What experts??

From FoxNews:

If Terri Schiavo dies from the removal of her feeding tube, her passing should be peaceful, experts say. After all, she is in a persistent vegetative state without conscious awareness, they noted.

Really? Who are these experts? How do they know what sort of state she’s in? The article doesn’t say.

But studies show that even patients who can speak and who have chosen to stop eating and drinking generally don't complain of thirst or hunger, said Dr. Russell Portenoy, chair of palliative care at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York."It's as if the body has a protective mechanism at the end of life, such that loss of appetite and loss of thirst precede the dying process," he said.

No doubt this is true for the elderly, or for those dying of a disease. But Terri is not dying of a disease, nor is she dying of old age.

"It's usually quite a peaceful death," Portenoy said. "The person generally looks as if he or she is drifting off to sleep, and then dies."

I’m really getting tired of hearing this. I wonder if Portenoy is aware of the “exit protocol” prescribed for Terri, which includes:*

antacid suspension
Naproxen
lip moistener
saliva substitute
scopolamine patch behind ear
morphine sulfate Q4
diazepam rectal administration


::: shudder :::


*thanks to Fr. Rob Johansen at Thrown Back for explanation of these medications and their indications.