Life is a brainwave!

Years ago my parents had to sign papers that would turn off the machines that were keeping my brother Jack alive. The electroencephalogram (EEG) of his brain showed no electrical activity. We were told he was gone; he was just a shell. As I’m sure you can imagine, it was a horrible decision to make.  What if a miracle happened?

Then, we wanted to donate his organs. But when they take someone off of life support they must wait until the body dies to remove the organs. Cells and tissues continue to live long after the brain has stopped functioning.  His organs decayed too much for transplanting in the hours it took for his body to follow his brain.

A lot of people define human life as starting when the egg and sperm fertilize. Why? Why not use the same scientific method that defines death, the EEG?

An EEG would indicate whether the brain was sending/receiving brain waves. I purposely have left out the timeframe for when an EEG can detect brainwaves so that we can just discuss the idea!

Elise Kleeman reported in Discover Magazine that a fetus cannot feel pain until they form the necessary nerve pathways (into the thalamus). The thalamus controls 4 out of 5 senses, including pain, and as well as controls sleep and awake patterns. Interesting tidbit: The sense of smell is the only sense that goes directly to the cerebral cortex.

Please let me know your science-based thoughts! Perhaps we could come up with a bi-partisan approach, with science behind civil laws and beliefs behind religious laws!

Thanks, Peggy