Stomach Cancer Support

Question: do people with cancer go on life support? yerrr...epically ppl with stomach cancer.

Answer: They would go on life support unless they signed paperwork stating they did not want this. It is the patient or their next of kin that determines this not the disease.

Question: What are some good supporting prayers for someone who is dieing of cancer? My grandpa has limphoma (stomach cancer) and i am looking for some good supporting bible verses from the NIV of the bible. Any help?

Answer: You are very sweet to do this and I'm sure whatever you do will be appreciated. When my Mom was failing before she died I would say lyrics of hymns to her....like "Beautiful Savior" or "Amazing Grace"....or one song we liked was "you are my sunshine" not a religious song but something she sang to me when I was a child. The words to " Jesus loves me" will always be a song that has comforted me many times. Anything that means something to him or to you would be comforting for him to hear. What kind of music does he like? Think about his life and what is important to him...that should guide your decisions what to read to him. There is also the book of Psalms that have comforting words for all times.

Question: i need your help... stomach cancer? i just got hit with overwhelming news about my boyfriend. he has the next stage down from stomach cancer. i am a person that has Very little knowledge about cancer. well you help me out and explain this to me? he says it means that he can have full blown cancer by his 18th bday. and also what can i do to Support him... his fam doesn't have much money ether so i can see that being an issue. thanks and im trying to be Strong... but its hard! i love him! and i don't want to lose him

Answer: I’m not sure what you mean by the next stage down from stomach cancer. What exactly is his diagnosis? It is VERY unusual and rare for someone his age to have stomach cancer. What did the doctor recommend? Since it was discovered at this point there is no reason tor it to progress to cancer.

Question: Cancer support question - boyfriend's father? My boyfriend's father has cancer. He has just had some tests and has multiple tumors in his stomach and lesions on his lungs, etc. Basically, the outlook is awful. He was given 2 months to live by the doctors. I'm trying to be there for my boyfriend, he lives far away, so I can't be there physically, but I'm trying to be as supportive as I can....I am available for him 24/7 to chat, but I'm wondering if anyone else has ideas of what I can do to be supportive. I've never lost anyone close to me, and I've never been a support for someone who's lost someone, so I'm not 100% sure what to do. Mostly I've been letting him speak his mind and telling him I love him, but a lot of the time I feel like I don't know what to say. I love him tons and want to help him get through this rough time. Any ideas? How have you helped a loved one go through losing a family member?

Answer: Hi. It sounds to me like you are doing exactly what you need to do. There's no magic words for this, so a lot of it is instinct and yours sounds spot on. I lost my Mom when I was young, and the people I appreciated the most weren't the ones trying to find the right thing to say. It was the ones who were there to listen. You might try to find a nice card (minus sappy weird messages) and just reiterate to him that you can't understand what he's going through (very important!), but you're there for him - you just need to take your cues from him because you don't know what to say. And that if there's anything you can do for him, of course you'll be there.

Question: Stomach Cancer, H. pylori, contagious? My husband, just 31 years old was just dignosed with Stomach Cancer, H. Pylori related. He will be going thru more tests next week so we don't know too much about it right now. But in the meantime, I was just wondering since H.Pylori is an infection and I believe is contagious. Should I and his family get tested for H.Pylori as well? I am very much in shock over this but my mother has Lymphorma over a year and I know I have to be strong to support her and him to get thru this. If anyone could recommend any good internet forum to meet people in the same situation, let me know! (there may be so many to choose from....) Thank you so much.

Answer: H. pylori is part of the normal flora of the stomach (in a lot of people). The research I've read has linked the lack of H. pylori to cancer, and its presence to stomach ulcers. But there is some research linking its presence to cancer. But it's not contagious and there's a good probability that you have it inside of you already.

Question: What immediate nutrition support method and specialty products would be recommended? A 43 yr old Chines-Filipino had recent partial gastrectomy. She has history of type 2 diabetes for 2 yrs and cancer of the stomach. She is 75% of her usual weight, which is 125lbs, she is 5 feet 5 inches tall.

Answer: My husband just succumbed to cancer recently. We tried many things but the thing that worked the best is a product called StemEnhance. It is, basically, adult stem cells and they accomplish the same things as a baby's stem cells would. Stem cells can become any cell in the body. If there is a bad section of the body, these stem cells will go straight to them and start to grow healthy cells. I would ask a doctor before trying them as I don't know what they would do with diabetes. Hope that this answered your ?

