NationStates Jolt Archive

Terry Schiavo had heart attack and entered her vegetative state because she was bulimic. It was essentially her own actions and choices which brought this about.

Bulimia is indeed a mental illness, but severe depression is as well, and if depressed people who shoot themselves are guilty of suicide and go to hell, what about bulmics and anorexics who choose to starve themselves to death?

Is her death going to be other-than-suicide because she had a feeding tube removed? Would it have been any different if she had lived 100 years ago and there had been no such thing as a 'feeding tube' ?

Is it suicide to stipulate in a will that you want to be taken off life support if in a vegetative state?

If not, then feeding tubes and the like cannot be taken into account in deciding whether or not this is a straightforward suicide.

Why are you asking?

Well, no in my opinion. The removal of the feeding tube was not done by her, so therefore she did not kill herself. Furthermore, although it is true that bulimia led to her vegtative state, the decision itself was not done by her and so is not suicide. Bulimia is a disease, and so she had trouble exerting control over what happened to herself, which then led to the VS. I don't think that suicide can happen in an indirect manner such as this.

Well, no in my opinion. The removal of the feeding tube was not done by her, so therefore she did not kill herself. Furthermore, although it is true that bulimia led to her vegtative state, the decision itself was not done by her and so is not suicide. Bulimia is a disease, and so she had trouble exerting control over what happened to herself, which then led to the VS. I don't think that suicide can happen in an indirect manner such as this.


And if somone suffers from severe depression and while in the depths of depressions decides to shoot themself, are they responsible? Depression is a disease of exactly the same sort as bulimia.

If there was no such thing as a 'feeding tube' and terry schiavo's body had died fifteen years ago, would there be any difference?

If she had left a written will requesting that the feeding tube be removed, would it be sucide?

Why are you asking?

No reason other than that I got to pondering it.

And if somone suffers from severe depression and while in the depths of depressions decides to shoot themself, are they responsible? Depression is a disease of exactly the same sort as bulimia.

That is true, but the bulimia did not actually result in death, but rather the VS, so it would not prbably be on the same level, since the disease depression led more or less directly to death, not an intermediary step like the VS.

If there was no such thing as a 'feeding tube' and terry schiavo's body had died fifteen years ago, would there be any difference

Yes, because it would probably fall under the aformentioned quote about depression, since it led directly to her death and so would be suicide.

If she had left a written will requesting that the feeding tube be removed, would it be sucide?

Well, this is somewhat more complicated. In my opinion no, because the feeding tube is not a natural means of living, and so dying without one would not be suicide (before the invention of feeding tubes, people in a VS would likely just die). However, because the cause of death is due directly to bulimia, it might fall under the first category and be considered sucide.

That is true, but the bulimia did not actually result in death, but rather the VS, so it would not prbably be on the same level, since the disease depression led more or less directly to death, not an intermediary step like the VS.



Yes, because it would probably fall under the aformentioned quote about depression, since it led directly to her death and so would be suicide.



Well, this is somewhat more complicated. In my opinion no, because the feeding tube is not a natural means of living, and so dying without one would not be suicide (before the invention of feeding tubes, people in a VS would likely just die). However, because the cause of death is due directly to bulimia, it might fall under the first category and be considered sucide.

The immediate consequence of VS is death, unless sophisticated modern methods are used to maintain bodily function. The effect of shooting yourself in the head is brain trauma, not death per se.

Shooting oneself doesnt neccessarily result immediately in death either.

True. That is the problem with determining what would constitute suicide. However, for my opinion, I had assumed that suicide could be defined as any attempt by a person to end their life by their own volition.

she is not dying because of her condition. she is dying because she is being starved to death.

she is not dying because of her condition. she is dying because she is being starved to death.


Thats like saying somone who got shot isnt dying because they got shot, they're dying because they're losing blood.

Be serious.

Thats like saying somone who got shot isnt dying because they got shot, they're dying because they're losing blood.

