Terry Schiavo

hmmm, can anyone tell me how true this is?

"The courts had only allowed removal of Terri's feeding tube, not regular food and water. Terri's husband illegally ordered this. The law only allows the removal of "life-prolonging procedures," not regular food and water:

Additionally, there has never been any medical dispute of Terri’s ability to swallow. Even with this compelling evidence, Terri’s husband, Michael Schiavo, has denied any form of therapy for her for over 10 years."

Even though this particular info was pasted from what is probably considered a biased website, I have also seen it on other websites. If that turns out to be true, wouldn't that change the way most people think about the case?

 

moonshyne, click this to find out that a) Terri can indeed swallow saliva, but can't ingest food or water - she will aspirate them into her lungs, and b) Michael aggressively sought therapy for her in the beginning, even moving to California to try a treatment there.

This is the same report I mentioned in an earlier post.

 

So according to this, he gave up after 5 years. Why are so many judging that? If my man was severely brain-damaged, I would try my damndest to reach him with therapy......but I couldn't do that forever. You have to close the door sometime and move on.
Personally, I would have to question her parent's sanity.....they are refusing to grieve for her and go on. They think she is still in there somewhere and is going to wake up some day. How healthy is that?

Just because someone is still breathing does not make them "alive". So just enough of her brain is still there to breathe. But it's a fine line....

 

Agreed. The most disturbing thing I read in that Report (thanks luvndrumn!) was that in "custody" battles throughout the years between her husband and her parents, her parents said if she were to develop diabetes and subsequent gangrene in each of her limbs, they would amputate them one by one. Then, if she were to develop heart disease, they would suggest open heart surgery.

To me, that is WAY more cruel than a lethal injection.

 

You are most welcome. Thank you for reading it. There seems to be resistance to doing that. I don't understand it.

Yes, that bit about the amputations had me wondering what vile thing had crept into their lives to make them even THINK of such a thing, much less give voice to it.

 

If her husband was ready to give up, he should have just divorced the woman and given the caretaking responsibilities over to her parents. Some of you seem to forget that this man will receive a large sum of money when she expires. Commit adultery and get paid for your wife's death. Boy are you people blind if you do not see that.

"She will fall asleep into a peaceful coma." That is a LIE. My mother has been a registered nurse for over thirty years. She has worked in nearly every department within her hospital. She stated that this woman will suffer from hunger and thirst until the strain on her kidneys is too much and they give out.

Abstain from food and water for a few days. Tell me how hot you feel after. While you're at it, go ahead. Force your children to do the same. Can't do that huh? Of course you cannot do that to your children. Then do not question why her parent's cannot either.

I hope her parents get this death on film and hand it out to the news. Then I hope that you all have a chance to watch this woman suffer.

"Personally, I have to question the parent's sanity." Personally, I have to question the sanity of all those who have stated that a human being starving to death is somehow humane in your eyes. I dare to say that my own psychology professors would agree with me.

Pulling a life support plug on someone who cannot breathe and them fading within a matter of minutes pales in comparison to watching someone starve.

"Kill Terry, but make sure you save the whales."

Right back at ya babe.

 

I'm not sure anyone said that starving someone is humane...I know I certainly didn't.

 

To be sure, Epiphany, but try to get a euthanasia bill passed in this country. So many say that we wouldn't treat an animal like this. And how right they are. The animal would be put down, euthanized. Because it's the humane thing to do. So why can't we make this connection with humans?

 

EPIPHANY-
I think you are being pretentious. You fundimental christian types tend to be.
You are passing judgement on her husband and his motives. Christians tend to forget that, not judging others bit.
I love my wife. I would die for here. Looking at the situation in whole, I don't think I would have done ANYTHING different from her husband.
What is in his heart, I don't know. Who is right, who is wrong? I can't say. I just know beyond a doubt, I would do just as he has.
If it were my daughter (I have a 4 yr old daughter), I would have a hard time letting go and saying good by too. I have nothing bad to say about her parents. My problem is with all you "life at any cost" nuts helping to streach out their grief. Life without any quality is not life, it's hell on earth.

 

Passing judgement, my dear, would be the assumption that he has another woman on the side. The news has reported that he in fact, has children by someone other than his wife, since the time of her decline. It is sad that you are in denial of the facts. If he loved her, he would allow her parents to make the decision.

I know a satanist who feels that her husband has darker motives as well. Does that make him a, "fundamentalist". Please, save your labels for where they belong, in a high school classroom. I am not a, "type", and you know nothing about me.

 

PS EPIPHANY-
Your mom, doesn't know what she's talking about. How many people have a painless death? People in hospitals die of cancer all the time, suffering even pumped full of pain killers. The most painful part is knowing you are dieing, while you see your family watch. And even though every doctor agrees they are going to die and nothing can stop it, they aren't allowed to save themselves from the pain and "check out" early, because of religious freaks like you sticking your noses in other peoples lives.

Dieing from starvation, especially in her condition, is actually not all that bad, as far as deaths go. Yes, it would be better if we could give her a pill that would end her life quickly and completely painlessly, but that's against the law, due to people like you.

Would you like to see "on film" as you say, how my uncle died of cancer?

 

you're an angry little boogar, aren't you?

 

*Rolls on the floor laughing*

 

freak, with respect, I really don't see that your vitrol is warranted. I think everyone would appreciate it if you would dial it back a touch. Thanks, brother. :H

 

1-I'm aware of the other women and kids, which happened years after he was told his wife could not recover. YOU are passing judgement on what is in his heart about his wife.

