Robert Schindler Dies

Robert Schindler, the father of Terri Schindler Schiavo, whose former husband subjected her to a painful 13-day starvation and dehydration death, died overnight. Schindler, 72, had been battling health issues and he died of apparent heart failure. Bioethics watchdog Wesley J. Smith noted that "his health was broken by the ordeal of trying to save his daughter’s life and he never fully recovered from the horror of watching her dehydrate to death." LifeNews

Doctors admit euthanasia being applied in Czech hospitals

Some doctors admit that euthanasia is being applied in the Czech Republic not to prolong patients' sufferings in hopeless cases, though it is officially illegal. It is called "wild euthanasia" and it means that doctors intentionally provide the treatment that leads to the patient's death with the aim to terminate his/her suffering. Being asked at a recent meeting of the Czech Doctors' Academy whether someone is convinced that euthanasia is not applied in the Czech Republic, no doctor raised his hand. Many doctors say the rules should be specified for the cases of patients whose further medical treatment is pointless and whose death is inevitable. Ceske Noviny

Get to Know: Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan

If you are a new parent of a child with Down Syndrome or new to the West Michigan area, please contact us so that we can add you to our mailing list and you will receive our newsletter free of charge for one year. Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan

Help, Hope, and Emotional Healing for the Terminally Ill

When you have a terminal illness, it's essential to get support from friends and family — and to do things you enjoy as long as you can. Care Pages

Instant happiness? Even for people with cancer?

“Come on…” said a friend as we climbed the hill home from the café five blocks away. “Really!?” I’d just shared with her that I considered my cancer a gift. Though most people with cancer hate to be told that – we don’t want to hear what’s good about cancer because we need to know first that others recognize our pain and feel for us - we like to share the insights born of our illness with those we love. Sadly, such insights are difficult or nigh impossible to grasp if one hasn’t experienced cancer. Care Pages

Financial Management During a Medical Crisis

When your loved one has a medical crisis, the last thing you want to — or can — think about is money. Sound financial planning will give everyone peace of mind. Care Pages

Hospital Faced Deadly Choices After Katrina

The full details of what Dr. Anna Pou did in the hours and days following Hurricane Katrina, and why, may never be known. But the arguments she is making about disaster preparedness — that medical workers should be virtually immune from prosecution for good-faith work during devastating events and that lifesaving interventions, including evacuation, shouldn’t necessarily go to the sickest first — deserve closer attention. This is particularly important as health officials are now weighing, with little public discussion and insufficient scientific evidence, protocols for making the kind of agonizing decisions that will, no doubt, arise again.

The New York Times report reads chillingly like Mengele's selection techniques at Auschwitz: "In the dim light, nurses opened each chart and read the diagnoses; Pou and the nurses assigned a category to each patient. A nurse wrote '1,' '2' or '3' on a sheet of paper with a Marks-A-Lot pen and taped it to the clothing over a patient’s chest. (Other patients had numbers written on their hospital gowns.) Many of the 1’s were taken to the emergency-room ramp, where boats were arriving. The 2’s were generally placed along the corridor leading to the hole in the machine-room wall that was a shortcut to the helipad. The 3’s were moved to a corner of the second-floor lobby near an ATM and a planter filled with greenery." These are the patients allegedly given a lethal dose by Dr. Pou.

End-of-Life Advice Not Always Welcome

When deciding whether to turn off life support for a loved one, family members aren't always interested in their doctor's advice, new research shows. The finding runs counter to assumptions among critical-care providers that families making such a heart-wrenching choice would welcome a physician's impartial opinion. US News

Disability and Life Advocacy Group Warn Against Veteran’s Administration Booklet

Members of the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation are speaking out against the republication of a 1997 booklet produced by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs titled Your Life, Your Choices. The Foundation has taken issue with the language of the booklet for its treatment of legal and medical decision-making issues, which it finds to be private matters between patient, physician and family. “[T]he language used in Your Life, Your Choices is encouraging individuals to make life and death decisions based on a ‘quality of life’ judgment and not the Constitutionally supported position that the value of all citizens is equal and each has a right to live.” Terri's Fight

How’s Your MS Today?

