Posted on 04/07/2005 2:59:57 AM PDT by schmelvin
For Immediate release! To: All media, and supporters of life. From: The Family of Mae Magouirk Date: April 6, 2005 Contact: Kenneth Mullinax - Mockingbird@compuhelp.net
Shiavo case revisited in Georgia
Mae Magouirk…not comatose …not vegetative …not terminal
Why is Hospice LaGrange, Ga. withholding nourishment?
(LaGrange, Georgia) Mae Magouirk is being withheld nourishment and fluids and the provisions of her Living Will are not being honored at the Hospice-LaGrange, (1510 Vernon Street, LaGrange “Troup County” Georgia, 706-845-3905) a subsidiary of the LaGrange Hospital in LaGrange Georgia. Her family is desperately seeking to save her life before she dies of malnourishment and dehydration.
Mae Magouirk IS NOT comatose and she IS NOT vegetative. She is not terminal!
Despite these facts the Hospice and Beth Gaddy, a school teacher at LaGrange’s Calloway Middle School and granddaughter of Mae Magouirk have been denying her proactive nourishment or fluids (via a nose administered feeding tube or fluids via an IV) since March 28 without prior legal consent; against the wishes of her Living Will and against the wishes of Mae Magouirk’s closest living next of kin. Mae Magouirk’s next of kin are: Mr. A. B. McLeod (Her Brother) and Mrs. Lonnie Ruth Mullinax (Her sister) both of nearby Anniston, Alabama.
Under Georgia law, unless a medical durable power of attorney is in place, your closest living next of kin are stipulated to make all medical decisions. When Mae Magouirk’s closest living next of kin lodged a complaint with Hospice LaGrange’s in-house attorney Carol Todd last Thursday, March 31, Ms. Todd checked Mae Magouirk’s case file and upon examination of both documents discovered that Beth Gaddy DID NOT have the durable medical power of attorney for Mae Magouirk and upon closer examination of Mae Magouirk’s Living Will ascertained that fluids and nourishment were ONLY TO BE WITHHELD if she was either comatose or vegetative. SHE IS IN NEITHER STATE!!!
Nor is Mae Magouirk terminally ill. Her local LaGrange, Ga. cardiologist, Dr. James Brennan and Dr. Raed Aqel, a highly acclaimed interventional cardiologist at the nationally renowned University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center have determined that Mae Magouirk’s aortic dissection is contained and not presently life threatening.
Two weeks ago, Mae Magouirk’s aorta had a dissection and she was hospitalized in the LaGrange Hospital in LaGrange, Ga. Her aortic problem was at first determined to be severe and she was admitted in the intensive care Unit. Her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, a teacher at the Calloway Middle School in LaGrange, stated that she held Mae Magouirk’s medical power of attorney and thus invoked said powers against the wishes of Mae Magouirk’s closest living next of kin by having her moved to Hospice-LaGrange. While at Hospice-LaGrange, Beth Gaddy stated that her wishes were for no nourishment for Mae Magouirk via a feeding tube or fluids via an IV. Before hospitalization Mae was lucid and never had been diagnosed with dementia as was testified to in Probate Court on Monday, April 4, by a local MD.
Page Two Mae Magouirk is being starved to death!
Upon learning from Hospice-LaGrange that Mae Magouirk was being denied nourishment and fluids and upon being told by Carol Todd (Hospice LaGrange’s in-house legal consul) that Beth Gaddy DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER LEGAL AUTHORITY to deny said nourishment AND that the denial of nourishment went against Mae Magouirk’s Living Will, Mae’s family (Mullinax/McLeod) ordered the immediate beginning of such nourishment/fluids for Mae to Hospice via Carol Todd.
