Nancy cruzan was 26 years old when she got into this car accident where she lost control of her car while driving at night and she was thrown from the vehicle and landed face down in a water filled ditched. Paramedics found her with no vital signs when she got in the crash but they resuscitated her. She was diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state , surgeons inserted a feeding tube for her long term care.In 1987 Cruzan's parents went to court to ask that the feeding tube be removed and that she be allowed to die a dignified death as they said she would have wanted.
In 1988 when the parents asked the doctors to remove the feeding tube the doctors refused to do so without a court order since removing the tube will be the cause of cruzans …show more content…
Hugh Finn who was a television anchorman in Louisville , Kentucky had prepared a document stating that he would not want to live in a persistent vegetative state sustained by a feeding tube.
Unfortunately before he could sign it a terrible automobile accident served his aorta and left his brain anoxic for many minutes. His resulting coma left him unable to eat, care for himself, or communicate. Or so it seemed until a nurse claimed that when she smoothed his hair he had said “hi” to her so Hugh’s brother John challenged a request by Hugh’s wife , Michelle to remove Hugh’s feeding tube. They lost in court but Governor James Gilmore asked the Virginia Supreme Court to continue Finns feeding tube.
Gilmore stated that its removal would be “mercy killing or euthanasia”. The high court disagreed deciding the removal would mercely “permit the natural process of dying” and would not be euthanasia. Hugh Finns body died shortly thereafter but Governor Gilmore had set a precedent for escalating a private family dispute about a dying patient into a
In 1988 when the parents asked the doctors to remove the feeding tube the doctors refused to do so without a court order since removing the tube will be the cause of cruzans …show more content…
Hugh Finn who was a television anchorman in Louisville , Kentucky had prepared a document stating that he would not want to live in a persistent vegetative state sustained by a feeding tube.
Unfortunately before he could sign it a terrible automobile accident served his aorta and left his brain anoxic for many minutes. His resulting coma left him unable to eat, care for himself, or communicate. Or so it seemed until a nurse claimed that when she smoothed his hair he had said “hi” to her so Hugh’s brother John challenged a request by Hugh’s wife , Michelle to remove Hugh’s feeding tube. They lost in court but Governor James Gilmore asked the Virginia Supreme Court to continue Finns feeding tube.
Gilmore stated that its removal would be “mercy killing or euthanasia”. The high court disagreed deciding the removal would mercely “permit the natural process of dying” and would not be euthanasia. Hugh Finns body died shortly thereafter but Governor Gilmore had set a precedent for escalating a private family dispute about a dying patient into a