You have to be careful on what you consider as the "life sustaining" measures that are taken. Food and water are NOT life sustaining measures - except in the Floriduh court system.
Dialysis, ventilator etc. ARE life sustaining measures.
Why do you think they call it "sustainance"....a means of support, maintenance.....supplying or being supplied with the necessities of life....something that gives support, endurance, or strength.
Remember how this poor girl got into this shape....she did not like her appearance even though she was beautiful...do you really think she would want to live like she is...this case has forgotten the girl in question and become a political bone of contention...both sides want to win.
Case
Court New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, 2d Department
Year 1987
Patient (age) Daniel Delio (33)
Nutrition + hydration Gastrostomy
Mental capacity Persistent Vegetative State (PVS)
Decision maker(s) Wife
Setting Westchester County Medical Center (Valhalla, NY)
Patient's Wishes Delio's wife testified as to her husband's vehement opposition, in several conversations, to the idea of having his life artificially maintained if he was ever in a chronic vegetative state.
Court's Decision Patients (regardless of age or medical condition) have a common law right to refuse medical treatment -- including artificial feeding -- and that they do not lose that right upon becoming incompetent so long as they meet the "clear and convincing evidence" standard (which Delio clearly did). The fact that Delio was in a PVS and not terminally ill, combined with his relative youth (34) may even make more compelling his previously expressed desire not to be sustained by artificial means "because of the potentially long and indefinite period that a young person without a terminal illness may continue to live in a vegetative condition, deriving no benefit other than mere existence from the life-sustaining treatment, but suffering the continued indignities and dehumanization created by his or her helplessness." The court also noted, with regard to its interest in preserving life: "Clearly there is no benefit to the state in preserving Daniel's existence under circumstances he would have found demeaning and degrading to his humanity and which would serve merely to lessen the value of his life by denying him the right to chose the course of his medical treatment."
Outcome Westchester County Medical Center declined to comply with the wife's wishes and arranged Delio's transfer to the palliative care unit at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City where tube feeding was withdrawn. Delio died peacefully 9 days later.
Citation Partnership for Caring, Inc. (2001), Fact Sheet, Delio v. Westchester County Medical Center.
It looks like NYS has considered a feeding tube to be a life sustaining measure for along time.I wonder if we looked into it how many other states also have the same definition.
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You're only one post away from a federal watch list.
Noting two faced about Delay's decision about his father. His father was on a machine that made him breathe and his heart beat...not too metion constant dialysis.
Mrs. Shiavo is breathing and her heart is pumping and her prgans are functioning on their own free of any help.
Let's try and post facts and quit twisting headlines to suit our fancy.
Shoe....shod...shoe-ing....to cover for protection..strength...or ornament.
Anyway...you missed the idea of the rest of my post...this girl would definitely not want to go on as she is....based on the way she previously lived her life.
Do as I say , not as I do ?
