

     One of the most controversial cases in the history of the United States was that of Terri Schiavo. In our Gifted and Talented class, we learned all about this case and the controversy involved. Ms Schiavo was 26 years old when her heart stopped beating and the oxygen supply to her brain was cut off. This is where the brain damage started and she later fell into a coma. She was in the coma for fifteen years and over this course of time, her husband and family were involved in several court cases. Her husband, Mr Schiavo wanted to remove the feeding tube because he believed that that is what his wife would have wanted. Legally, he was her guardian. However, her family wanted something different. They believed that the doctors should do everything possible to sustain young Terri Schiavo's life. The US Supreme Court refused to get involved in such a case since there had been no one like this before so they had no idea what to do. Judge Greer says that since Terri has no chance of recovery, the doctors may remove the feeding tube on the 3rd of January in 2003. Even the governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, gets involved by asking the court to appoint a new guardian for Terri Schiavo, but the court does not act upon this. The feeding tube was not removed earlier so the Judge orders the feeding tube to be removed on the 15th of October in 2003. Her parents petitioned the Federal Court but to no avail; Schiavo's feeding tube was removed on October 15th, 2003. A law is passed six days later. Terri's Law, which gives governor Jeb Bush the power to order doctors to feed doctors to feed Terri Schiavo. On the 23nd of October, 2003, the feeding tube is reinserted. On the 6th of May in 2004 the County Court rules that Terri's Law is unconstitutional so the law is striked down on September 23, 2004. There were several more court appeals and controversy over the next few months, same as before; should the feeding tube be removed or not? On March 18 of 2005, the US House of Representatives and the US Senate both tried to block the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, but Judge Greer ordered the tube to be removed anyway. The Senate passed a bill two days later calling for the federal court to review the case and it was signed into law by President Bush the next day. Finally, after some more controversy and dispute, Ms.Schiavo died on March 31st, 13 days after the feeding tube was removed on March 18, 2005. 
     I think that it was fine to remove Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. I mean, you could always hope for a miracle, but what are the chances of that? One in a million? Once the doctors declared Terri's coma irreversible, I think that the right thing to do would be to disconnect the feeding tube, therefore ending Terri's life. This may sound cruel, but it would be best for everyone because they could move on with their lives and Terri would be put to peace. I understand why Terri's family wanted to keep her alive, it is very hard to let go of a family member. However, her husband was looking at the reality of it, which was that Terri was not going to survive so it would only make sense to put her out of her misery.