Changes

was a [[coma]] victim whose plight came to national attention during the [[Bush Administration]]. The legal issues split the country as much as the [[abortion|abortion issue]].

was a [[coma]] victim whose plight came to national attention during the [[Bush Administration]]. The legal issues split the country as much as the [[abortion|abortion issue]].

While on a weight-loss diet, Schiavo consumed too little potassium. On February 25, 1990, Schiavo suffered a cardiac arrest, possibly due to an undiagnosed weight-loss related potassium deficiency. By the time paramedics arrived, Mrs. Schiavo's heart had not pumped for around 10 minutes, doctors found.<ref>With His Wife in Limbo, Husband Can't Move, N.Y. Times, Nov. 2, 2003 §1, at 18.</ref> The lack of blood flow to the brain resulted in a condition diagnosed as a [[persistent vegetative state]]. Her husband and her parents became locked in a lengthy legal battle over whether to keep her alive. Florida Governor [[Jeb Bush]] and his brother [[President Bush]] sided with the parents, who believed their daughter was responsive. Despite a special law passed to prevent her death, the courts finally upheld the Guardianship Court's authorization of Michael Schiavo's decision to terminate her life support on March 18, 2005, and she died of dehydration within two weeks.

While on a weight-loss diet without the advice of a nutritionist, Schiavo consumed too little potassium. On February 25, 1990, Schiavo suffered a cardiac arrest, possibly due to an undiagnosed weight-loss related potassium deficiency. By the time paramedics arrived, Mrs. Schiavo's heart had not pumped for around 10 minutes, doctors found.<ref>With His Wife in Limbo, Husband Can't Move, N.Y. Times, Nov. 2, 2003 §1, at 18.</ref> The lack of blood flow to the brain resulted in a condition diagnosed as a [[persistent vegetative state]]. Her husband and her parents became locked in a lengthy legal battle over whether to keep her alive. Florida Governor [[Jeb Bush]] and his brother [[President Bush]] sided with the parents, who believed their daughter was responsive. Despite a special law passed to prevent her death, the courts finally upheld the Guardianship Court's authorization of Michael Schiavo's decision to terminate her life support on March 18, 2005, and she died of dehydration within two weeks.

This story has implications on designing a stable society, in particular, on the nature of how [[marriage]] is handled. The question is: does the spouse become the primary next of kin or not? If not, then perhaps every time a spouse becomes incapacitated, the ensuing power struggle becomes a chaotic family feud, as it did in this case. The parents could not recognize the importance of the design of a stable society, and opted instead to use their political influence to effect a very polarizing and pointless seven-year delay in carrying the Michael's decision. In this emotion-laden case, [[Thomas Jefferson]] might rise above the fray and view Michael as the victim and for Terri to have simply been subject to her own incompetence.

This story has implications on designing a stable society, in particular, on the nature of how [[marriage]] is handled. The question is: does the spouse become the primary next of kin or not? If not, then perhaps every time a spouse becomes incapacitated, the ensuing power struggle becomes a chaotic family feud, as it did in this case. The parents could not recognize the importance of the design of a stable society, and opted instead to use their political influence to effect a very polarizing and pointless seven-year delay in carrying the Michael's decision. In this emotion-laden case, [[Thomas Jefferson]] might rise above the fray and view Michael as the victim and for Terri to have simply been subject to her own incompetence.