The multiple sclerosis community at Everyday Health is growing like crazy! I’d like to introduce our “newbies” to our monthly posting which gives you a chance to check in with the rest of us. “How’s Your MS Today” has been going on for a number of years now. It’s our chance to take a look back at the previous month and see how/if our MS has been changing. Many find it helpful to glance back at their comments over the past 6-12 months before heading in for a neuro appointment; I know I do!

Sisters Face Death With Dignity and Reverence

A convent is a world apart, unduplicable. But the Sisters of St. Joseph animate many factors that studies say contribute to successful aging and a gentle death — none of which require this special setting. These include a large social network, intellectual stimulation, continued engagement in life and spiritual beliefs, as well as health care guided by the less-is-more principles of palliative and hospice care — trends that are moving from the fringes to the mainstream. “We approach our living and our dying in the same way, with discernment,” said Sister Mary Lou Mitchell, the congregation president. “Maybe this is one of the messages we can send to society, by modeling it.” NY Times

Alzheimer's Disease Basics

. . . from Everyday Health

I am finally scared of a White House administration

I was not intimidated during J. Edgar Hoover's FBI hunt for reporters like me who criticized him. I railed against the Bush-Cheney war on the Bill of Rights without blinking. But now I am finally scared of a White House administration. President Obama's desired health care reform intends that a federal board (similar to the British model) — as in the Center for Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation in a current Democratic bill — decides whether your quality of life, regardless of your political party, merits government-controlled funds to keep you alive. Watch for that life-decider in the final bill. It's already in the stimulus bill signed into law. Nat Hentoff

Dublin hosts international Down Syndrome event

Adults with Down Syndrome from across the globe are meeting in Dublin today to discuss the issues that affect their lives. The gathering is the first-ever International Synod of People with Down Syndrome. Around 100 people with Down Syndrome will discuss what it means to have a disability, along with issues like employment and independent living. Independent

Right-to-die teenager now says 'I want to live'

A critically ill Herefordshire teenager who won the right to die changed her mind and is now “feeling brilliant” after a heart transplant. Hannah Jones’ father Andrew revealed that the 14-year-old leaukaemia and cardiomyopathy patient changed her mind because she was “enjoying her life” and wanted more of it. Birmingham Post

Lies We are Told about Multiple Sclerosis

Many of us were diagnosed years ago and, let’s face it, medical science has come a long way in understanding our disease. Some of the things we were told then may have been current thinking (think “pain is not a symptom of MS”). Some of what we were told, however, is simply not true. Everyday Health

LIFT Caregiver Summit registration information

Download the LIFT Caregiver Summit brochure to get full workshop and speaker information, as well as all the details for registration for the October 24 event.

What is LIFT? PowerPoint available

The What is LIFT? PowerPoint (PDF version) is available for download. You can use it in your church, Sunday school, or just to familiarize yourself with this respite program of Baptists for Life. If you'd prefer the full PPT file (which comes with slide transitions, animations, and notes), email us.

Oregon's assisted suicide law blamed on poor care

The fact that a US state with inadequate end-of-life care and low patient trust allows assisted suicide is no basis for changing the UK law, a doctor has warned. Since 1997 physician assisted suicide has been legal in Oregon for terminally ill patients. Assisted suicide lobbyists have called for a similar system to be adopted in the UK. But palliative care specialist Dr David Jeffrey says the law there is seen as a “safety net” by “a society which has little trust in its doctors’ ability to provide effective end-of-life care.” Many patients in Oregon are excluded from the kinds of palliative treatment available in the UK, argues Dr Jeffrey in an article featured in this month’s issue of Evangelicals Now. Christian Institute, Evangelicals Now

