Re: cruzan v schiavo what a difference a decade makes

What Jack describes below about morphine fits the pattern of my father's
death, from complications due to Alzheimers. At a certain point, within a
week of his death, it became very difficult for him to take in food and
water, and the hospice caregiver said that it is quite possible that he had
decided, as the dying often do, that it was time for him to go and so at
some level of consciousness he chose not to take in more nourishment. The
family decided, in accordance with his living will, not to take any
extraordinary measures, including insertion of a feeding tube, but to let
nature take its course. We also decided against the use of a respirator as
his breathing became labored. But he was given morphine until a little
while before his death to ease any pain that he might be experiencing. I
was able to attend him just hours before he died and speak with him. I have
no idea whether he understood a word I said or, if he did, whether he was
able to recognize me. I comforted myself, though, with the belief that he
did know it was me. He received excellent hospice care. We all knew that
it was time for him to go to God, and our mother, who had been his caregiver
for years before we moved him into an Alzheimers facility, accepted this
without difficulty.

Bob

----- Original Message -----
From: "jack syme" <drsyme@cablespeed.com>
To: "Glenn Morton" <glennmorton@entouch.net>; <ASA@calvin.edu>
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 10:28 AM
Subject: Re: cruzan v schiavo what a difference a decade makes

> That question is more of a philosophical one than a physiological one.
> There is no question that there are opiate receptors in the still
> functioning subcortical portion of the brain. It seems likely that
> without a cortex however she is experiencing no pain. The key word being
> experiencing, and the assumption that it takes a cortex to experience
> anything. But, the morphine would have its intended physiological
> response.
>
> The use of morphine will likely make her appear peacful and comfortable.
> It is probably really more of a treatment that is making those around her
> feel better than it really is making Terri Schiavo's experience any
> different.
>
> Knowing what your opinion of this matter is, I suspect that you are
> skeptical of its use. But using morphine in this situation is completely
> routine. It is part of what are called "comfort measures". It is used
> whenever treatment is withdrawn, and the patient is dying.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Glenn Morton" <glennmorton@entouch.net>
> To: <ASA@calvin.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 9:08 AM
> Subject: RE: cruzan v schiavo what a difference a decade makes
>
>
>> Just curious. Why would they give morphine to a woman who is so brain
>> damaged as not to be capable of feeling pain? The news reports now say
>> they are giving Schiavo morphine. Is there a physiological reason for
>> this?
>>
>
>
Received on Sun Mar 27 11:55:17 2005