I'd like to buy a vowel, please...

[charliesmum]

Charlie has recently discovered the unadulterated fun that is Wheel of Fortune, a game show that has been on television since I was his age. I always get a big kick of watching him enjoy things, and this is no exception. He cheers on the contestants, groaning when they get 'bankrupt' (or 'bankgrout' as he calls it) and shouts 'big money!' when the wheel spins, which just cracks me up. So, I went to the Wheel of Fortune's web site to see if they had online game one can play, which of course they do.

It is terribly addicting. I had to tear myself away from it. Not good on a Friday - it's hard enough concentrating on work on a Friday.

What is everyone's opinion on this whole 'right to die' story? I'm torn. I personally think I'd rather be dead than brain dead - the idea of being trapped in my head like that scares me, but apparently the woman does react (albeit like a 6 month old) and can breathe on her own, so I don't know if I can be 100% basically starving the woman to death.

However, it really seems more like a power struggle between the husband and the woman's parents than concern for the woman's well being, and I'm sure the protesters on both sides of the fence aren't really taking that into consideration either. When it gets to the point of court cases and protests, I think it is a case of people wanting life to be in pure black and white, with absolutely no shades of grey anywhere.

It reminds me a bit of a story back when I was in college - this pregnant woman was in an accident, and the doctor wanted to abort the fetus because it would give the woman a better chance of recovery, and her husband said 'go ahead' but the anti-abortion people got involved and it turned into this big thing. It annoyed me (being the rightous college student I was at the time) that the basic message was that the woman wasn't important as anything other than a baby-carrying vessel, and her life should be forefit because abortion is 'wrong'. It wasn't a simple situation, so simple beliefs just didn't apply.

And I have no idea what happened at the end of that. What I mostly remember about that story is getting into an 'on-air' argument with this kid who was firmly on the Right side of the issue. It was fun.

Right. Back to work.

Oh - question to my British friends - my local DJ this morning told a story he said was in the Mirror about Val Kilmer at a resturant called Ivy. Apparently he was in the men's and the guy next to him said 'you can be my wing man any time' which I believe was from Top Gun, and Val Kilmer, instead of fixing him with a steely glare, said the next line back to him. Then, at the guy's request, Val Kilmer went up to the guy when he was back at the bar with his mates and said 'hey, Dave! Good to see you!' or similar. I thought that was just the coolest thing to do, and I was wondering if it was really reported, and if so, what the chances are of it being actually true.

Comments

[drop-and-roll.livejournal.com]

I can't find it on the Mirror website, but maybe they leave things a while after they've been in the paper before putting it up on the website so people don't just read the website instead of buying the paper.

[crossbow1.livejournal.com]

I personally think I'd rather be dead than brain dead - the idea of being trapped in my head like that scares me...

I have a living will to avoid this. I got it from my doctor. It specifies that I want all "comfort measures." Here's one you can past into Word and print...

http://www.ilrg.com/forms/livingwill.html

[slammerkinbabe.livejournal.com]

I think you're right that the whole Terri Schiavo story has become much more about a power struggle between the husband and the parents than anything else. I really don't like that she's become the poster child for the right-to-die movement, because the simple fact is that she's not comatose. There are enough shades of gray without bringing that in. I really don't know what to think about it, frankly, except to wish that the debate were centered somewhere else.

[lizzyrose89.livejournal.com]

*seconds the motion*

[fourthage.livejournal.com]

Carol (may I address you so?), if you haven't run across this link, I'd suggest taking a look.

http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/infopage.html

It's a very comprehensive rundown of the major events in the Terri Schaivo case.

Outside of the question of what the proper course of action is, I'm disgusted by all of the outside groups using the parents' hope to further their own agendas.

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

Thanks. That is interesting. It's nice to see the actual facts

Totally agree with you about the outside groups.

And yeah, you can call me Carol!

[fourthage.livejournal.com]

Oh good. It was getting weird to refer to you as Charliesmum, especially now that I think of Charlie as his own person, rather than the person you are the mum of (if that makes sense).

Anyway. Glad you found the link useful. ABC did had a segment on the Schaivo tragedy tonight and the naked political exploitation of Congress made my skin crawl. I feel especially for Terri's parents. I think they're in deep denial and I hope they can come to some sort of peace over the whole thing when it's finally over. Unfortunately, I can easily imagine them nursing this bitterly for the rest of their lives.

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

I feel especially for Terri's parents. I think they're in deep denial

I totally agree. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it would be to give up all hope like that. It is tragic, it really is.

I did just hear on the news that they have removed her feeding tube. Whatever happens next, I just hope she doesn't suffer.

[lizzyrose89.livejournal.com]

I heard that story! The reporter replied to Val's cheery greeting with something along the lines of 'Fuck off, Val, I'm busy!' and rolled his eyes at his mates. Hee!

[drakonlily.livejournal.com]

Wheel of Fortune, bringing families together.

And the right to die... I don't know. I know I've told everyone I know that I would rather be dead then something like that. If she, when she is fluid, has stated that her wish is to live at any cost, keep her alive, if shes wished expressly otherwise, I don't see anything wrong with it.