Question: Is there any evidence that regular consumption of chilli peppers or chilli sauce is bad for you? I have chilli sauce with most meals and I love it - the hotter the better. I never experience any ill effects, but my other half says it might be damaging me inside, and could cause stomach ulcers or even bowel cancer. Is there any evidence to support this?

Answer: I herd it makes one lose weigh because of the higher blood flow.

Question: I just found out my mom has cancer...again? when my sisters and i were kids, me eing about 4ish i remember being in the hospital with her, she had cancer in her stomach. she did chemo and radiation both and beat it. Here we are about 20 years later and she noticed a tumor in her throat, its cancer. Doctors dont know much than that yet as far as what kind it is and if its spread etc. my mom doesnt want chemo or radiation and feels like since us kids are grown up she shouldnt go through with it. If she were to get treatment and it radiated the cancer completely, how many years would she have left? Based just on cancer and no other health risks. All i can find online is about 81% of people have a minimum of 5 years. That doesnt sound like good odds that she will live for long even if she did get the treatments. Its her choice and im not going to pressure her and guilt her into getting treatment if shes ready to move on from her human form but i could really use some advice. my mom and my sisters have a lot of issues from childhood and we arent close at all but shes still my mom and i dont want her to die. i could use some support or advice please I just have to add, thanks for the support but please do not throw your god into the mix, we are very against religion in all forms although i get you are trying to be helpful, it really isnt. We are spiritual, and for the guy saying im creepy for being ok with her moving on from her human form how is that creepy? The human body may die but our inner being never will. I appreciate the support and prayers i may not believe in religion but for the positive energy you send our way in your prayers i thank you.

Answer: God does let people die of cancer, and many have had lots of people that have been praying for them to live. So, I would not depend upon prayer as the only means of trying to save your mom from dying of the disease. Don't you think that all the children that have died of cancer have had many family members and members of church's praying for them but they still die. God may listen to prayer but he allows cancer to take lives, otherwise it would not be the number two killer in the USA. 80-85% is the odds my wife has of surviving the breast cancer she just had. Funny, how I thought they were pretty good odds. Sure, they are not perfect, but I pray that she will see those odds pay in a huge Jackpot for me and beat cancer. Treatment is harsh, it is very hard on a person, but tell her things have changed over twenty years ago. They have medicines that can eliminate sickness and modern techniques are present that did not exist when your mom had her treatment. You see how horrible treatment is though, because your mom would rather take her chances then go through it. It is a personal choice. Dying from cancer is a hard death and a slow one. It would give her time to get what she needs in order and give all family members the chance to make peace with one another. Even though it was tough, my wife would go through treatments again to survive. A co-worker of mine has a wife that has stage IV colon cancer. This has been going on for the last seven years. The cancer has spread to her lungs, and is now back in her colon and she has suffered through the toughest treatments you can imagine. Why? She has a daughter that just graduated from college that she wanted to see get her get that degree, another daughter will marry in September. Her husband says that she has chemo-brain to the extreme, has suffered many burns due to radiation and she has self-injecting chemotherapy drugs that are attached to her body. Life makes one endure cancer treatment. Looks like your mom needs to find a reason to live. Are any grandchildren on the way that she would like to be around to see grow up? I am just sorry for you and the other members of your family. Again 81% survival rates for another five years sounds great to me. We went through cancer treatment with about those odds. It was harsh but worth it. Wishing you the best! dave

