My fever finally broke this morning around 4am. I have been hovering between 100°F and 102.4°F all of last week. So now, aside from feeling very groggy, I feel cold and extremely hungry.
The flu bug is an amazing thing. The flu shot can hold some strains at bay but I know many people who've gotten the shot and still be bedridden by that virus. Because of that, I don't get the flu shot. While it's not a recommended way to lose weight, I've definitely done that and because you don't eat much, if at all, during the main stage of the infection, that notion can stick with you afterwards, as it did to me. My real weight loss happened after my last bout with the stomach flu. That was just an absolute evil romp through at least the third circle of Hades.
While lying on the couch for a week, I've been watching the news about the Terry Schiavo case. I haven't wanted to say anything up here because it is a very controversial and emotional situation.
In my own thinking, I've had to strip away what's been said emotionally and get to the black and white of it all. And while Terry's parents don't like it, I think that's what the judges have done too.
Emotionally, Terry is their child and they believe she is very much in an unconscious state. They believe she can be rehabilitated. They contend her due process rights have been denied.
Legally though, Michael Schiavo is still considered by Florida law to be her legal guardian, the Schindlers have yet to offer any evidence that she clearly indicated she would want all means necessary done to keep her alive, several doctors have drawn the same conclusion that she's in a vegatative state that has remained unchanged for 15 years without any real ability for rehabilitation, no proof has been provided in allegations that Michael hurt her. The whole thing about due process goes the other way as well, which in my mind cancels itself out as an issue. I personally think that Due Process is only effected during legal charges being brought against you. Due Process is one of those things that is largely unique to American law.
I also believe it is vitally important to preserve that distinction of who the legal guardian is. If Michael Schiavo were to be stripped of that status, ccould you imagine the precedent that will set?
For example, I end up in some sort of vegatative state like Terry (please God, don't let that happen) and I don't have a living will, although my public statement in parenthesis just now should clear up any sort of subtlities of my feelings on this, the legal guardianship issue could be battled for years.
We may not all agree about Terry Schiavo's current state and whether or not her starvation is construed as murder or not but I think we'd all agree, I'd hope we do, that it's important for each state to look at their laws regarding living wills, right to die and legal guardianship and get rid of any ambiguities or holes.
The Schindlers are contended that because none of the judicial processes have gone their way, that "Judicial homicide" is happening and that Governor Jeb Bush has done nothing this past week. What about his attempts to gain protective custody of Terry and trying to persuade members of the Florida legislature to pass a law to help Terry? I thnk the Schindlers need to stop listening to radicals like Randall Terry.
In the end, it's been Terry Schiavo's right to a dignified death over 15 years that has been denied.
