Terri Schiavo

Terri Schiavo was famous a woman, though she was never conscious to know it. On February 25th, 1990, she collapsed. Her heart stopped, and she slipped into a coma. She is to remain in this vegetative state for 15 years, during which the continuation of her life was debated around the country.
Throughout the 15 year period, her parents fought with her husband for guardianship, and the nation took sides. in July 1993, the parents filed a petition for Micheal Schiavo (her husband) to lose guardianship. Because she was in a vegetative state, she received nutrients through a feeding tube. Micheal tried to get it removed several times, and Judge George Greer stood by him. Terri's family never wanted this, and before she could die, they would win the case to reinsert her feeding tube. in October 2002, a hearing was held in which 3 doctors stated that she was in a "persistent vegetative state" "with no hope of recovery".  Two other doctors said that she still had a chance. After many more family disputes, her feeding tube was removed on March 18, 2005. She died on March 31.

I believe that Mr. Schiavo was right to have her feeding tube removed. She had said that she didn't want to be left like this if she were ever in this situation. Also, she had been in this state for 15 years, and most of her brain had, for lack of a better word, decomposed. A brain stimulator that was inserted into her brain did nothing, therapy was unhelpful etc. She was not showing any signs of recovery, and on a religious stand point, I believe that with that much brain loss, there's no "soul/spirit" left in her. Genetically, shes a human being, but mentally and spiritually, shes just a vegetable. It's sad, but it happened, and it's the truth.

Natal Spectrum

1. Natural Reproduction
2. In Vitro Fertilization: Fertilization of sperm and egg in a Petri dish.  Viable embryos are chosen and inserted into the female reproductive tract via a syringe in a doctor’s office.
3. Carrier testing: Genetic tests of parents that show the risk of passing on a genetic disorder
4. Prenatal testing: genetic screening of fetus for genes that cause disorders
5. Fertility drugs: Prescription drugs which increase a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant
6. Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis for Diseases: Fertilization of sperm and egg in a Petri dish. Embryos are screened for a certain genetic disorder.  Those without the defective gene are inserted into the female reproductive tract via a syringe in a doctor’s office.
7. Artificial Insemination: Insertion of sperm into female reproductive tract by syringe in a doctor’s office
8. Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis for Non-deleterious Traits: Fertilization of sperm and egg in a Petri dish. Embryos are screened for genes of non-deleterious traits (such as hair color, height, sex).  Those with desired genes are inserted into the female reproductive tract via a syringe in a doctor’s office.
9. Cloning: The creation of an organism that is an exact genetic copy of another.


I ordered the topics this way based on gut feelings, personal/religious beliefs, and what I've absorbed throughout my life. I think that natural reproduction is the most pure, non-controversial, and socially accepted way of having a child. In vitro fertilization is so common, and I don't see anything wrong with it. Sometimes people can't reproduce, and they turn to fertility treatments. 3-5 are in their spots because I don't really feel anything about them specifically, and I don't honestly see anything wrong. I put 6 where it is because I see how it's controversial but I can't seem to form an opinion on it, and I see both sides of the argument. I put 7 in its spot because of religious views, and I won't go deeply into that here if that's all right. Numbers eight and nine... I could talk for pages upon pages about how really wrong I think these topics are. Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis for Non-deleterious Traits just bothers me, and I feel in my gut how wrong it is. Cloning is wrong as well, because there is so little we truly know about it.

Cloning is a horrible thing in my opinion, and in many others' as well. Cloning is a realitively new process, and therefore scientists are still unsure about a lot of it. I'm not completely sure why I'm so against it, but I know for sure that it turns my stomach. Most of it's based on religion for me.. I've been taught all my life that children should be brought into this world by a man and a woman, and that the two people should be married. (I would never try and force this onto other people, they can do what they want with their lives, but when I have a say, I'll give my opinion just like that. I want you to know that I don't hate or dislike people that go against this belief of mine.) But, if a person is the result of cloning, that would go against what I just stated. That's basically it, that one point is the main thing that makes me feel the way I feel.

Gattaca

In class, before the break, we watched the movie Gattaca. It explores the ideas of fate and genetics/bioethics. It's about our society, but evolved so that people can choose their baby's traits. A boy named Vincent was born the natural way, and is therefore tossed aside by society. He is seen as "in-valid", and disabled. Eventually, he's sick and tired or being treated this way, and wants to live his dreams of being an astronaut. He takes on the persona of Jerome, a "valid". The real Jerome broke his back and was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident. The real Jerome prepares daily samples for Vincent and soon Vincent is chosen for a space mission. This is the chance of a life-time for him. A week before he leaves, one of the managers is murdered, and Vincent (not the Jerome version) is named the prime suspect due to his eye lash being found at the scene. His co-worker discovers who he really is, and she accepts him for who he really is. His brother, who has risen to be a detective discovers him as well, but doesn't accept him. The murder is solved, proving Vincent's innocence, and the day of the launch arrives. He bids the real Jerome farewell, and contemplates how he might truly be going home. Jerome has prepared 2 lifetimes of samples for Vincent, because he won't be around to keep giving them. He climbs  into the home incinerator and kills himself.