Question: Anal Bleeding, finding it hard to defecate, feeling bloated, slight stomach ache, tiredness? So for a few weeks now I've felt a little tired, nothing to bad, I go to bed around 11pm and wake up at 8am but I feel a little sluggish at times particularly when it gets past 8pm. My usual poo habits are 3-4 times a day, I also sometimes experience itching and very occasionally I get some very light and very small flecks of blood on the paper from over wiping. So around 6 days ago I went to the toilet expecting to go as usual. Which I did. There was a little forcing but there generally is for me. When I came to wipe though, the toilet paper had blood on it. I'd compare it to a small nose bleed, where it soaks through the paper to make it look more than it is but nevertheless I'd still say it was significant. The blood was fresh and red, but it didn't seem to be coming from deep inside. After this happened I found it very difficult to go to the toilet for 4-5 days after. I did manage to go everyday but usually it would be a very soft load in the morning (brown with a yellow tinge my normal poos colour) and then later in the day it would bind together better but looked small and slightly flat. the problem was I never felt finished and by the end of the day I felt like I needed to go but couldn't/ So on the 4th day I went to the doctors because after reading on the internet I'd become highly paranoid about cancer and was feeling scared. I'd also been waking up around 6am possibly due to worry. The doctor told me that it was probably an anal fissure and that I shouldn't worry, explaining my solid(er) poo was possibly small because the fissure was trying to heal and making my anus constrict and ache. She gave me some cream for the itching and told me to apply it 3 times a day for a week. If my symptoms persisted she said I should return. She only based this from what I had said though and didn't examine me. She barely let me explain anything about being tired or bloated either. That night I found it very difficult to eat my usual amount of tea/dinner and the next morning during my second attempt to go to the toilet I bleed again, although this time not as bad. Out of worry though I decided to go to the accident & emergency department of my hospital. The nurse took note of my symptoms and said that because the blood was red it was fresh and therefore there was nothing to overly worry about and that my doctor was probably right. I mentioned my tiredness and she just said I would probably feel a little tired. To ease my mind though she got a doctor to check me out. He seemed to support both the nurse and my doctors suggestion simply saying that it is was very unlikely to be cancer or anything else and that usually this sort of thing is just a tear (anal fissure). He then said that he'd just examine me to check for blood. So he quickly poked his finger in and out without really checking for anything at all and told me that no blood was present upon his inspection. The initial force of his finger was painful and so he apologized. I mentioned feeling bloated/not being able to eat quite as much and he said the two things were unrelated. the last thing he said was that if it continues go back to my doctor and he/she would refer me to a specialist to have a camera inspection. Once I got home I started to have hot and cold spells, mainly cold spells and shivers with a bit of stomach ache around the middle of the abdomen. I could barely eat my sandwich at lunch but my tea/dinner seemed go down with more ease. The next day (today) I woke up early again and went to the toilet with more ease and frequency. It seemed a good size and the normal colour but still didn't bind together. The next one was similar in size but binded together better yet it still seemed short and a little flat. I then went again with more ease shortly after, this time it seemed liked diarrhea and was small in quantity. I haven't been since. We had an early tea today, around lunch time and again I struggled to get though my usual amount, not by much but I had to work at it. My bloated feeling and slight stomach ache that I'd developed over the last 2 days had also eased quite a lot until I had eaten, but after the bloated feeling returned as did the stomach ache (although it wasn't any where near as bad). I don't feel bloated now but I still have a slight stomach ache, my hot and cold spells have eased although they are still happening slightly (mainly fingers and toes) and I feel like a need to go to the toilet a little but nothing happens. I'm scared that the doctors are missing something and it might be serious even though they've told me not to worry. I know I may have caused my own worry by reading online articles but I can't help it I'm just freaked out by the whole thing. Any Suggestions? I forgot to mention that I occasionally seem to be having a slight mucus coming from my bum as I wipe. Also, since this started I've seemed to burp/fart a little more than usual. Particularly burping.

Answer: This sounds like fissure or piles.I have the same problem since I was 18.Now I am 48.As the doctor said ,fresh blood rules out cancers. Don't worry too much about the Colour and texture.It is better for the fissures to heal faster if the stools are a little loose.When you worry too much about something,your mind conjures up a lot of exaggeration into the symptoms.Just relax,apply the cream and eat fruits to loosen up your poos for at least 1 week to let the fissures to heal.

Question: End of life cancer??Hospice nurses I need your advice? My aunt has been going through treatment for her breast cancer since May, it is metastisized.She first was diagnosed back in 2004 then it recurred this May. Her doctor took her off all her medication about a month ago, chemo and all, she is only taking medicine for pain. She was only able to be placed in a inpatient facility needing 24 hr assistance as well as is on hospice. She has been daily seeming to decline. She started oxygen Saturday but every day it seems the need for oxygen goes up a half a liter a day, her arms are very swollen as well as her stomach. What are other things to kind of look out for because this all is becoming a bit scary being one of her primary care givers and never seen her this way ever. I'd rather be prepared and be able to support her. Haven't been able to really talk to a doctor and the nurses seem to not really explain everything well. Thank you.

