In article , wrote:
Doug Miller wrote:

In article , wrote:
Doug Miller wrote:

In article . com,
wrote:

Indeed, Terri Shiavo was beyond brain-dead, much of the dead brain
tissue had been absorbed into her body. What was left of her higher
brain was severely atrophied. She was nearly anencephalic.

Conjecture, and probably false. When the autopsy results are released,
then
we'll see. Evidence so far indicates that she was not brain-dead:
unquestionably, she was able to breathe on her own, and her heart beat,
without assistance of machinery. Brain-dead people can't do that.

Brain stem functions only, non-cognitive...and certainly no more
conjectural than your contention.

It's a matter of established fact, not conjecture, that her respiration and
heartbeat continued without the assistance of a machine.

That is a non-cognitive function of the brain stem...

But it's also a clear demonstration that the brain is not *dead*.

you're relying on
there being any function whereas the chance of any cognitive recovery
was hopeless as the pictures shown of brain scans taken several years
prior clearly showed, as earlier posted noted, atrophying of the the
brain itself. While a tragic situation, there was absolutely no hope of
anything better.

I think that's still somewhat a matter of dispute. The autopsy should lay
those questions to rest.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?