If That Ever Happens to Me

“A detailed ethical examination that is balanced and insightful. . . . A model of depth in ethical deliberation on difficult issues . . . highly recommended.” — Nursing Ethics

“The sensitive presentation of facts and narrative with values of responsibility and fairness makes this book a beacon on the convoluted path to better living and dying.” — Metapsychology

“Detailed analysis. . . . A relentlessly honest examination.” — Hastings Center Report

“A thoughtful, frank, and balanced look at the [Schiavo] case itself and the larger issue of end-of-life decision making.” — Doody’s Review Service

“The sensitive presentation of facts and narrative . . . makes this book a beacon on the convoluted path to better living and dying.” — Newsletter of the National Capital Area Chapter of Compassion and Choices

“A thought-provoking, balanced personal and professional reflection on what has come to be known as the 'Schiavo case.' . . . Recommended.” — CHOICE

“If That Ever Happens to Me is a wise and sober analysis written with the desire to draw constructive lessons from a national tragedy. Shepherd is to be congratulated for ratcheting down the red state–blue state polemics of Schiavo and for her careful parsing of the medical, legal, and bioethical dimensions of the case. To her credit, she conceives of a sensible alternative philosophy of care which will help define our collective obligations to those in liminal states of consciousness. This important formulation will lead to more proportionate care for this vulnerable population, balancing both their right to die with the right to receive care.” — Joseph J. Fins, M.D., F.A.C.P., chief, Division of Medical Ethics, Weill Cornell Medical College

“Lois Shepherd has given us a thoughtful, nuanced and overarchingly accessible guide to one of the most difficult decisions any of us will ever have to make — the termination of life-prolonging medical treatment. She has taken the Schiavo case, too often a source of anger and heat, and created a resource of understanding and light.” — Kenneth W. Goodman, director and professor, University of Miami Bioethics Program; editor of The Strange, Sad Case of Terri Schiavo: Ethics, Politics and Death in the Twenty-first Century

“In this masterful account of the interminable legal, political, and familial wranglings over the use of a feeding tube for Terri Schiavo, Lois Shepherd calmly explains why Americans continue to be perplexed when forced to make treatment decisions for relatives who are in a permanent vegetative state.” — George J. Annas, author of American Bioethics

“Lois Shepherd is uniquely situated among authors who have written about the Schiavo case: a law professor from Florida with a background in end-of-life decision-making law, she did not have a vested interest in the case as it progressed. This book provides insights and offers viewpoints that, if heeded, could help heal some of the bitterness that developed during the case.” — Kathy L. Cerminara, Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center