Answer: If your aunt is on hospice, then it is the hospice team's responsibility to care for the family as well as the patient. If you are not getting adequate answers from the nurses, then ask to speak with the team manager. While no person ever dies exactly the same way, there is a timetable that most dying patients seem to follow: 1 to 3 months prior to death: The patient knows they are dying and begins to withdraw from the world around them. She may be less interested in visitors or her favorite TV show. She may sleep more and eat less. 1 to 2 weeks prior to death: The patient is sleeping most of the time. They may seem to be talking to people who aren't there about things that make no sense to you. She may be reliving memories and talking to people long dead. She may become agitated and pick at her clothes or wave them aimlessly. Her blood pressure may lower and heart may race at times and slow to almost nothing at times. She may have a fever one minute and feel cold the next. Her skin may feel cold and clammy. Her breathing may speed up and become labored or slow and shallow. She may get congested when she becomes so weak she can no longer swallow her own spit. 1 to 2 hours prior to death: She may get a sudden burst of energy and even eat or drink when she hasn't wanted to for days. The 1 to 2 weeks symptoms may become more intense and her congestion may get quite loud. Her eyes may be open but do not appear to see. The journey is over when the patient stops breathing and moves on to the next world and out of ours. PS Rather than increasing her oxygen, they might want to increase her narcotic pain medication which will help to reduce her air hunger and allow her to rest more peacefully in greater comfort. I hope this helps and I hope that things will go well with you and your family.

Question: can i still get into loyola university at chicago? my aunt had stomach cancer during my soph-junior year in high school..my mom went to see her/ support her 11-year-old daughter after her death..at the same time my fam was also facing financial hardships and since my mother stopped working for an extended period of time, i began working to support my family..i tried to keep up with school but i had a tough job, worked after school and on weekends and unfortunately my gpa is about 2.7..it's like a low b..but still... i got a 22 on the act..retook it on october and got a 24.. i really, really really wanna go to loyola chicago ( i live in chicago) ..i've quit my job and my grades are boosting up again.. it really was the job.. what can i do to strengthen my chances..and would loyola consider this? i have a strong teacher/counselor recommendation as well.. =/

Answer: If you explain the circumstances of what happened, I'm sure schools all over would be understanding. My mom has Stomach Cancer too and my aunt came over so kudos to your mom for stepping up to the plate and to you too.

Question: what are my chances of getting admission? my aunt had stomach cancer during my soph-junior year in high school..my mom went to see her/ support her 11-year-old daughter after her death..at the same time my fam was also facing financial hardships and since my mother stopped working for an extended period of time, i began working to support my family..i tried to keep up with school but i had a tough job, worked after school and on weekends and unfortunately my gpa is about 2.7..it's like a low b..but still... i got a 22 on the act..retook it on october and got a 24.. i really, really really wanna go to loyola chicago ( i live in chicago) ..i've quit my job and my grades are boosting up again.. it really was the job.. what can i do to strengthen my chances..and would loyola consider this? i have a strong teacher/counselor recommendation as well.. =/

Answer: I don't know if your scores are good enough for Loyola, but they might make an exception if you write an amazing essay explaining how your grades were affected by everything going on in your life.

Question: pregnant and confussed? i am 38 weeks pregnant tomorrow, i have no family at all to support me only my partner of 4 years. we have 2 beautiful daughters and our son on the way. my partner is still working everyday long hours usually over 12 hrs a day amd recently his father has gone into hospital to get his stomach removed because of cancer. i am supporting him as much as i can and he goes to the hospital everyday in the rest of the spare time he has left when he isn't sleeping. i am now feeling very lonely because i never get to see him and most times i feel like a single mum. i don't know what to do or how to tell him because i really don't want to hurt him i love him so much. and i feel if i tell him i want some us time he will think i am selfish. i do not know what to do and im sad of feeling alone.

Answer: Oh hun, that doesn't sound like fun. I'm sure your partner will understand your feelings. For one thing you are pregnant and moods can be difficult. Just ask him to find maybe a couple of hours here or there just to curl up with you, or sit down and have dinner with you if possible. Don't feel like you're being selfish, it sounds as though you don't see him at all. That's not selfish, it's just a normal woman's need to have her love with her once in a while. I get that way a lot already, my hubby works overnights and sleeps days. We have one boy, and it's hard when I don't get my time with him. Maybe take the family to see his dad, go all together so you are at least with him? Or maybe try to plan a time where you two can just do something you enjoy together, be it a show you like to watch or even a game you like to play. Sit him down when you get the chance and just tell him that you miss him, and you feel as though you don't see him enough. He should understand. Good luck and I hope you get your time with him, no one should feel lonely.