Be serious.
Hey now, they are also have possibly wounded organs or lead poisoning lol.

Anyways, Schivos cerebral Cortex is liquified, I don't think liguid brains turn to solids very often. She is basically dead-like anyway. Well more like left with instincts, we shoot horses when they are lame, since she lost humanity ability to think, does she count as as animal?

How is this a theological question? Sounds like you're asking whether someone who causes themselves to collapse and go comatose through unhealthful habits is responsible for their death or not. I would argue yes, but it's got to be intended to be a suicide. If Terri Schiavo was bulemic hoping it'd kill her, then it's a suicide. Otherwise, she just made a bad choice and now the family is bickering over what she'd have wanted.

If she had left a written will requesting that the feeding tube be removed, would it be sucide?
no, that is not suicide because if you are not capable of supporting yourself and cannot think than, in my opinion, you're not really alive and if you're not alive then you can't die

new granada=-

that would be correct....you dont die from a gunshot, you die from the blood loss, or massive trauma.

you arent very logical are you?

lots of people live after being shot, therefore, it is not the shot that kills you, its the traumatic after effects.

Terry Schiavo had heart attack and entered her vegetative state because she was bulimic.

Now I KNOW she wouldn't want the feeding tube.

1. There is some evidence/heresay (noit saying it's true) that her husband had a hand in her heart attack. Something to do with insulin shots...I'll look into this more.

2. A doctor's diagnosis is not always right. (Hence: malpractice) There has been some recent testimony of family's with a son/daughter with "PVS" as diagnosed by the MD's, but came out of it and are recovering.

3. Maybe we should actually listen to the family members and nurses who are actually spending time with Shaivo? Also there is a report from another Md listing reasons that Shiavo is not in a PVS. SO who are we to believe? People who love her and are with her every day? Or her husband who doesnt love her, is with another woman, and probably has some financial gain from the death.

Note: nurses working on the case have now come forward with testimony acusing the husband of saying "why can't we just get this over with?"...and "when is she gonna die?"

Just saying there are sides to this sotry that some people don't know about before making decisions about it.

BTW...a newborn baby can't feed itself either, yet we make sure our babies get what they need to survive.

Note: nurses working on the case have now come forward with testimony acusing the husband of saying "why can't we just get this over with?"...and "when is she gonna die?"

BTW...a newborn baby can't feed itself either, yet we make sure our babies get what they need to survive.

That's not a new born, that's an inept vegetable being kept alive as a political tool for neocons. And I would be saying those things too about my wife, seeing as how it's been 15 years of suffering.
Quit your bullshit and attempted unbias. Your stupidity and inability to comprehend the situation shine through quite clearly.

It can't be considered suicide, as she had no intention of getting into her present situation, when she was buleimic. It's only a side effect of her problem.

On another note, why is she taking so long to die? I was always under the impression that you could only last 3 or 4 days without water, yet she's been going for a week now and the Doctors are saying it could be up to another week before she dies. Is she still getting some form of liquid? I'm just curious.

It can't be considered suicide, as she had no intention of getting into her present situation, when she was buleimic. It's only a side effect of her problem.

On another note, why is she taking so long to die? I was always under the impression that you could only last 3 or 4 days without water, yet she's been going for a week now and the Doctors are saying it could be up to another week before she dies. Is she still getting some form of liquid? I'm just curious.

I suspect (and i'm really just speculating here, i may well be mistaken) that as her body is extraordinarily inactive and she is in an air conditioned, fairly humid room, her body wont fail on account of water as quickly as it would if she was active or in a hot and dry place.

I suspect (and i'm really just speculating here, i may well be mistaken) that as her body is extraordinarily inactive and she is in an air conditioned, fairly humid room, her body wont fail on account of water as quickly as it would if she was active or in a hot and dry place.
I think you're probably right there. Thanks, it was bugging me a bit that.