(*) Refusing physical therapy, having a common-law wife (is that bigamy?), harassing her parents when they want to see her, etc. I could go on here.

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Nonetheless, one other consideration is would/could she (or the many others) live without the tubes and medical equipment? If not, then maybe that’s the way God intended for our short time here on Earth. It has certainly been that way for millenia up to this past century. No one is playing God. Perhaps it’s time and God is calling her home, in the most natural way possible.

Should we as a society and medical attendants as professionals utilize every piece of equipment and knowledge available to us to extend the life of person? Medical professionals take an oath to do so, certainly. Now we’re back at the quality of life and prognosis for living argument.

This is something my wife faces regularly in the course of her work and just had to deal with again last week with a newborn, term baby. It was one of the worst weeks of her life.

Ebyboy raises legitimate questions about if one has made it clear what his or her end of life wishes are. Am I not free to make that decision? Does God give me the freedom to make such a decision? Perhaps more importantly, am I doomed to eternal damnation if I make such a decision? If my wife makes that decision for herself, what is my obligation to carry out her wishes?

Not easy stuff by any means.

There is some contention to put it mildly about what her wishes were regarding this. So here is my question. What if there was no dispute about her wishes and she wanted to be let go and not be fed manually? Should such an instruction be carried out?

The dispute about how severe the “vegetative state” is, is equally ferocious even though there is scant detail about what her present situation is. I accept that at one time she was able to blink, smile and swallow but what about now? What kind of degeneration if any has occured?

What about people in a coma or brain dead and who are medically certified unresponsive? Would I be wrong if I told Gesla that I do not want to be kept alive artificially should I degenetate to that condition?

Would I be wrong if I choose to spare Gesla, my siblings and my parents the emotional and financial cost of a drawn out and painful process with no hope of recovery.