No matter what they call themselves, or who they work for, there are in fact “death panels” in existence at this very moment and have been for quite some time now. How can anyone dare write, or believe, that “death panels” are merely a myth?
Andrea Clark was sentenced to die under Texas’ Futile Care Law, though she was aware and fighting for her life. She was, after all, deemed by the so-called ethics committee to be hopeless and therefore unworthy of continued effort. Never mind that she was fully aware — it was deemed time to put her down and out of her misery.
In Andrea’s case, her family obtained an attorney and was able to get a stay (delay), while they fought for her. During this period, Andrea did die, but she died because of natural causes and not because she was made to die. There is a very big difference between the two.
The family was not expecting the medical staff to create a miracle that was not within their power to create. All the family wanted was for Andrea to have the chance to survive, if it was possible. She had, after all, been a survivor all her life. Perhaps she would beat the odds again.
Andrea was aware! Andrea was fighting for her life! So what do you call it, when someone decides that in spite of the fact that you are aware and fighting for your life, your life support is going to be removed and you will die? Worse — that you are aware of the decision and that you are going to die because of that very decision and you didn’t even commit a crime beyond becoming ill or injured.
Then we have Gary Harvey from New York, whose wife is fighting both for his life and the right to take him home.
“This is a case where a 55 year old man had a heart attack, fell down the basement stairs, and ended up severely brain damaged. It is a case where still another so-called ethics committee felt it had some sort of god-like wisdom and right to determine life or death for a stranger. It is a case where a so-called ethics committee decided, behind closed doors, that it was perfectly okay to starve and dehydrate this man — Gary Harvey — to death by termination of his Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) feeding tube.”
Thankfully the request has been dismissed for now, but just what title should be given to those, who wished to starve and dehydrate Gary Harvey to death?
Full Article and Source:
The Brainwashing of an Unsuspecting People: Continuing to Deny Death Panels
See also:
Behind Closed Doors: The Gary Harvey Story
Follow Up: The Gary Harvey Story
Thankfully the request has been dismissed for now, but just what title should be given to those, who wished to starve and dehydrate Gary Harvey to death?
Full Article and Source:
The Brainwashing of an Unsuspecting People: Continuing to Deny Death Panels
See also:
Behind Closed Doors: The Gary Harvey Story
Follow Up: The Gary Harvey Story
11 comments:
This is a great article but people need to realize that death panels are not new. This has been going on for years - exisiting in the darkness are rarely exposed. But, still operating successfully.
Health care reform should be seperated from this issue.
Health care needs to be reformed; that's the most important thing. Then, after that's accomplished, a look at death panels needs to be undertaken and resolved.
Doctors engage in death panels; so do judges.
I don't believe the Obama offer of provision of Medicare services for consultation re advance directives equates to "death panels."
If you don't have advance directives, the state will decide for you!
In our family situation, the guardian acted as the death panel for her ward. Conclusion: death
Anonymouses, I agree that the "death panels" have successfully existed in the darkness for many, many years. However, there are those who think, write and say any of us that mention that these panels do actually exist, are "lying" right-wing extremist or part of special interest groups. They are telling the world that there is no such thing as "death panels" -- that it is all made up.
As for your "health care reform" comment...
Health care reform is needed. However, we need to be cautious and not RUSH into anything without thinking it through and making sure that we aren't opening the door to something much worse than we have now! There is no reason they can't take their time and make sure it is right the first time!
Anonymous 2, Andrea Clark is a good example to show it doesn't matter what directives one has, when a so-called ethics committee has the power to over-ride the patient, the family and the doctor. No committee should have such power.
The Dakota Voice has done a great job following the Gary Harvey story, and I appreciate it.
Carrie, what you're talking about, I think, might be better termed as hospice abuse. Hospice, like guardianship, has its place but is being misused (purposely) for profit.
The reason I think end of life discussions should be seperated from health reform is so we can have health reform. The out of control insurance/medical/drug industries have been a topic we have all worried about and suffered from for years.
We have griped, pleaded, and cried about it. And now, the focus is finally here to begin reform and instead, we're finding reasons to either stall it or kill it. And if successful, I guess we have to go back to griping, pleading, and crying.
Doesn't make sense to me. I think we have to start and from that start we have to build and reform as we go.
All that said, I agree with you 100% that every person on this earth has a right to live and there needs to be a bright light shining on those hospitals, doctors, hospice agencies who delibertely end life because they deem it unworthy. How absolutely arrogant of them all.
Thank you for shining that bright light on the Harvey case.
Anony 1
Anonymous 2, if you have advance directives, and have the misfortune of falling prey to guardianship, the state may decide against your advance directives.
Having advance directives is better than not, but it's not a for sure thing.
I agree with Anonymous 3, guardians easily can and do act as death panels for wards.
Guardians are usually complete and total strangers to their helpless and vulnerable wards. Carrie's right, no committee should have such power.
I particularly like the title of this article, "The brainwashing of an unsuspecting people."
It's very true. Decisions made at the end of life are often made with emotion and with people in a state of shock.
It's very easy for someone to believe what they are being told at this very difficult time time --and follow the wrong path, only to regret it when it's too late.
Who are these death panel people and what qualifies them to form a committee to rate people's value to live?
Death panels do exist.
Let us never forget what they (with the assistance of corrupt courts and lawyers) did to Terri Schiavo.
My prayers are with Gary Harvey and his wife.
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