[Claire]

I woke up to the newspaper reports of all the political crap going on in this case, and I'm sickened by it all.

I feel the Republicans jumping in and supporting Jeb. Bush's (unconstitutional) Terri's Law and the Congressional crap they are pulling is just to show a united party front. It seems that every Republican who wants to be in the White House has something to say about it this weekend (or they're covering their asses.....DeLay anyone?). I'm tired of this crap.

And I'm tired of the wussy ass Democrats not saying anything about it. Except Waxman and Blumenauer, no one has the balls to step up and call the Republicans on their arsiness.

Sorry. I've been irritated by this for so long.....years.

I'm married. I'd want my husband to make the decisions in this case.

Also, if I was a beautiful, vibrant young woman of 25 or 26 and I had a heart attack and subsequent brain damage due to my chemical imbalance (induced by my eating disorder), I'd want to just be allowed to die. The "fact" that she'd said she'd not want to be kept alive on a machine doesn't surprise me in the least.

I knew my mind on this topic by the time I was 19 or 20, and I haven't changed it. The fact that I've long said that I wouldn't want to be kept alive on a machine to my husband, but never to my parents concerns me. It shouldn't. Damn straight I'll now be doing something to make sure my family.....all my family does not go through something like this. I'm just sick about this. Ugh.

Don't get me wrong....I'm not a big fan of the husband or anything. I've put myself in Terri's spot forever. It's always from her point-of-view that I've held my beliefs. I feel so horrible for everyone involved. Her death will be a horrible one. But long overdue. It's just horrible.

I've seen the videos of Terri and as a special education teacher of kids with severe disabilities I have taught students (many) that are in similar physical and medical condition as Terri. I've had many a discussion with lay people (read: my friends and family that are not special ed teachers or in the medical field) and I always support the families of these students. I've unfortunately seen a few parents who did not actually have the needs of their children in the forefront of their minds (severe Munchausen's moms--scariest women ever).

I want those extremely dedicated parents (or sometimes their court-appointed advocates, and sometimes even the State--many medically fragile kids are wards of the State) to have the say-so in their children's educational and medical situations. Their dedication is amazing and overwhelming. They make me feel fortunate for the life I live and the health of my children.

But their children are children and they are un-married. Terri Schiavo has a husband, and he says that she said she wouldn't want to be kept alive on a machine. And give who she was and the type of person she seemed to be, I have never disbelieved him.

I hate how horrible her death will be. It's disgusting. But the fact that there is no other course of action in this case is something that should be addressed. To my core, I believe that government should not be involved in this case or any similar case. I feel like it's a slippery slope for right-to-die and physician-assisted suicide cases, yes, in a way, abortion (it's no shock that Right-to-Lifers are flocking to Florida right now). Where will we be if we allow the government to step in in these personal family matters on a Federal level?