I read the latest news in the Telegraph online that GWB will sign a bill preventing Terry Schiavo from dying. Surely the case for this unforunate family is now being made worse by the intervention and name calling of both policitians and lawyers of all hues added to which the smears by members of the wifes family are not helping.

My father nursed my step-mother for many years as she declined due to altzhiemers. He looked after her as she went through the 'odd behaviour' stage and continued to look after her after she had a stroke. He knew there was no way of her recovering, he spent a small fortune on drugs which for a period regressed her illness, but then she went over the edge and into the really odd behaviour stage.

It was an awfull thing to see some one you love (she was never a wicked step-mother)degenrate into someone you know to look at but is not the same person who you have loved.

Mercifully she passed away peacefully and unassisted. This made me think what would I want if it were me in such a condition.

Terry Schiavo is in a permanent vegitative state, nothing can bring her back, her husband wants her to die with some remaining dignity. I would totally agree with him.

I do not want to be ever left in such a condition, nor do I want to put my family through torment, should it ever happen, by having them watch me become something I am not.

Living wills should be allowed and respected for adults.

The case becomes more complex when it is a child and for parents to have to make such a decision must be the most traumatic and tragic choice of their lives.

This issue is so contentious as life is sacred whether you believe in God or not, but also the choice of a reasonably dignified death under certain circumstances should also be held sacred.

Whatever, it is an issue that will bring out the views of many people, nice to see that so many of the posts I have read on this have been thoughtful and coherant.