Being brain-dead
 

Who decides?

BBC News - Vegetative patient Scott Routley says 'I'm not in pain'

I could take this in a political direction so easily...

"I am not a crook!"

J/K

What is interesting is that many of us believe that euthanasia of some sort is justifiable if a patient is in a vegetative state. This article suggests that even vegetables have feelings (calling Frank Zappa!). I mean, people who have the response capability of an oak may continue to be aware.

Is it still okay to pull the plug on a person in a vegetative state? To me, if the person was incompetent before the current state then somebody has to make decisions. If the person was competent and had a written 'end of life' order then you follow their wishes.

But most of us are not so foresighted as to have a living will.

I wonder how Obamacare will handle it.

Next question.

So Scott, do you want to STAY like this? There isn't much we can do but feed you and this MRI deal is REALLY expensive.

"I'm okay. Just stick some scotch in that drip bag and get me a hooker."

According to experts in the Republican Party . . . there's going to be these panels, see . . .

... as there should be, if I'm paying for your care. Danged if I want you draining my bank account. I'll pull your plug if you sneeze.

The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I think I'll go for a walk.
Large Man with Dead Body: You're not fooling anyone, you know. Isn't there anything you could do?
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I feel happy. I feel happy.
[the Dead Collector glances up and down the street furtively, then silences the Body with his a whack of his club]
Large Man with Dead Body: Ah, thank you very much.
The Dead Collector: Not at all. See you on Thursday.
Large Man with Dead Body: Right.


Monty Python and The Holy Grail "Bring out your dead" - YouTube

Social Security and Medicare, not to mention VA medical care, is already doing that, so I guess the concept of death panels is a new addition to Obamacare. ;)

I am okay with the faceless, soulless bureaucracy knowing what's best. I think that outcome is most ably described by Aldous Huxley in 1931. The hellish transition to that utopia is described by his contemporary, Orwell. We're somewhere betwixt and between. Soon to be led to the squeeze shoot. I mean 'chute'.

They may have only got the first part of his sentence, "Not in pain, you damn fool? It's excruciating."

The whole thing is pseudo science claptrap.
They ought to be spending their money on something worthwhile, like maybe reading tea leaves.

The semiotics of MRI's.

My mistake, I didn't realize you were a neurologist.

Good thing for him and his family that the government pays for healthcare in Canada.

Too bad he couldn't swear to his wishes before his accident whether he'd want to spend the rest of his life in a hospital bed, with tubes keeping him alive.

Maybe he'll be able to tell his keepers now whether he'd prefer to live or die. Of course, he was surely declared incompetent long ago, so someone else has that choice no matter what he'd say.