[mrnoodle]

The parents say they see signs of a response from Terri despite doctors' claims that she's not capable. I used to think they were just grief-stricken or delusional, but last night I watched a special on people who have woken from anesthesia during surgery. The paralyzing component of the drug cocktail was working, but not the knock-you-out part. The doctors had no idea any of this was going on.

I assume they're monitoring Terri's brain function and not just going by visual signals, but that show gave me pause.

Here's another facet to the argument, though. If she does come out of her coma, what will her psychological condition be? If she has had some kind of awareness, but was unable to communicate, she's likely to be a basket case. The women on the show who endured the pain of surgery for a few hours were all changed forever. Some were suicidal, all were depressive, and all said that they had been fundamentally changed, never to return to their prior state. Imagine years of it. I think unless she were somehow able to wake up with complete amnesia of the past 15 years, she would prefer starvation.

I feel for the husband. I'm all for standing by your (wo)man, but that's some pressure. I don't think he should have a say anymore, though. He's moved on, and no longer has the emotional stake in this situation that the parents have. Tell him he can have the plug pulled but only if the money goes to the parents, and see what his reaction is.