2-As I feel, BECAUSE I love my wife, I would not allow her parents leave her in that pitiful state of being for years on end.

3- Satanist, fundimentalist- what's the difference. Off balance one way or the other is still off balance.

4- You're wrong, I know a great deal about you.

 

Sorry, but I live in a very right wing christian area, and I see more and more fundimentalism sticking it's nose in my personal life. Everywhere I go they are sticking their belief system in my face. Just the other day, here in my store I was talking to a couple of customers and out of the blue they said they'd like to prey with me, and asked if I had accepted Jesus. When I politely told them that I had my own belief, that I was a Taoist. They said, "what's that? Brother no wonder God was telling me to prey for you?" Total lack of respect for my faith system.

And if you are concerned about my tone, maybe you should go back and read what I was responding too. I'm feed up with "good christians" painting those who disagree with them as evil, or motivated by foul intent. Which is what I was responding too.

Love to chat more but time to go home.

 

Please re-read the quote and notice your mistake.

Someone had stated, "She will fall asleep into a peaceful coma".(I believe it was Peanuts who heard the quote from the News) I said that my mother stated it was a lie. I think the part where I mentioned that my mother said she would, "suffer from hunger and thirst", would be blatantly obvious that it would be painful. I never said anything about a painless death. Please refrain from putting words into my mouth or my mother's.

She was not dying until the tube was removed. She was capable of breathing.

"Religious freaks like you"... What an ignorant and immature statement to make. I was unaware that I, myself, had passed a bill stating that euthanasia was illegal. Wow, I did not know that I possessed that much power.

Yet, you would allow her to starve to death in her bed. That says alot. It seems quite interesting because, this man did, in fact, allow his wife to, "suffer", for years on end, while he slept with and impregnated another woman. It was not five years, it was not ten years, yet, he allowed her to suffer for over twelve years. All the sudden now he wants to, "ease her pain." He claims that she never would have wanted to live like this. Then why did he allow the doctors to rececitate her in the first place? Why did he not have the tube removed after a few years? Last time I checked, when a person was in love, they did not cheat on their wives the moment something terrible happened. So much for, "In sickness and in health." His wife was lying in a hospital bed and he was out knocking up with his girlfriend. The girlfriend bore his children and he has money to claim on his wife's death. Maybe you should watch the COURT channel sometime. You may benefit from the interesting shows that dolve deep into actual cases where men kill their wives over money. Either that, or speak with a lawyer. If money was not involved, this would not even be a case.

The high and mighty throne you seem to place yourself on with that comment seems a bit tarnished.

I am sorry, but you are in denial. You have never met me. We have never had a conversation. You do not experience life with me on a day to day basis. Until you accomplish those, to say you know me is foolish. The grouping of people of faith into one little category is very old and lack luster. I did not come into your store and speak with you. Do not take your anger towards them out on me.


Your intolerance and inability to distinquish individuals from a group setting is boring me. You are doing exactly what you claim these religious people have done to you. I believe the word for that is called, "hypocrisy."

 

If you want the other side go to www.terrisfight.org I have worked in nursing homes for years as a respiratory therapists and I personally think the PVS diagnosis is a load of crap. She does respond. She has eaten jello, pudding, and thickened liquids. She has only had one CT scan, no MRI, no EEG, just one CT in 1996(?). She did have a bone scan done that showed she had been abused. Her estranged husband, who had another girlfriend only months after Terri mysteriously collapsed, refused all rehabilitative treatment and regular medical treatment after he was awarded over a million dollars in settlements for Terri's care. She has been locked in a room, no personal effects, denied visits from her parents and siblings (even in these last days!!), orders from M Schiavo that she not be taken out of her room. Nurses have signed sworn affidavits about his comments about Terri's death. "When is this bitch going to die?"


What is being done to her is torture which will result in murder. You cannot treat an animal this way but for a human being it is okay? Crap! Go to the website and they have the legal documents posted. Judge Greer didn't just remove her feeding tube; he also ordered that she could not be fed by natural means, not even a wet qtip can they touch to her lips as she is laying there suffering.

Something stinks.........

 

I think people should stop being so accusing of her husband... hes been by her side for years, and just because he and her parents have different ideas whats best for there daughter, that doesn't make him a villian.

And I'd like to point out again that her cerebral cortex is pretty gone, and she will never recover... she will never have feelings, memories, conscious thought, or a personality again... all that I consider what makes me alive.

Not wanting her to die is one thing, but to suggest all she needs is a little more speech therapoy is absurd.

I feel very bad for her, her husband, and her parents.

 

good2bhome, read this.
I believe that certified neurologists are more qualified to make the PVS diagnosis that a respiratory therapist who hasn't even been in the same room with Mrs. Schiavo. Or were you just stating your opinion?

PVS patients, as stated in the report, seem to respond to external stimuli. It is what's so confusing about the state.

The million dollar settlement was a malpractice award against her fertility doctor. $300,000 of that award was given to Michael Schiavo directly. The $750,000 damages award was given to Suntrust to act as trustee. Michael cannot and has not touched this money, as stated in the report.

She did not mysteriously collapse. She suffered cardiac arrest brought on by a potassium depletion. It is thought that this was caused by an eating disorder. Bulimia has been suggested, but not proven. The court found no merit in the abuse charge.

As I have stated in previous posts, Michael Schiavo aggressively sought rehabilitative treatment for her in the first four(?) years, even moving to California to try a treatment there. He was equal partners in her care with both parents in the beginning. It was only after her doctor said that there was nothing more that could be done did he stop seeking treatment.

Read the report.