Living with a terminal illness

Five people with terminal illnesses movingly discuss what it really means to die: the despair, anger, hope – even humor. Times Online

Quadriplegic man wins legal right to to starve himself to death

A court has granted the suicidal wish of 49- year-old Mr Christian Rossiter, who said he wanted to die by not eating or drinking. Once an active sportsman who enjoyed rock climbing, former stockbroker Mr Rossiter told the Supreme Court of West Australia that his condition meant he could not even blow his nose or 'wipe the tears from my eyes.' Asking the court to be given permission to have all nutrition stopped at the nursing home where he is being cared for, he said his last wish would be for painkillers to make him drowsy and to be watching TV 'to make the time pass' before he died. Daily Mail

Pet Therapy and Depression

Can owning a cat, dog, or other pet help you cope with the blues? Pet therapy, also known as animal-assisted therapy, is recognized by the National Institute of Mental Health as a type of psychotherapy for treating depression and other mood disorders. Being around pets appears to feed the soul, promoting a sense of emotional connectedness and overall well-being. Learn what research is saying about the role of companion animals in helping people cope with depression. Everyday Health

Emanuel's Brother Becomes a Target

Ezekiel Emanuel, a top health-care adviser to President Barack Obama and older brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, is emerging as a target of conservatives critical of Democrats' health-care effort. Dr. Emanuel, a prominent oncologist and medical ethicist who has taught at Harvard Medical School and served at the National Institutes of Health, has written dozens of scholarly articles over the years. Critics are using his writings to suggest Dr. Emanuel favors withholding care from the elderly and disabled. Wall Street Journal

Care burden 'makes patients ill'

Some chronically ill patients are so overburdened by treatment that it makes their health worse, according to a new study in the British Medical Journal. BBC News

The alternative to euthanasia?

Polls suggest that while a majority of the public [UK] would support a change in the law to allow assisted dying, most doctors are against it. But there is evidence that some clinicians may already be using continuous deep sedation, as a form of "slow euthanasia." Research suggests use of CDS in Britain is particularly high - accounting for about one in six of all deaths. BBC News

Suicide, euthanasia link seen as `ironic'

Catholic Church leaders have told a parliamentary committee it was "ironic" that Tasmania was on one hand trying to deal with a rising suicide rate and on the other considering the legalisation of euthanasia. Examiner

Alzheimer's Caregiving: Avoiding Burnout

Alzheimer's disease doesn't just affect the patient. The physical and emotional tolls of having a loved one with Alzheimer's disease are particularly difficult when you are a caregiver. Learn what you can do to care for yourself while providing Alzheimer's care. Everyday Health

What lies beneath

The debate — OK, the shouting match — we are having over "health-care reform" is about many things, including cost, who gets help and who does not and who, or what, gets to make that determination. Underlying it all is a larger question: Is human life something special? . . . The bottom line is not the bottom line. It is something far more profound. Our decisions regarding who will get help and who won't are about more than bean-counting bureaucrats deciding if your drugs or operation will cost more than you are contributing to the U.S. Treasury. Cal Thomas

10 Reasons Rationing Is In The Health Care Overhaul

Family Research Council

Reform oversteps on end-of-life issues

Section 1233 [of the health reform package now before Congress] goes beyond facilitating doctor input [about end-of-life planning] to preferring it. Indeed, the measure would have an interested party -- the government -- recruit doctors to sell the elderly on living wills, hospice care and their associated providers, professions and organizations. You don't have to be a right-wing wacko to question that approach. Washington Post

Bring Youth Back Into Your Life

When's the last time you doodled with a crayon or dipped an Oreo in a glass of milk? According to chronic pain blogger Sue Falkner-Wood, taking part in some of these simple childhood pleasures can help ease your pain. Everyday Health

Blacks Never -- and Minorities Rarely -- Use Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law

