KNOW, the Magazine for Paralegals Fall/Winter 2013.2 | Page 45

a battle of wills against the inevitability of death.
The ultimate decision to “pull the plug” was in
crisis. All parties involved where driven by a complex mix of emotions, including hope and fear, yet
resulting in heartbreak and suffering for a long
period by all parties involved. Terri’s husband had
the courage in wanting to withhold and withdraw
the treatment in order to alleviate his wife’s suffering based
on the doctor’s prognosis, but
her parents were compelled
to authorize all possible care
and treatment for Terri, hoping for the best.
They may have felt that by
authorizing all possible care
for Terri, they would be able
to dodge the possibility of
feeling guilty or the perceived
judgment by others for not
doing everything in their
power to help their daughter. Let’s face it, most people
would not want to experience
this type of death or endure
all the heartache and suffering that can, and often does,
tear families a