Question: can someone PLEASE tell me how my personal statement is? My family and I migrated to the United States of America with hope for a brighter future. Even though my parents do not hold a supreme level of education, they are extremely hardworking individuals, especially my mother who switches off from one job to another. If she is not at one, she will be at another. I have two sisters, who have both graduated from prestigious universities. My oldest sister and brother-in-law are both currently enrolled at Loyola’s graduate school majoring in health care law and have strongly recommended Loyola for its well-structured Jesuit education, exceptional standard, and for its challenging curriculum. The first time I ever heard about Loyola University was when I was in 8th grade. I remember that year distinctly because I had a student teacher who happened to be from Loyola. He wasn’t like any other teacher I’ve ever come across. He was particularly bright and friendly, someone who took the effort to get to know each student on an individual basis. He went out of his way to help us or to make something bland and typical into something innovative and exciting. I had a living, breathing example of a Loyola student and I must say I truly admired it. Even from an early age, I thought of Loyola University as the place I would go to when I ‘grow up’ because of the positive influence he had on me. Even today, Loyola University at Chicago is my first choice. I moved to Lincolnwood, IL the summer before high school and now I was about to attend a high school where I did not know a single soul. On top of that, there was a rigorous curriculum at Niles West to keep up with and highly involved, bright and motivated students. However, I adjusted promptly. I consider myself to be a person who is flexible, someone who can adjust to changes quickly. In fact, I like change. Unfortunately, life throws things at us that we are not fully prepared to handle. I had a disturbing summer my freshman year. My youngest aunt in Pakistan was diagnosed with stomach cancer. At the time, my family was also battling financial hardships. However, my mother could not ignore this. She decided to request the summer off from work. I went along to support her through the long travel as she was mentally incapable of doing it herself. My aunt passed away that same August, leaving an 11-year-old-daughter all on her own. My mother stayed for an extended period of time. I had to return home, go to school and locate a job to provide financial support for my family. I worked after school and on weekends from March 2007 until July 2009. The most valuable things I learned from this experience were learning how to be responsible, how to stay optimistic and stay strong through even the most challenging of times. Trying to juggle with being a full-time student and a hectic job didn’t work too well for me. My job was exceedingly physical, involving dragging heavy carts of books. It was a requirement for me to be constantly on my feet. These factors had a major impact on my academic wellness. My parents extended their own work hours and made me quit my job. I am coming back on track working diligently my senior year. I can keep up with the rigorous curriculum offered. Even though due to my job I was unable to participate in extracurricular activities or take classes to prepare for standardized tests, I reviewed the material on my own, retook the ACT in October and made a 2 point gain in my composite score because I am a strong believer in not giving up. As for my interest in a career, I’ve always had a passion for science, especially Biology and Anatomy. After my aunt passed away and seeing how it has impacted my mother and our family, I have become deeply interested in medicine and plan on following a pre-med path. I am willing to put in the time and effort it rightfully demands. It is my choice to give up or not, and I have chosen the latter. If there is even one life that I can make a difference in; it is only then I will feel as if I have accomplished something worthwhile in my life. I have chosen to play an extraordinary role in our society and I believe Loyola University at Chicago can help me in doing so.

Answer: A couple of grammatical errors. And as rule you do not abbreviate and then spell out the word later in the document. Vice versa. What was the topic? Why is a Jesuit education important to you? You did not speak about your career goals. How will school X (full name no abbreviation) help you achieve this goal?

