XPost: sci.med, sci.med.cardiology, misc.kids   
   XPost: soc.culture.usa   
   From: guavaln@yahoo.com   
      
   "dragonlady"  wrote in message   
   news:mehouck-0AE877.16390919112003@newssvr13-ext.news.prodigy.com...   
   > In article ,   
   >  Michelle J. Haines  wrote:   
   >   
   > > In article ,   
   > > tiredofspam123@comcast.net says...   
   > > > Michelle J. Haines  wrote:   
   > > The only reason it's being considered it because the husband is   
   > > saying "It's what she wants."  We only have HIS word for that.   
   > >   
   > It's my understanding that the court that made the decision had more to   
   > go on than that.   
   >   
   My impression is that when it comes to determine what *she* would have   
   wanted, there is not much more to go on than her husband's word. She did not   
   have a living will/advanced directive (but then, few people do). Her family   
   feels she made indirect statements suggesting she felt otherwise (things   
   like saying, "Where there's life, there's hope.").   
      
   The question is: whose word do we trust in such cases? Do we trust the   
   spouse, who was the patient's most intimate partner and whom the patient   
   herself selected as her next of kin by the very act of marrying him, or the   
   family, who may well be close to the patient but who are neither intimate   
   with her nor were selected by her to make such decisions? The law, at least,   
   presumes the spouse is the most likely person to know what the patient would   
   have wished and to act in the patient's best interest. Barring evidence of   
   foul play on the part of the spouse, that seems a reasonable position to   
   take.   
   --   
   Be well, Barbara   
   (Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [20mo] mom)   
      
   This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:   
   "Rejuvinate your skin." -- Hydroderm ad   
      
   Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.   
   Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!   
      
   All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.   
   Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its   
   other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a   
   fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)