Terri Schiavo's Last Day For Food

Tampa Tribune | October 15, 2003

[Autie]

PINELLAS PARK - Terri Schiavo's feeding tube is going to be removed today, and her parents fear they will not be allowed at her bedside when she dies. Bob and Mary Schindler had been warned by Schiavo's husband and legal guardian, Michael, that if they released a videotape of Terri Schiavo, their visitations with their daughter would be restricted.

The Schindlers released the tape Tuesday anyway, as they were surrounded by supporters carrying signs outside Hospice House Woodside, which is providing care for their daughter. Hours later, one of Michael Schiavo's attorneys, Deborah A. Bushnell, made that warning a reality.

Now, the Schindlers can't watch over their daughter as she slowly dies unless they are accompanied by her husband or someone who represents him, according to a letter from Bushnell to the Schindlers' attorney, Pat Anderson.

The back-and-forth is just the latest between the Schindlers of St. Petersburg, who want to keep their daughter alive, and their son-in-law of Clearwater, who doesn't believe his wife would want to exist in her current condition. Most physicians have said she has been in a persistent vegetative state since suffering unexplained heart failure 13 years ago that cut off oxygen to her brain.

The restrictions on visiting Terri Schiavo came at about the same time Anderson was coming to the conclusion that all legal appeals to block the tube's removal have been exhausted.

``We will try to have Mike or a representative there as much as possible after the feeding tube is removed, hopefully at all times,'' said Bushnell, Michael Schiavo's attorney.

``I told Pat we would accommodate the Schindlers to the extent that we can.''

Anderson voiced skepticism.

``I'd say it's likely Terri is going to die without her mother at her side. ... It's pretty heartless of Michael to do this.''

Bob and Mary Schindler, along with their son, Robert Schindler, tried visiting their daughter after Bushnell faxed her letter. They were turned away by one of the Pinellas Park police officers hired for security by the hospice as a precautionary measure.

Robert Schindler told WFLA, News Channel 8, ``Terri is going to die alone without her family.''

Anderson explained that all legal avenues have been exhausted.

The 2nd District Court of Appeal in Lakeland on Tuesday rejected two motions filed earlier. One asked the appeals court to reverse its decision denying ``swallowing therapy'' for Terri Schiavo.

The other motion that was denied asked that Circuit Judge George Greer be disqualified. Greer, on the strength of medical testimony, ruled therapy was unlikely to have any effect, and his rulings have been upheld.

On Tuesday, Anderson filed a motion with Greer. It asked, among other things, that Terri Schiavo be fed by mouth. But Greer denied that request, Anderson said.

``I've done everything in this case,'' Anderson said. ``I've turned over every rock.''

Stetson University College of Law Professor Mike Allen said it might take intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the order removing the feeding tube today, but that is highly unlikely. ``They've made a stop at every level of the state judiciary at least once,'' said Allen, who has been following the case closely.

The Schindlers now can only seek an emergency stay, either from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who handles the South, or from the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta - and neither of those is likely, Allen said.

Gov. Jeb Bush doesn't plan to intercede, either, although he has been sympathetic with those who want her kept alive.

``The governor does not have the authority to overrule a court's ruling,'' said Bush spokesman Jacob DiPietre. ``The governor has the responsibility to both ensure the laws of the state are faithfully executed, and give a voice to the citizens of the state. And he's done both, with a letter to the judge and the friend-of-the- court brief he filed.''

The videotape released by the Schindlers Tuesday was taken two years ago in defiance of an order by Greer that no more videotaping take place.

In the five-minute tape, Terri Schiavo, 39, makes a moaning noise as her mother coos affectionately the words, ``ma, ma,'' repeatedly within inches of her face. To the Schindlers, the tape is further evidence their daughter is ``a live human being,'' Bob Schindler said.