First Contact with Hospice on Thursday, March 31 Carol Todd told Mrs. Lonnie Ruth Mullinax (Mae Magouirk’s sister) and Kenneth Mullinax (Mae Magouirk’s nephew) via phone on Thursday, March 31 that Georgia Law stipulated that Mrs. Mullinax and her brother A. B. McLeod (Mae Magouirk’s brother) were entitled to make any and all decisions for Mae Magouirk. Mrs. Mullinax immediately told Carol Todd to insert fluids via an IV and insert a feeding tube, via her nose. Carol Todd had the IV fluids started that evening but told the family that they would have to come to Hospice LaGrange to sign papers to have the feeding tube inserted and because of such, she believed that Mae Magouirk would no longer be a candidate for Hospice LaGrange. She was then told that Mae Magouirk’s family concurred and the ONLY REASON Mae was at Hospice was because the LaGrange Hospital had failed to exercise due diligence in closely examining the power of attorney which Beth Gaddy said she had, as well as executing the provisions of Mae’s Living Will to her preordained stipulations. Gaddy only had a financial power of attorney and did not have a medical power of attorney and Mae Magouirk’s Living Will provided that a feeding tube and fluids SHOULD ONLY BE DISSCONTINUED IF Mae was comatose or in a vegetative state. She was and is in neither state.
Attempt to rescue Mae on Friday denied by Probate Judge Donald Boyd On Friday, April 1, when A. B. McLeod (brother) and Kenneth Mullinax (nephew) showed up to meet with Carol Todd and to arrange emergency air transport of Mae Magouirk to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center (One of the top cardiovascular centers in the USA) Hospice LaGrange stalled them while Beth Gaddy went before Troup County Georgia (LaGrange, Ga.) Probate Judge Donald W. Boyd (who DOES NOT hold a law degree) who granted Beth Gaddy emergency guardianship of Mae Magouirk, giving Beth Gaddy full and absolute authority. Thus, they COULD NOT MOVE HER FOR PROACTIVE MEDICAL CARE Friday because Beth Gaddy had Hospice stop them and then she had Mae’s IV fluid tube pulled out. Beth Gaddy has repeatedly told Mr. McLeod, Mrs. Mullinax and Kenneth Mullinax that she feels they all should let Mae not eat and thus cause her to die because, and we quote Beth Gaddy: “Grandmamma is old and I think it is time she went home to Jesus. She has glaucoma, and now this heart problem and who would want to live with disabilities like these?”
As stipulated under Georgia Law, a hearing for an Emergency Guardianship, must be held within 3 days of its request and Mae Magouirk’s hearing was held on this past Monday, April 4, before Troup County Georgia Probate Judge Donald Boyd who favors granting Beth Gaddy permanent guardianship and thus will seal Mae Magouirk’s fate of allowing Beth Gaddy to starve her to death against the wishes of her Living Will and in full knowledge that Mae Magouirk is not terminal, not in a coma and is not in a vegetative state and that medical care at UAB Medical Center is awaiting her. Shiavo revisited!
Mae’s present state and vital signs Mae’s blood pressure is good, averaging 140/82 with a pulse rate of 88. However, since admission to Hospice she has not been lucid but who would be since nourishment and fluids have been denied since March 28, 2005. Also adding to her confusion is that she is off her regular medicines and is on a dose of Adavan and Morphine. Without food or water her electrolytes and body chemistry is not within its proper parameters. If her condition is not given major public attention soon, she will die, not by divine cause but by the omission of assistance by man. WE MUST GET Mae moved to UAB Medical ASAP
Resources: Probate Judge Donald Boyd…Court CASE NUMBER: Estate 138-05 Attorney for saving Mae’s life: Jack Kirby, Kirby & Roberts***
Via Email from Kenneth Mullinax:
Mom visited with Mae 30 minutes late yesterday.
UAB Medical spoke with Beth Gaddy and they arranged a humanitarian visit for Mom and Buddy each day at 5:30pmcst with no stipulations attached.
We are still filing before the newly appointed Judge on Monday in LaGrange, Ga. but until then, we didn't want pride or anything to stand in the way of Mom and her brother visiting their sister. It is good for Mom's condition (she is still in UAB Hospital) and it is great for Mae too.
MAES CONDITION
(1) Mom spoke to the charge nurse and Mae is listed as stable....that is fabulous for a women who was in hospice.
(2) Mae has an IV in her arm and is being hydrated.
(3) Mae has a temporary nasal feeding tube.
(4) The charge nurse said Mae's heart is doing well.
(5) Mae is cognizant.