Since Oregon enacted its first-in-the-nation law to allow assisted suicides, 401 people have used the law to take their lives with the help of a physician. Yet, of those deaths, 391 involved white people. None involved African-Americans, just seven people were Asian, two Hispanic and one Native American. A new article in the Journal of Clinical Ethics examines why and finds that 80 percent of terminally ill patients never consider assisted suicide. Patricia King, a law professor at Georgetown University who has written about blacks and assisted suicide, explains that historic African-American values may be at odds with the practice. A combination of distrust of the health care system and pro-life values coming from strong religious views may play a part. LifeNews

Study of those who don't use assisted suicide law

A new study by two Oregon doctors concludes that the vast majority of dying Oregonians are either not interested in or medically ineligible to participate in Oregon's doctor-assisted suicide option. From 1998 through 2007, about 296,000 Oregonians died of all causes. About 99,000 died of the same diseases as afflicted the 341 people who ended their lives with a legally prescribed overdose. "This is a very small number at the end of life," said Dr. Katrina Hedberg, lead author and interim state epidemiologist. "It's not surprising. It takes a pretty assertive individual." Seattle Post-Intelligencer

When Insomnia Strikes

Insomnia is a common problem for patients with cancer, whether due to pain, medication side effects, or even depression. Find out how Everyday Health blogger Jennifer Way copes with restless nights.

Terri Schiavo's death not peaceful

In Terri's last days, while Michael Schiavo's attorney was telling reporters he'd never seen Terri so "beautiful," the Schindler siblings were begging their mother not to visit her daughter, whose starvation had ravaged her body almost beyond recognition. Lutheran Reporter

I'm proof you should never give up on life

During Terry Waite's four long years of captivity as a hostage in Beirut, the flame of hope sometimes burned low. "Towards the end of my imprisonment, however, I was faced with my greatest trial. . . . I developed a severe lung infection. . . . My lungs were full of fluid. And what made my predicament even worse was the feeling that I was being a terrible burden to my fellow hostages, that my agonised breathing was a torment for them. I have to confess that in this bleakest moment of despair, I did think that death might be preferable to the life I was enduring. But then the power of the human spirit prevailed - and I fought back against my morbid, negative thoughts. Gradually, my health recovered - and I began the climb out of my pit of gloom. I am enormously grateful that I never gave up and surrendered to that fatal impulse." Daily Mail

A grief conserved

Perinatal hospice offers an alternative to the trauma of aborting a disabled child. World

The One Who Smiles A Lot

Twenty five years or so ago, as a family physician in a Christian mission practice in London, I used to help out at a monthly afternoon clinic with the now dated and politically incorrect name: “Handicapped Fellowship.” Patients with various physical and mental disabilities would be transported in by church members to receive health care, and would then enjoy a British afternoon tea, some entertainment, and a spiritual message. It was there that I met two sisters. CBHD

Obama Rationalizes Rationing in Health Care

Barbara Wagner, a Springfield, Oregon woman’s doctor hoped a new chemotherapy drug would help her but the Oregon Health Plan sent her a letter telling her they would not pay for the treatment, but would pay for assisted suicide. And she's not the only one to get a letter. The Cloakroom

Easy Recipes for Caregivers

These fast, healthy recipes are perfect for busy caregivers. Check out these recipes for every meal. Everyday Health

What Foods Should Be Avoided During Chemo?

Q: Are there any foods that should be avoided during chemotherapy? And if so, why? Are there any foods I should eat more of? Everyday Health

Get to Know . . .

The Alzheimer's Caregiver Center.

Alzheimer's Caregiving: Avoiding Burnout

Alzheimer's disease doesn't just affect the patient. The physical and emotional tolls of having a loved one with Alzheimer's disease are particularly difficult when you are a caregiver. Learn what you can do to care for yourself while providing Alzheimer's care. Everyday Health

Alzheimer's Caregiving: Home Safety

It is extremely important that a caregiver for an Alzheimer's patient recognize dangers in the home and make necessary adjustments. Everyday Health

Why preserve a life with no meaning?