But Bob Schindler acknowledged the videotape was similar to one which has already been made available to the media. At Tuesday's news conference, the Schindlers also spoke of their daughter nearly falling out of her chair when a new-age healer told her over the phone if she didn't get up, she would die.

Bushnell said, if true, this, too, constituted another violation of a court order, because the Schindlers were told not to have their daughter undergo therapy without permission from the court.

Supervising the video release was Randall A. Terry, president of the Society for Truth and Justice, which he described as a Judeo-Christian pro-life and natural law group based in St. Augustine. Bob Schindler and Terry both said releasing the video violated Greer's old court order and that Schindler risked arrest on a charge of contempt of court.

``Obviously, all bets are off because her life is on the line,'' said Terry, who also founded the antiabortion group Operation Rescue.

The roughly two dozen sign- carrying supporters who served as a backdrop for the video release vowed to keep vigil as Terri Schiavo dies. Some protesters were right-to- life supporters, others anti-euthanasia and many Catholic.

Their number appeared to swell and lessen depending on how many news organizations were around.

Reporters Tom Krause and Rick Barry contributed to this report. Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 823-3303. Reporter Rod Challenger can be reached at (727) 536-8443.

[NebraskaTrailrider]

Yes

An RN working at the facility she was at (I believe previous to the 'hospice') witnessed 2 severe hypoglycemic episodes immediately after Mr. Schiavo left her room after a closed door private 'visit' he was having with her. The RN rightly suspected he had injected her with insulin because her glucose level was so low it didn't register upon the glucometer. Terri was crying hysterically and was diaphoretic ect...go to www.terrisfight.org and read nurses testimonies. By the way, terri is not even a diabetic. Although it is routine to check glucose levels when on tube feedings. I've had tube feeders, and NEVER saw anything bizaar like that. He did it. He was trying to kill her, as she could have lapst into a coma and died. But the RN caught it in time. GOOD for her!

[suzyq5558]

Terri did not look comotose to me. she look fully aware of her surroundings. i read a few other posts and dicovered that my thoughts about the husband were correct.this is a terrible thing and i pray the guilty here won't go unpunished.

[NebraskaTrailrider]

In the medical profession we usually a standardized test called the Glascow coma scale. Points are given in terms of resposiveness to certian stimuli and as well as other physical assessments like pupil reaction pain reaction ect. I don't need the Glascow scale here, I saw the videos, THAT IS NO comatose patient.

[JulieRNR21]

Please sign petition here:

www.terrisfight.org

And ask others to do so.

[bonfire]

Thanks for the info. Hope his new "wife" takes heed.

[Ferret Fawcet]

Same here. In all the e-mails I've sent to various politicians and to the media, I've tried to be nice. But now we're down to the wire. I signed the petition- and to say my comments were "strong" is putting it mildly.

[suzyq5558]

I sure will julie.

[GHCubana]

Did anybody see the ABC Good Morning America report this morning on Terry ? Did you see her husband say that she has had all the therapy for her rehab. and her state cannot be improved. Terry's parents were interviewed and they exposed the fact that they were not allowed to see Terry since 5 Pm yesterday.
Nothing was said about her husband "fiance" or his conflict of interests regarding Terry.
This media attention is not pro-Terry but pro-death. We need somebody that will expose all the facts as we know them in Free Republic.
This is so unfair.

[GHCubana]

Did anybody see the ABC Good Morning America report this morning on Terry ? Did you see her husband say that she has had all the therapy for her rehab. and her state cannot be improved. Terry's parents were interviewed and they exposed the fact that they were not allowed to see Terry since 5 Pm yesterday.
Nothing was said about her husband "fiance" or his conflict of interests regarding Terry.
This media attention is not pro-Terry but pro-death. We need somebody that will expose all the facts as we know them in Free Republic.
This is so unfair.

[Hildy]

Are they at least going to give her drugs to speed up her death? That is what hospice does. Does anyone know?

