By Adam Collins
The battle to decide the fate of Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged 41-year-old woman whose feeding tube was removed 11 days ago, has stolen the media spotlight. Schiavo headlines have found their way to the front pages of newspapers throughout the nation as Schiavo’s husband, who says it is time to let his wife die as she would wish, battles her parents, who want her feeding tube life support to continue.
The case has bred arguments over life, death and the “right to die” in communities, church congregations, national organizations and at the family dinner table. CNN, MSNBC, FOX News and an array of other network news programs have detailed the arguments of all parties involved, including the husband and family. Yet one important point that the media highlights seems to have been missed by Schiavo’s loved ones: Terri Schiavo did not have a living will.
The heart of the court case lies in Michael Schiavo’s claim that Terri told him that she did not want to be kept alive using modern technology. The problem is that no verifiable proof exists that this is indeed the case.
While the heart of the nation has to go out to Terri Schiavo and all those involved, a very important lesson can be learned from this situation: the importance of creating a living will and discussing your wishes in a life or death situation with family or significant others cannot be overstated.
Whether or not you would chose to remain on life support, whether or not you would chose to donate your organs, put it in writing and discuss your desires. This not only benefits you, but also eases the burden on loved ones when situations like the Schiavo’s arise.
Adam Collins is a senior majoring in Political Science and is a columnist for The Louisville Cardinal. E-mail him at: news@louisvillecardinal.com
