Patrick's Saturday Six

http://journals.aol.com/pattboy92/PatricksPlace/

1. Do you believe that Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die or that she should be kept alive?

The only way I can attempt to answer this is to try to put myself in this woman's place.  I believe she should be given the gift of death to free her from the shell in which she's been trapped for so long.  It's time for her soul to move on and time for her family members to move on with their lives.

2. Has the Schiavo case made you take any action towards creating a living will of your own?

It's brought home to me the importance of having such a document written, witnessed and stored in a safe place where immediate family knows where to find it.  I have not done this yet but it is one of my short-term goals.

3. Let's forget what we know -- or more likely, what we think we know -- about Schiavo's condition.  If you suffered a brain injury that would leave you in a non-responsive vegetative state (whether Schiavo is in this state or not) and your doctors said that there was so much brain damage that there would be no hope of recovery, would you want to be kept alive no matter what?

Should such a tragedy happen to me, I would most definitely not wish to be kept alive by any means available.  This is not living.

4. Has anyone outside of your immediate family ever asked you to be their "personal representative" to make such a decision on their behalf if they ever suffer a severe injury?  Do you think you could really make the decision?

No and I would not want to be given this responsibility to make such a decision.

5. Do you have a special outfit ready for Easter Sunday?  Does your family have any special Easter traditions?

No special outfits since the Easters of my childhood when I always had a pretty, new Easter dress.  Our tradition of having an outdoor egg hunt continues with our grandchildren but I no longer boil and dye the eggs; that pleasant task has been taken over by my daughter.

6. What room of your house is the absolute messiest?  Would you ever let a house guest see it?

Alas, my bedroom is usually the messiest.  It's my sanctuary and I never feel compelled to invite any guest in for a peek!