Englishman Leslie Burke's back in the news. He went to court again in his continuing bid to make certain that doctors won't starve and dehydrate him to death as his neurological disease progresses:
"They tell me I'm a legally competent person to refuse (life support), but I'm not legally competent to make the decision that I don't want the end of my life to be hastened," Burke said. "I find that contradiction very hard to understand."
(Via FR.)
He'd won his case earlier, but doctors had appealed.
Posted by floridacracker at June 1, 2005 06:58 AMMaybe Burke should move to a place beyond the clutches of these doctors dead-set upon reserving god-like legal power over him.
And definitely if he loses on this case.
Might want to steer clear of Florida, though, sad to say.
Posted by: erik at June 1, 2005 09:40 PMPoor guy. The whole thing is surreal.
Posted by: Donnah at June 1, 2005 11:55 PMWell, the thing is that it's much cheaper for him to die. The English medical system takes the position that he's competent enough to make a cheap decision, but not the expensive and inconvenient one to live.
It's all in the viewpoint, and the medical profession's viewpoint is solidly grounded in the general ledger. I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for a lot of them. There are inquiries pending in which a number of older people have been alleged to have been starved to death. Apparently when the old geezers get really disgusting, they just stop feeding them over there.
Frankly, I think every Brit should be worried. And we should start worrying right now, right here.
Posted by: MaxedOutMama at June 2, 2005 03:38 AMI'm definitely worried. How ludicrous is it that a sane, intelligent man has to go to court to try to wring some promise out of doctors that they won't cut off his food and water? It's barbarism in scrubs.
Posted by: Donnah at June 2, 2005 11:32 PM