Just three quick comments, and then I will declare this a Schiavo-free zone (the main page, at least: people can comment anything they want as long as it's not sp@m).
1. At least this sad story will have done some good if more people are moved to make Living Wills. I confess I've been delinquent on this myself; Rudder knows my preferences and so do my parents, but I should write it down.
2. I find the idea that my parents would know what I want better than Rudder does (because "they nurtured me as a dependent child") to be mind boggling: I've been out of their house for except for short periods for over two decades, and living with him daily for nearly three-quarters of that period.
3. As I understand the case, the heart attack that caused her coma was brought on by an eating disorder. How ironic that the root cause of her current death by starvation is that she was trying to starve herself.
OK, there. It's out of my system.
In much happier news, I've started knitting a to-be-felted bag based on the French Market Bag at Knitty, in the Manos del Uruguay I've had laying around since I didn't use it for Clapotis. I may use fewer stitches because the gauge is larger than that in the pattern, and I haven't decided whether to do the handles as in the pattern, or like a Booga Bag, or some other way entirely. What I really like about this pattern is that the bottom is knitted as a circle, and then you just go straight up the sides. I really don't like picking up stitches much, though obviously I can do it. ("Obviously" because it's just not that difficult.) I still can't imagine what this variegated yarn will look like when felted, but I do like the colors so am just working on faith. It's a nice change to work on something that grows so quickly: right now the bottom is 72 stitches around, or not much more than I expect my next socks (of actual sockweight yarn) to be, yet it's maybe 8" across.
Posted by dichroic at March 23, 2005 12:33 PMAnother one felting MANOS-- what's gives people... you and Melanie!!! Gosh... ok just kidding - I just find it hard to felt yarn that costs a butt-load and that is so beautiful to wear... however I am sure the bag will be amazing!!! Can't wait to see it!
Posted by: Alison at March 23, 2005 01:54 PMI'm with you. A living will is crucial and the Schiavo case has really brought that home. I got one after my father chose palliative care when his kidneys failed and my sister went ballistic, tried to block his wishes, claiming he wasn't lucid.
I most emphatically do not want extreme measures to keep me alive if I should ever lapse into a vegetative state or if my life should deteriorate to the point where my quality of life was almost nil. I do not want my sister to ever make my husband Paul feel guilty or uncertain about following my wishes.
I found the whole anorexia/feeding tube deal a little spooky, too.
Posted by: Marn, eh at March 23, 2005 03:29 PM
Seems to me to be ridiculous to the extreme that all our politicians and GWB are frothing about Schiavo and yet are not worrying about the state of the world in general rather than one isolated case.
Time spent with a mate puts that one in the position of knowing a person's present wishes I think.
Posted by: Denver doug at March 23, 2005 07:11 PM