Ron Cranford has Died
Ronald Cranford, the neurologist and bioethicist who made something of a career testifying on behalf of dehydrating the cognitively disabled, has died. He had kidney cancer, and I assume that this was the cause of his death.
I disagreed vehemently with Dr. Cranford. I saw him testify in the Robert Wendland case and his cool recounting of the process of dehydration chilled me to my bones, as did his ready admission that he had removed sustenance from people who were clearly conscious. I actually think that testimony was the primary reason the court refused to allow Wendland's tube sustenance to be stopped. And his examination of Terri Schiavo seemed conducted in such a hurried way that she would be unlikely to respond.
We met only once at a debate about Terri Schiavo in Florida. We were pleasant and civil to each other. Nothing more.
What is the proper response to the death of someone who has been an implacable adversary? I think it is the response we should have to the death of every human being. We should set those old disputes aside and hope that in the Great Beyond, he finds forgiveness and peace.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 8:33 AM
23 Comments
23 Comments:
Thanks, Ken. Onward.
WF: I don't think your Lord would exhibit such joy at the cancer death of Dr. Cranford. I think His attitude would be of sadness and concern. Not exactly loving your enemies...
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Actually, he died last night. Heard about it today.
Cranford's obituary is in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune.
According to his wife, he was against euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide, but it's pretty obvious he couldn't see the hypocrisy of such beliefs when he advocated the starving and dehydration of cognitively disabled people by declaring them "PVS."
It's my own personal belief he was little better than a quack.
Well, first off, I would like to say that you are an honorable man, Wes.
I am sure you don't "remember me," but I am "on you side" as far as pro-life and anti-death goes; However (even though I admit it is sometimes *very* hard) we must forgive our enemies, because they have worth and value too, and you are to be commended for passing on the love given you by The Almighty Creator -on to those (like Cranford) who need it the most! (You have fulfilled the most important dictate of Christ: Following His example in John 13:15 and doing greater works in John 14:12; Just like a cop killed in the line of duty, it is not how he died that makes him a Hero, but how he lived: Lots of folk died on the cross, but only one perfect example, and you are following his footsteps!)
That being said, I must fault you on one point, not for being too conservative, as most would, but in being too liberal.
With all due respect, you are one of those who recently failed me and exhibited a lack of "personal responsibility" in lack of coming to my aid when I myself was battling to save Theresa Marie "Terri" Schindler-Schiavo:
Now, I am not claiming to be the hardest working or most deserving, but the record is clear: For whatever reason, I came closer to saving Terri in court than did anyone. I almost won my petition for a writ of Habeas Corpus to free the illegally detained young woman:
http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/clerk/disposition/2005/2/03-2420reh.pdf
To put things into perspective, lets see Fla. Gov. John Ellis "Jeb" Bush's attempt before the same court, on the same issue, using different tactics:
http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/clerk/disposition/2004/10/04-925reh.pdf
While I was narrowly defeated in my motion for rehearing 4-3, Jeb was defeated in his motion for rehearing before the same panel by a 7-0 margin -twice!
Wesley, I wore three hats in my bid to save Terri:
* Reporter for my web-paper, The Register.
* Tireless protester / demonstrator, sometimes sleeping in my car in vigil, and arguing with police to *uphold* the law, not break the law.
* And, lastly, I went before *every* single court which had jurisdiction, except the Federal Appeals court: I even petitioned the US Supreme Court -and the Courts of Heaven -and even the "asleep at the switch" United Nations:
http://geocities.com/Gordon_Watts32313/UN.html - mirror: http://hometown.aol.com/Gww1210/myhomepage/UN.html
All that I asked of you, if you recall my several electronic mails to you, was a little support in getting the word out: A free Press (that's YOU, Wes), is a safeguard against a tyrannical government.
How do you know that your press coverage would not have swayed one more vote on the Fla. Supreme Court -and saved Terri.
Yes, I know that the court is "technically" not supposed to be "influenced" by the press, but then again, the constitutional forefathers thought differently, or else they would not have given us the various 1st Amendment rights of press, assembly, redress, religious expression, and speech -all five of them.
All I asked of you was a little press coverage commensurate with my efforts and accomplishments, both great, and you did not grant me them.
I don't know what you were thinking, but I will trust that either:
1) I was wrong in my assumption that press coverage would have helped me get a "fair day in court" when trying to save Terri (and others!) -or;
2) You were wrong, but recognize your mistake.
In the case of number 2 (whether or not you immediately recognize a mistake), I will have forgiveness ready and on standby, since I know that I myself too make mistakes.
(PS: I'm not bragging, but sincerely upset I was not assisted in my attempt to save Terri, but if not one else toots my own horn, I must needs be the one.)
Hoping all is finding you well -and thank you for helping others -even if you did not jump in the torrid waters to help ME when I was trying to save a sinking Terri -and going down myself.
With kind regards, I am sincerely,
Gordon Wayne Watts, hailing from (temporary home) Lakeland, Florida, USA, and (permanent home) Heaven
Sorry I disappointed you.
I'm sorry if I were unnecessarily harsh in my initial post; Sometimes it's hard to get just the right balance or tone.
