Life and Lawsuits

The Terry Schiavo issue has just about been discussed to the ground, but briefly:
In some respects, I can realize that this is an extremely complex issue.
When I was a teenager, my grandfather was dying in the hospital. One day, while I was spending the afternoon with him by myself, a nurse came in and announced, "You know he's going to die without a feeding tube." Did she not realize that with numerous health problems, including breathing problems, a barely-beating heart, cancer and a hernia that required further surgery he was clearly dying anyway? As it happens, he had a living will and had clearly stated his wish not to be put on a feeding tube. He may have looked great after the first surgery, but that artificial, after-surgery glow was not lasting. All of us did the best we could weighing decisions, but at times, we wished that we had not been convinced to have the first surgery by well-meaning doctors. While some might argue that we should have proceeded with further surgeries and feeding tubes, I ended up feeling that the first surgery was not such a great idea. My grandfather was dying, and my mother has not gotten over the fact that he was not able to die at home.
When my grandmother was dying a few years later, we had learned out lesson. She developed diabetes at about age 90, which we treated, and had breast cancer, which we did not. At 90, she was not in shape to recover from treatment. Her doctor graciously visited the house, and after some discussion realized the wisdom of not pursuing aggressive treatment. She died at 92, at home, surrounded by her family.
On the other hand....
With the help of a feeding tube, Terri Schiavo was not dying. The quality of life argument doesn't work for me. As a society, we are to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Being a cautious person, I suggest that we err on the side of caution. To me, irrevocable death is not caution. Furthermore, despite evidence of Mr. Schiavo's caring behavior in earlier years, I didn't find his over-all behavior such that he seemed to me to be the one to make Terri's life decisions. Would I want to live "like that"? No. Would I want my parents to make my decisions? Yes.
This issue is still timely and will be for the foreseeable future. Take a look at this case in the U.K. in which doctors sued for the right to not treat an infant whose parents want treatment...

Doctors win...?

Health-care advances have opened a pandora's box of bio-ethical problems. In this case, though, I'm more alarmed than baffled. Perhaps the parents need to let go. Perhaps the doctors are right. But when doctors are sueing to withhold requested treatment, the problem seems to be first and foremost one of physician failure to understand the hyppocratic oath. Is it worse that they won?