Question: Is It Time to Believe Now? October 26, 2006, 9:28 a.m. Funeral for a Tyrant A morally disorienting gathering in Havana. By Otto J. Reich This time the rumors are real: Castro is dying of stomach cancer. He may have already died, even before the funeral preparations were finished, so the news is not out. Confirmation of the terminal illness comes from the usual sources but in a non-conventional manner. The Cuban government has been summoning to Havana representatives of the major international media to negotiate the best seats, camera angles, and interviews with the despot’s political survivors, and to inform them of the ground rules for coverage of the state funeral. The foreign media are being told that the model for Castro’s funeral is that of Pope John Paul II a year ago. The Cubans actually believe — or pretend — that the death of a tyrant deserves the same attention as that of the world’s great men of peace. This is one of Castro’s lasting legacies to his countrymen: moral disorientation. The Cuban ruling class has been so isolated from reality for so long by fear and Castro’s airtight press control that they equate the burial of a mass murderer with that of a prince of the Church. No doubt there will be “dignitaries� at the funeral: fellow revolutionary leaders from the last repressive regimes on Earth: Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Sudan, for example; and leaders of failed states like Zimbabwe and Bolivia; and representatives of the world’s resentful Left and the Hollywood Left (pardon the redundancy). Some examples of distinguished invitees will include terrorists whose organizations once instilled panic in entire populations but are now forgotten except to their victims. Many of them were trained in Cuban camps back when Castro called for world revolution and predicted he would outlive capitalism: Argentine Montoneros, Uruguayan Tupamaros, Nicaraguan Sandinistas, Salvadorean FMLN, Colombian ELN, MIR, FARC, and others; Chileans, Brazilians, Guatemalans, Angolans, Ethiopians, Palestinians, Syrians, even Vietnamese. The list is virtually endless. Not long ago, Castro himself admitted publicly to having “supported wars of national liberation in every country in this hemisphere with the exception of Mexico�. I believe everything except the exception; his hand has been present in much of Mexico’s violence as well. One security problem the Cubans will face is that some of the “revolutionaries� who they trained in techniques of assassination, torture, kidnapping, bank robbery, explosives, and other tricks of the trade now hate each other and may use the occasion to settle old debts. The explosions heard in Havana may come not only from ceremonial cannons. The guests will have to be carefully screened for poisoned-tipped umbrellas and other Cold War artifacts. Among the guests coming to Havana for the Third-World Burial of the Century will be Western capitalists anxious to see how they can exploit Cuban workers, who are assigned to the employer by a Cuban state entity which then collects the salary and delivers five percent — yes, five percent — to the worker and keeps the rest to pay for the expenses incurred by the generous socialist state. There will be the bottom feeders of the capitalist world willing to go anywhere or do anything for the Almighty euro or peso. You know the ones, those who have given capitalism a bad name, the exploitation of man by man, and whose example is in turn used by the revolutionaries against the good capitalists. There will recognizable faces of American and other TV, oblivious to the irony of “covering� a press event orchestrated by a government which has not allowed a single free or independent newspaper, magazine, radio or television station for almost five decades. Caught up in the spectacle of the funeral, the smiley faces of the free world’s morning shows, the “serious� news readers of evening newscasts, of 24-hour news channels and “prestige press� will unlikely mention the “Ley Mordaza� (literally muzzle law), law number 88 of 1998, which calls for penalties of up to 30 years in prison for any Cuban caught telling the foreign press of any flaw in Cuba’s economic or human-rights record. It is unlikely they will ask to interview the prisoners who have violated Castro’s Orwellian laws and are serving terms of as much as 27 years for committing journalism without a license or stating that the economy does not produce enough to feed the people. There may be international labor leaders in attendance, who will equally disregard the absence of any but the official Cuban Communist labor organization. Not wishing to offend their hosts, they will not mention the Castro law which condemns to eight years in prison anyone guilty of even attempting to establish a non-government labor union. On second thought: Why should they mention it now, when they have been silent for so many decades? Some of those leaders present may even be government officials from democratic states, having been elected in free elections such as the ones which disappeared in Cuba half a century ago. That irony will escape them also. Then there will be some genuinely elected Christian or social democrats, from Europe and Latin America. Those who have been silent about, and therefore complicit in, the longest dictatorship in this hemisphere’s history. A wise man once said that “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.� The history of Cuba in the past 50 years proves him right.

Answer: I hope soon. I don't like wishing death on anyone, but this man has been responsible for the misery of millions, for decades. Kennedy shoulda taken 'im out when he had the chance. Say what you will, Nixon wouldn't a screwed the Bay of Pigs up.

Question: Why Aren't the "Culture of Life" Republicans Protesting this Abuse of Power? On Monday December 12, 2005 a 27 year old woman by the name of Tirhas Habtegiris was pulled off of life support and died in a Texas hospital. Was she in a prolonged vegitative state? No. She had cancer of the stomach, which had spread to her lungs, and needed a ventilator for breathing. The state of Texas used a law that was enacted by George W. Bush that allows hospitals to consider a patients lack of ability to pay when making the decision to stop life support. Where is the "Culture of Life" people protesting? More on the story here: http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa051214_lj_african.bb0e76d.html

Answer: (pause here for deeply bitter laugh)...What an excellent question! Let's see, this is a poor woman? An immigrant? Not a middle class white woman?A woman whose family is not being torn to shreds over an agonizing decision about which they don't agree? This isn't an election year? The Shrub is in enough hot water with the public without having this situation getting the same headlines that Schiavo's case garnered? In any case, while I agree whole heartedly with your implication that the "Culture of Life" folks are a bunch of politically motivated hypocrites, I find that I am a little grateful that this lady was permitted to die without being at the center of a terrible storm of public controversy played out among people who don't even know her.Cold comfort, but it's all I have some days. I'm very grateful she had family with her, shame that compassion moved no one to wait for her mother.