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***
polly; you can hear Glenn for free at 610wtvn.com, but you do have to register.
You mean you actually think she should be fed? Are you sure?
(If you’d like to be added or deleted from this Ping List please freepmail me.)
Pinging to Post 850 for information on how to make contact with Beth Gaddy, Mae's granddaughter.
According to the LifeTree timeline:
[March, 2003]
AARP's Modern Maturity magazine publishes article supporting assisted-suicide.
Link here:
http://www.aarpmagazine.org/tools/Articles/a2003-01-14-dignity/print
Timeline here:
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ejoyinlife/
Polly, go here. You don't have to register or pay.
Posted by wisconsinconservative to pollywog
On General/Chat ^ 04/08/2005 10:02:22 AM CDT · 836 of 842 ^
Here you go Polly! Link to Glenn Beck
http://www.wlac.com/main.html
http://www.nrlc.org/
National Right to Life Website has resources for Will to LIVE information and PDF documents for each state
Another woman is being dehydrated and starved to death. For those who don't know background, story is at end of contacts.
Also, see this thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=1379016%2C591
Please help us notify media. Do as much as you can. If you only have a little time, please do SOMETHING. Thanks.
If you have a lot of time, you can contact eeevil conservative by PM, in order to get her name & give it as contact info., as she has talked with Mae's family and others.
Sean Hannity's e-mail: James.Grisham@abc.com
And click next link for the media in GEORGIA
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/?command=state_search&state=GA&submit.x=13&submit.y=10
Special Note
Nationwide local media contact database - one of the best all-purpose links.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media
For contact info for all media in a local area, enter your zipcode.
For contact info for all media in a state, click that state on the map.
For national media, check the "show national media" box.
When it returns your list of media outlets, you can click on the name to go to the website.
If you want to send email to any or all of them, click the box next to the name. Then, click "compose message". When the next screen comes up, enter the requested information, type in your message, and click "send message".
==>Added bonus: on the left hand side of the search page are links to the same kind of contact info for national, state and local officials; and state agencies.
To Call FOX News Channel:
1-888-369-4762
FOX News Channel Comments
Comments@foxnews.com
cbs phone # is 212-975-3247; e-mail is audsvcs@cbs.com
If you call you can either leave a message on their answering machine, or if you wish to talk with a "real person," call between 10 - 11:30 a.m. or 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Here's the background for those who don't know:
To view ENTIRE article, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/a...RTICLE_ID=43688
Thursday, April 7, 2005
MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Granddaughter yanks grandma's feeding tube
81-year-old neither terminally ill, comatose, nor in vegetative state
Posted: April 7, 2005
7:33 p.m. Eastern
By Sarah Foster
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
In a situation recalling the recent death of Terri Schiavo in Florida, an 81-year-old widow, denied nourishment and fluids for nearly two weeks, is clinging to life in a hospice in LaGrange, Ga., while her immediate family fights desperately to save her life before she dies of starvation and dehydration.
Mae Magouirk was neither terminally ill, comatose nor in a "vegetative state," when Hospice-LaGrange accepted her as a patient about two weeks ago upon the request of her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, 36, an elementary school teacher.
Also upon Gaddy's request and without prior legal authority, since March 28 Hospice-LaGrange has denied Magouirk normal nourishment or fluids via a feeding tube through her nose or fluids via an IV. She has been kept sedated with morphine and ativan, a powerful tranquillizer.
Her nephew, Ken Mullinax, told WorldNetDaily that although Magouirk is given morphine and ativan, she has not received any medication to keep her eyes lubricated during her forced dehydration.
"They haven't given her anything like that for two weeks," said Mullinax. "She can't produce tears."
The dehydration is being done in defiance of Magouirk's specific wishes, which she set down in a "living will," and without agreement of her closest living next-of-kin, two siblings and a nephew: A. Byron McLeod, 64, of Anniston, Ga.; Ruth Mullinax, 74, of Birmingham, Ala.; and Ruth Mullinax's son, Ken Mullinax.
Magouirk's husband and only child, a son, are both deceased.
In her living will, Magouirk stated that fluids and nourishment were to be withheld only if she were either comatose or "vegetative," and she is neither. Nor is she terminally ill, which is generally a requirement for admission to a hospice.
Magouirk lives alone in LaGrange, though because of glaucoma she relied on her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, to bring her food and do errands.
(Excerpt)
LET'S
he/she-its posts are are a distraction and wasting precious time
Because they loaded grandma up with morphine and Atavin(sp), which is a powerful tranquilizer. She's zonked.
Ahh, no thread is complete without your happy, shiny posts, Robert ;)
'fraid you are absolutely right. They, like many other organizations, started out on the right premise, but have, like same, fallen victim to the "power - absolute" syndrome.
This is why I dropped my membership over a decade ago..
Precisely.