(6) Mae recognized Mom and spoke in sentences.
(7) Mae is still speaking softly because her throat is still very sore from dehydration but she is speaking.
(8) She is in the critical care unit but stable.
When I visited my Mom at the hospital early this morning she (Lonnie Ruth McLeod Mullinax-Mae's sister) told me
"I visited with sister Mae last evening and she looks so much better now. Mae opened her eyes and when she saw me said 'where you been Lonnie?' I asked her how she felt and she whispered 'I can't buck dance.' I stayed with her for 30 minutes and when I got ready to leave, she grabbed my hand and said: 'Bring me a brown sack and take me home.' That was a saying of Momma's that means pack up my stuff. I am so thankful to the Lord that sister is doing so well now."
Praise Christ!
Thanks to Terri's friends for helping us bring this to the attention of the authorities and the media.
Although Terri's death was very tragic, she lives-through ALL of you and her spirit has brought my Aunt from hell to the serenity of a caring, competent hospital.
Ken Mullinax
(Can you sense my big grin now?)
*bump*
So glad the two of them are able to visit, to show their love for one another, and to share praise and thanks to God in heaven.
ROTFL! That has me grinning from ear to ear. Prayers for a full recovery and long, healthy life.
AMEN!!!
I lost it laughing to!!!
PRAISE GOD! WHAT GREAT NEWS!!
Great!!!
There shall be no shame for all the efforts saving this woman from evil. God lives on through each soul, sending angels to defend the welfare of His children.
Your hard work and guidance in handling this challenge is greatly appreciated! It's wonderful that an agreement was established and the siblings are permitted to visit. It must surely relieve their stress levels and concerns. PRAISE THE LORD!
We need to keep watch...the evil forces are still active and I'm sure there will be more battles ahead.
AMEN and TO GOD BE THE GLORY
Hopefully someone else heard her talk (place sarcasm tag here)
Maybe the Brown Bag will be comming soon!
Has MAE's SISTER been in to visit with Mae?
Am I on a cloud?
Is this for real?
I am so happy for MAE and Ruth........just JOYOUS!
May God Bless Mae and Ruth, and bless the medical personnel who tend to their common (shared) aorta problem! Two sisters, patients in the same hospital, now can hold hands and speak with one another.
I do not know what made beth change her mind....BUT THANK GOD she did!
Thank you, THANK YOU for this information.
Do you know where Pat, Beth's mother, Mae's dtr., fits into this sick case of first denying medical care and assigning a ward to death a la mode hospice?
Praise the Lord!
you have freepmail. Off topic but urgent.
Regarding posts 2541 and 2542...
Yippee and PTL!!!!
Thank you for the updates, eeevil conservative!!!
You have mail again
Thanks for the update. It feels good to cry happy tears for a change.
Praise the Lord, and pass the Ensure.
COME OVER HERE AND GET THE GOOD NEWS!!
Amen and pass the biscuits!!!!!!!!!WOOHOO!!!!!!!!
WAHOO!
Been out in the forest and sun, listening to the frogs who "woke up" this week...had to 'breath my soul back into me" (Millay)
This is SUPER - and the sister can visit - etc...sounds like Kirby's one of the rare good lawyers and knows his stuff!
Would love to've been a fly on the wall when Kirby told Boyd where the bear does his doody in the buckwheat!
maybe something like - "How could you give the granddaughter POA on medical and not consider the statements from the brother and sister that would shed suspicion on the motives of the granddaughter?"
Anyway, it looks like Mae is safe now. If Mae is conscience, she could immediately change her POA on both financial and medical...
Oh my goodness!! I have been gone several days, and Gramma Mae is TALKING!!! Wow thanks for this super post!!! Terri will live on in MANY people I am quite certain!!
Polly
Oh my goodness!! I have been gone several days, and Gramma Mae is TALKING!!! Wow thanks for this super post!!! Terri will live on in MANY people I am quite certain!!
Polly
guess that dispels all speculation about what she meant before about where "home" is!
Sounds like Kenneth has a good lawyer! This is NOT going to go the way of greer & gang.
bet the granddaughter is a bit nervous ;o)
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