Linda and I were/are both religious people. We took God and the sanctity of life really seriously. We are part of a religious tradition that is strict about the sanctity of life but also compassionate. It never occurred to either of us that what Linda wanted was wrong, unethical or irreligious. What kind of God would want life to be prolonged beyond the point of endurance and meaning? Times Online

Editor: This begs the question about what is a meaningful life? He goes on to say, "to hasten death when life is not life is an act of compassion," but doesn't explain how life can not be life.

Caregiving and Medical Emergencies

Caregiving for someone who is seriously or chronically ill is a daunting task, and an emergency can be frightening. Taking steps in advance will help you handle a crisis, should one occur. Care Pages

Faith, Religion, and Spirituality When Someone Is Ill

Discussing religion or spirituality with someone who is seriously ill can be tricky. You have to first make sure they are open to the topic. Care Pages

Active Listening: A Skill for Life

Learn how to become an “active listener.” When someone you care for is in crisis, your listening skills can make a big difference. Care Pages

Get to Know: The Well Spouse Association

The Well Spouse Association advocates for and addresses the needs of individuals caring for a chronically ill and/or disabled spouse/partner. We offer peer to peer support and educate health care professionals and the general public about the special challenges and unique issues "well" spouses face every day.

What’s “Normal” When It Comes to Mourning?

We each experience the loss of a loved one differently. Learn the depth of mourning and when you should consider seeking help to deal with your grief. Care Pages

The Invisible Spousal Caregiver

Research has shown that of all family caregivers, the husband, wife or partner of a person with chronic illness or disability takes the longest to recognize that he/she is a family, or in this case, a spousal caregiver. Furthermore, men take longer than women to see that they have, usually unwittingly, signed on for this special role. That is one aspect of the “invisible” spousal caregiver. Moreover, if they can’t see themselves as being in that role, how can they also see that there is a need for support and respite for spousal caregivers? Care Pages

Christmas in August: a healing gift of love and hope

The other day when I found a letter in my bureau drawer that my friend, Nicole, sent to me a few Christmases ago. She did not actually write the eloquent letter of love and wise exhortations – Fra Giovanni Giocando did, in 1513 A.D. But Nicole keyed it into her computer, printed it out and penned at the top, in green ink, “For Lori,” and at the bottom, “Love, Nicole.” The words moved me so much that I want to share them with you. Consider it a gift of Christmas in [August]. Care Pages

Does availability of euthanasia hinder palliative care?

End of life decisions that shorten life, including euthanasia or physician assisted suicide, are not related to a lower use of palliative care in Belgium and often occur within the context of multidisciplinary care. BMJ, response

More palliative care, not assisted suicide

The Northampton-based Motor Neurone Disease Association has called on the Government to invest in palliative care after a landmark Law Lords ruling on Debbie Purdy. Northampton Chronicle

‘Changing law on assisted suicides has real dangers’

Retired minister and multiple sclerosis sufferer Campbell Wilson is convinced there should be no change in the assisted suicide laws despite the landmark victory by fellow MS patient Debbie Purdy from Bradford. Belfast Telegraph

The Dignitas experience: 'It was all a bit scruffy, but it didn't seem to matter'

Then we went off to the famous flat in Zurich, which was an ordinary modern block. It was a very nondescript looking place. Some chap who worked for Dignitas introduced himself. They're continually asking the whole time if you want to go through with it, saying it's fine if you want to pull out, even right to the end, when they're mixing up the poison. But no, she was absolutely determined to do it. It wasn't soft lights and soft music, it was all a bit scruffy in a way, but it didn't seem to matter. I can't remember quite what we said to each other in those last minutes, something like, 'Good luck, have a good trip,' or, 'Thank you for the happy times we've had.' Guardian

Assisted suicide: what is the law?

Debbie Purdy has won a landmark court battle campaigners fear could lead to more people ending their lives in foreign "suicide clinics." But what does British law currently say? Telegraph