You are right, this situation is scary. During the Schiavo case, all the media talking heads kept solemnly saying "the one lesson we all should take from this" is to have a living will. Over and over, they shook their heads at how this "never would have happened" had Terri Schiavo only left written instructions. Well, looks like this lady did leave written instructions... but they are not being followed. In that regard, I think this case could end up being more of a wake up call even than Terri Schiavo's case.
agree with you here - even tho I do not like the man - he is a brilliant lawyer and seemed to be on Terri's side...
would like to see him get into this - sneakers and all :O)
Do we have to alienate those who may wish to help with Mae by judging them on opinions they may have had on another issue?? Please, lets not go there again.
Thanks! : )
WC
Contact Information
Division of Aging Services
Two Peachtree Street, NW
Suite 9385
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3142
Phone: 404.657.5258
Fax: 404.657.5285
http://aging.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DAS/menuitem.9e91405d0e424e248e738510da1010a0/?vgnextoid=90439b953be20010VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD
DHR informs consumers of their rights under Georgia's Living Will Law
March 31, 2005
ATLANTA (GA) – The Department of Human Resources Division of Aging Services (DAS) informs Georgians that under Georgia’s law on Living Wills, when completing the forms they can choose for themselves the medical care they want when they are no longer able to communicate with doctors or family.
“People have the right to choose to either be kept alive for as long as possible or not to have their death prolonged,” said Maria Greene, Director of the Division of Aging Services. ”Therefore, it is very important that they think about the end of life, make their own decision, and discuss it with their family, friends and clergy or spiritual advisors. If they don’t make a choice and let their wishes be known in writing, their physicians and family will be forced to decide for them.”
Georgia’s Living Will, first passed in 1984 was revised in 1992 to allow for withholding or withdrawing treatment while a person is in a persistent comatose or vegetative state. It also authorizes a person’s doctor to withhold or withdraw certain medical procedures such as a respirator or ventilator in certain conditions. One is allowed to choose to accept or refuse artificial nutrition or hydration–feeding tubes. The Living Will operates when a person: has a terminal condition; is in a persistent comatose condition (coma); or is in a persistent vegetative state.
A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, a more extensive health care instrument, allows one to appoint an agent to carry out many more medical treatment decisions and choose the kinds of medical treatment they want or don’t want. These decisions can include postponing and delaying death, just like the Living Will allows.
Georgia law requires that two people witness you signing a Living Will. These witnesses must be: at least 18 years of age; not-related to you; not able to inherit from your estate; not be responsible for paying your medical bills; and, neither the first nor second witness can be your doctor or any employee of the hospital or nursing home from where you are being cared. If you make a Living Will while a patient in a hospital or resident of a skilled nursing facility, a third witness is required who must be the medical director of the skilled nursing home or staff physician not participating in your care.
Once your Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care are signed, you should have several copies made. The originals should be kept with your other important papers, such as your Last Will and Testament. These papers should be kept in a place where someone can find them. Copies should be given to your family members and your doctors. These documents can be revoked at any time.
A Living Will or a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care allows you to retain control over your medical care, even if you are no longer able to communicate. Deciding about one of these documents should help you and your families rest easier, knowing that your wishes about your care are known. The law does not require that you consult an attorney or a physician when executing these documents but if you have questions about them, it is a good idea.
The Division of Aging Services provides free information forms on Georgia’s Living Will as well as the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. For more information, contact the Division of Aging Services at 404-657-5319 or go to the Division’s website at www.aging.dhr.georgia.gov and click on Publications on the left.
For information, contact:
Edna Jackson; 404-657-1386
edjackson@dhr.state.ga.us
http://aging.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DAS/menuitem.ad8cceace9853e248e738510da1010a0/?vgnextoid=299c8538d69f2010VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e2a807b35414ff00VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD
Aging Services.
http://aging.dhr.georgia.gov/portal/site/DHR-DAS/menuitem.9e91405d0e424e248e738510da1010a0/?vgnextoid=5dc466ef2affff00VgnVCM100000bf01010aRCRD
The email address for Edna Jackson is the only email address I have found so far for DHR Aging Services. Sent an email will let you know if/when I hear anything back.
Just talked to Kenneth,
He had to get off the phone too quick-- his Mother's doctor was calling. He is overwhelmed with phone calls. etc-- but he is handling this all well...
GA sTTORNEY gENERAL HAS no EMAIL ADDRESS.. KNEW NOTHING OF THIS STORY!
PLEASE- ANYONE WITH A FAX-- FAX THE ATTORNEY FENERAL:
FAX : 404-657-8733
I WILL GET PICS FROM KENNETH AS SOON AS I CAN.
Yes. Drop the smarminess; there is no such thing as a "death cult" on FR. That's a figment of your imagination.
Oh, I beg to differ about the death cult. The writing is on the wall, so to speak, about that. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure that you understood that this is an elderly lady, can't get around much, has eye disease and a heart problem. At the moment, she may not be able to talk. Are you still sure you want to feed her?
Think long and hard about it, I know these decisions are not easy for you.
If this was memorialized in a Court order, then it probably is a public record. Depending on the state, you might be surprised at what you can find in Court records, many of which are available to the public. As for the "random busybodies," if I were in the position of this elderly woman or her siblings, I'd be very grateful that there still are such "busybodies" in the world to look out for another person who needs help.
I think Terri and her family would disagree.
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