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LOL. Aye, aye, Captain.

When I read stuff like the poster to whom I was responding, why am I reminded of Sgt. Schultz: "I see nothing. I hear nothing."

I don't think we're going to change anyone's mind at this point. We may have to just be content that we have done our best to inform them. Did you see Terri's mother last? I couldn't believe it.

Oops! Should have said' "Did you see Terri's mother last night on TV?" Delayed Typing Syndrome again. Sorry.

Well, I just read through the hospital discharge summary report. Very interesting stuff. Says she was "decerebrating". Not a good thing. She was having seizures, indicative of the severe brain damage. The rigidity of her neck we are hearing about so often could certainly be part of the decerebration reflex (read about it in a medical dictionary, and no I'm not a doctor, but I did take physiology and anatomy classes in college, and know a little something about structure and function). The decerebration reflex causes rigidity in the extensor muscles, which are those which help a person stand, and other muscles, such as those in the neck holding up the head. There was no suspicion by the ER docs and attending physicians that she had been strangled. Her cardiac arrest was attributed to her bulimia, and consumption of large amounts of liquid each day. Electrolyte imbalance, anyone? For those of us old enough to remember Karen Carpenter, she died from an electrolyte imbalance attributed to her anorexia - caused cardiac problems leading to her death.

The discharge summary also said that she was not responding to commands. Now, I've heard the wonderful Dr. H say that when she was in the nursing home after her discharge from the hospital, she was learning to walk between parallel bars, and speaking single syllable words. Pardon me if I am skeptical of his assertions.