[MHGinTN]

Regarding the insulin assertion, there is sworn testimony from a nurse who was a caregiver for Terri that indiciates Michael gave soemthing to Terri during short visits which threw her blood sugar into fits ... she would be fine upon his entering the room and locking the door so he could be alone with her, then upon leaving shotly thereafter, Terri would show signs of going into insulin shock and the nurse took her blood sugar and saw it had fallen off the chart, so the nurse took immediate action to stabilize Terri. The nurse wrote these incidents up but somehow they would be thrown into the trash without becoming a part of her records! Of course the items used in an emergency situation to stabilize Terri will be part of the materials record.

[NebraskaTrailrider]

OH yeah, they will, see, Mr. Schiavo WANTS her to have drugs. Morphine. Then she'll be too doped up to respond and he will finally succeed in her 13 year long murder. I hope that Terri's Doctors will come forward! The doctors are the ones who can help here. If they have the balls.

[Dumb_Ox]

^

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I wrote letters to the staff of Hospice, asking them not to do this to Terri, and to allow the parents who love her to comfort her, and for her Priest to be allowed to deliver last rites.

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Contact The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast If you need immediate information about hospice services in Pinellas County: Click on "Services" or call 727-586-4432 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. "I love the opportunity to talk about The Hospice because I love the work that they do. They provide caring, educational and overall support at an absolutely important time. It's a gift." Dr. Linda P. Wexler

Administration Contact Name; Sandy Lambis Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: sandylambis@thehospice.org Finance Contact Name; Anne Hochsprung Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: annehochsprung@thehospice.org Development and Community Relations Contact Name; Mike Bell Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: mikebell@thehospice.org Media/Public Relations and Marketing Contact Name; Louise Cleary Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: louisecleary@thehospice.org Institute Contact Name; Kathy Egan Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: kathyegan@thehospice.org Operations Contact Name; Scott Kistler Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: scottkistler@thehospice.org Programs Contact Name; Becky McDonald Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: beckymcdonald@thehospice.org

Human Resources Contact Name; Dee Touhey Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: deetouhey@thehospice.org Counseling Contact Name; Sandi Sunter Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: sandisunter@thehospice.org Durable Medical Equipment Contact Name; Robert Deeb Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: dme@thehospice.org Volunteer Services Contact Name; Kathy Roble Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: kathyroble@thehospice.org Information Systems Contact Name; Alan Rice Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: alanrice@thehospice.org Hospice Systems, Inc. Contact Name; Teresa Craig Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: teresacraig@thehospice.org Medical Director Contact Name; Dr. James Avery Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: jamesavery@thehospice.org Webmaster Contact Name; Dan Lanneau Phone: (727) 586-4432 EMAIL: danlanneau@thehospice.org

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[TN4Liberty]

Similarly, I wondered if the family could sue for divorce on her behalf. Evidence of abuse and adultry could be put forth, and the burden of proof would be much lower. Seems an injunction against removal of the tube would be a given, and the idea that a divorce is in her best interest clear and apparent.

I'm obviously not a lawyer, but it seems if you can't win the legal fight with the husband, argue that the husband should be the husband. I bet someone heard her once say, "If my husband tried to kill me (or beat me or starved me), I would divorce him." That is as good as the evidence the husband has presented.

[Naspino]

I've said to keep me a live for a month to see if I come back and then let me go. I'm just afraid what it might be like in that state. I'm sure doctors will say for sure that they "know" there is no pain but still for all we know she's been in a living hell for 13 years and can't get out.
p>
Anyone have statistics on the % of people that come out of coma and life-support?

[Theodore R.]

Supposedly what you propose about a divorce was attempted unsuccessfully on Tuesday.

[NebraskaTrailrider]

TERRI SCHINDLER SCHIAVO IS NOT IN A COMA - NEVER WAS
SHE IS HANICAPPED
THERE IS A HUGE BIG GIGANTIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HANDICAPPED AND COMA.
I AM NEVER MOVING TO FLORIDA
FLORDIA IS CRAZY