I don't mean to start a political discussion here, but rather a survival discussion.

I was under the impression that without food or water (mainly just water), survival was limited to a few days or a week at most. Yet Terri Shiavo survived 13 days without the feeding tube?

I understand she's inactive and in a climate-controlled environment, but is this sufficient to explain her longevity?

Maybe it had to do with the fact that her body was not performing all the functions that a body operating at 100% would, so the remaining water in her body lasted longer.

Someone is bound to have a better explanation, though.

I read that she got morphine as painkiller. May she have received some Ringer´s solution with an IV infusion. That´s a common technique to keep a vein open for the medication. You could even give enough water to keep a person hydrated.

Women tend to be better equipped genetically to deal with starvation than men are. When studying the Donner party tragedy it is striking how many women survived vs. how many men died. I think it has something to do with how their bodies store or use their fat reserves.

Plus, some people just cling to life more tenaciously than others.

Regards, Vince

>>When studying the Donner party tragedy it is striking how many women survived vs. how many men died. I think it has something to do with how their bodies store or use their fat reserves.<<

Could this also be because the women and children got fed first, before the men?

"Could this also be because the women and children got fed first, before the men?"

Probably not. They were poorly outfitted for the ordeal, as they hoped to reach their destination before first snow. Their supplies went fast. Then they ate what remained of the oxen, who were not much more than skin & bones themselves. Then they boiled leather for soup. Contrary to popular opinion, some of them never touched human flesh. I have the feeling that infamous Alfred Packer was in the best shape.

Men's bodies & women's bodies seem to work differently. Let me tell you a sort-of joke about men & women dieting:

A man's body, when faced with starvation (diet), reacts like it's thinking: "Oh-oh, famine coming! I need to cut out the fat so I can run, hunt & forage better to provide for my family."

A woman's body (normally higher in fat anyway, I believe), faces starvation (diet) by thinking: "Oh-oh! Famine coming! I may be pregnant, so I must conserve all fat to protect and feed the baby."

Also, although no would would probably admit it, she might have been given fluids by "anonymous benefactors" who were hoping for a reversal of the judgment.

A heartbreaking situation, overall.

Sue

Mrs. Schiavo also was doing nothing during those days. Add in many years of muscle atrophy and her caloric needs were very much lower than someone active enough to be thrust into a survival situation, and trying to survive.

"3 or 4" days without food is not a guarantee. Variations in situation will cause your mileage to vary.

/Neal

Indeed. Even maintaining her body temperature would have taken minimal metabolism as she'd be in bed in a warm hospital.

Here is a thread which references a SciAm article How long can a person survive without food?, which gives 1 to 3 weeks for a bedridden patient.

The lack of food doesn't matter. It's the lack of water that causes death much faster, and I was under the impression that death by dehydration occurred within a week or so. And even before that there are hallucinations and altered mental status as well as physical weakness (not that we'd notice any of those things in Ms. Schiavo's case). Generally 48-72 hours without hydration leaves you in a pretty bad way, and a couple days after that you buy the farm.

<i>They were poorly outfitted for the ordeal<iI>

Hence the seven P's:

Proper Prior Preparation Prevents [censored] Poor Performance