In any case, to answer one point raised by Winston Jen. She said:
If you don't wish a miserable death on anyone, why do you insist that people with leukemia, MND and so on continue to suffer? It's inconsistent. Let them end their lives if they so choose. You allow them starvation and "slow euthanasia", so why not let them die quickly if they want to?
While I admit some prefer suicide, and ending one's life is sometimes preferred -even if we think it's wrong or illegal, by my reading, I don't think Deep Toad was in favor of starvation or the such.
Those who would say things like "they're keeping Terri (or another person) alive," are wrong: I know that no one can "keep a person alive." When it's your time to die, you will die. Period.
On a different note, here is an uplifting story -from current news items, at least from my point of view:
Colorado Lawmakers Hear Song From Woman Almost Killed by Abortion --if the link is bad, you can google "Gianna Jessen" and Colorado -or see the editorial here:
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=3799
My comments about Dr. Cranford's death: http://robertslegacy.blogspot.com
For those who may not know, Janie Siess was the attorney for Florence Wendland. She succeeded in preventing Robert Wendland from being dehydrated.
Janie masterfully cross examined Dr. Cranford. Indeed, I believe the reason she won the case was she destroyed his claim of dispassion and compassion on the stand. For example, I mentioned in this post how his cool depiction of dehydration chilled the court. That was Janie's doing in cross. She also got him to state that he did not believe in giving the benefit of the doubt in difficult cases to life, indeed, that people like Wendland, who was clearly conscious, and Schiavo, should not be treated at all. In other words, for Cranford, their low quality of life was the determinate, not "choice."
Florida: I have written a whole book on your question. But let us say that the definitions and goals of and in medicine are being redefined. Thus, extending life is now sometimes denigrated as "merely extending the dying process." The intrinsic value of human life is being relativized by a "quality of life" ethic.
These attitudes are becoming part of statutory law throughout the country. So, what you might consider as being a job for the grand jury is often perfectly legal, and indeed, generally applauded by policy makers, ethicists, and the general public.
Culture of Death has the most thorough discussion of these issues. However, the updated Forced Exit deals as extensively with the food and fluids cases, including Schiavo.
I have been tempted but want to avoid it for as long as possible.
Of course, Nitschke has advocated making suicide pills available to "troubled teens." That shows you where he is coming from.
Watching Florida: Send the quote along.
Winston Jen: No, Nitschke sincerely wants the "peaceful pill" available to anyone who wants it. He says that if we own our bodies, we have the right to dispose of it any way we want--which seems your POV as well.
Read his interview in National Review Online. Use the search function here. I am pretty sure you can find it. Or, go to nationalreview.com and find it there.
Dead teens who were not sick have been found repeatedly next to their copies of Final Exit.
You're all heart, Winston Jen.
Watching Florida is an ass......You are correct in one thing and that is you did "inspire him to continue his work".'
You were incorrect in that he wasn't dieing from "liver cancer"in your email to hi, as you so vehemently typed to him but in fact he ended up dieing from kidney cancer.
Contrary to your HOPES, he died a peaceful death AND just like what he had preached his entire life, he had requested "aggressive pallative care" and had all food and water removed in his final days......
Not that YOU deserve to read this or understand this but he died exactly as he preached and as he wanted and I know because I was one of his two daughters who held his hand as he passed away and I will tell you personally that there were no GATES OF HELL waiting for him, just the opposite - in fact he died a lot quicker than you will!
I thank the author for starting this thread in a positive spirit because you can have your differences yet when a person dies, you should respect just that.
If anybody feels the need to contact me, please do so at kristin@pokerpadz.com as I am Dr. Cranford's daughter and have no problem addressing comments directly!
Kristin Cranford
Watchingflorida is as ASS.....The only thing that he got correct was the quote "i inspired him to continue his work."
That is correct, what you were incorrect in your email was that you wished that he had a painful death due to his liver cancer!
Sorry to report that he did not have liver cancer but instead kidney cancer.
He - contrary to your wishes died a peaceful death, in fact holding the hands of each of his 2 daughters.
I also hate to report that there were "No gates of hell" waiting for him, in fact just he opposite. He only spent a few hours in the hospice unit before he left this world peacefully!
He, just like all of his patients he spoke for when they could not, had the opportunity to have his medical directive in force which consisted of "aggresive pallative care" and removal of food and water. He didn't do anything different than what he spent his life teaching or held his patients accountable for. He in fact spent his last weeks at his teaching facility HCMC, when in fact one of the top hospitals in the world was around the corner but he wanted to be at HCMC for teaching purposes because that is what he believed in!
With that said, I hope you burn in hell and have a lot longer grinding session from this world to the next when it's time for you to perish!!!!!
To the author of this blog, thank you for your handling of this in the most decent, humane way!
If ANYBODY has any questions or comments please direct them to me personally at kristin@pokerpadz.com as I am Dr. Ronald Cranford's daughter.
Thank you.....
Kristin Cranford
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Dr. Cranford is best known to the public for his work with families on highly controversial public cases involving persons in a persistent vegetative state. This work and the ensuing court decisions created the legal framework that allows patients and their immediate loved ones to decide when life support should be used
He gave all of us the right to choose unless we are in a Church ran hospital, then they play god.
Brien: You are free to comment here, but not call people names. I have deleted the post containing the name calling. If you want to repost and be civil, please feel free.
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