ARTIFICIALLY ADMINISTERED NUTRITION AND HYDRATION TO FEED OR NOT TO FEED
BASIC FEATURES TO CONSIDER BENEFITS TO PATIENT HARMS TO PATIENT UNDERSTANDING OF TERMINAL CONDITION DETERIORATING, IRRVERSIBLE PROCESS PERSISTENT VEGETATIVE STATE IRREVERSIBLE DEMENTIA “TIME” ELEMENT WISHES OF PATIENT NEEDS OF FAMILY AND CAREGIVERS IDOLATRY OF LIFE
TERMINOLOGY “STARVATION” --- CONNOTES PAIN DEPRIVATION OF NUTRITION AND HYDRATION LOSS OF APPETITE, DIGESTIVE FUNCTION LOSS OF COGNITION OR BRAIN STEM FUNCTIONING FOOD VS. TECHNOLOGY OF FOOD DELIVERY FOOD AND LIQUIDS BY MOUTH MEDICALLY ADMINISTERED NUTRITION AND HYDRATION TPN, GASTROSTOMY, NG TUBE, IV FOOD AS SYMBOL VS. OTHER SYMBOLS OF CARING COMPANIONSHIP SIMPLE COMFORT MEASURES COMMUNICATION OF THE BODY NATURAL SELECTIVE RESPONSE --- INDICATOR OF FINITUDE GRADUAL/SERIAL SHUTDOWN OF SYSTEMS