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A Family's Torment - Terri Schiavo
ProLifeBlogs.com ^ | Feb 11, 2005

Posted on 02/12/2005 8:05:31 AM PST by amdgmary

A Family's Torment - Terri Schiavo

The following items are among many very frustrating circumstances that Terri Schiavo’s parents, brother, and sister consider to be abuses of Terri on the part of Michael Schiavo. As a parent, can you imagine having to just be a bystander while these abuses are inflicted on your child? All of these have been condoned by Judge Greer and the Pinellas County officials.

Denial of Therapy, Rehabilitation and Necessary Services

FS 744.3215 Rights of persons determined incapacitated

FS 837.021 Perjury by contradictory statements Records show that in 1992 Michael Schiavo, Terri Schiavo’s legal guardian, sued Terri’s gynecologist for negligent care. During this weeklong trial, Michael testified, assuring the judge and jury that he needed millions of dollars to properly care for Terri, bring her home, and provide Terri with proper therapy and care for the rest of his life.

Contrary to Michael Schiavo’s testimony, medical records indicate that after receiving the proceeds of the 1992 Medical Malpractice Trial totaling close to one million dollars not a single day of proper therapy or rehabilitation has been administered to Terri Schiavo, and Terri has been confined to a bed.

In fact, the spring of 1993, just several months after Michael Schiavo promised to provide life-long therapy and care for his wife, Michael revealed his first attempt to end Terri’s life testifying that he instructing caregivers not to treat Terri’s life-threatening infection. In 1995, Michael Schiavo again attempted to end Terri’s life in this manner by refusing Terri proper medical treatment.

In 1998, with close to eight hundred thousand dollars in Terri’s fund, Michael Schiavo petitioned the court to remove Terri’s feeding and hydration tube so that she would die.

Michael Schiavo is the inheritor of Terri’s Medical Trust.

Visitation Lists and Violation of Court Orders

In March 2000, Michael Schiavo, Terri Schiavo’s legal guardian, requested an emergency hearing in front of Judge George Greer, asking the court to severely restrict all family members and friends of the Schindler’s from visiting Terri.

The court agreed to restrict those that could visit Terri, and granted the Schindler family a fifteen minutes recess to create a visitors list. The court then allowed Michael Schiavo to deny/accept the visitors listed by the Schindler’s before any anyone could visit with Terri.

Further Visitation Restrictions

Subsequent to this, in a separate hearing, Michael Schiavo asked the court to again restrict visitations asking that the court to only allow those on the approved visitors list to visit Terri while in the company of Terri’s family.

This would take the place of the previous court order in which those on the approved visitation list could visit Terri, on their own schedule, without Terri’s family present.

The court approved this request.

Without Court Order

Additionally, Michael Schiavo has added and deleted visitors from the approved list without seeking court permission.

Recently, Michael Schiavo arbitrarily decided to remove several of Terri’s family members from the list because he felt they did not visit Terri regularly.

Many of Terri’s family members live out of the state of Florida and can only make occasionally trips to visit Terri.

On several occasions, the family has asked permission from Michael Schiavo to add individual friends and family members to visit with Terri. Michael Schiavo has denied this request each time.

Refusal to Fix or Replace Wheelchair

FS 744.3215 Right of persons determined incapacitated.

Records indicate that since 2000, and regardless of the requests by Terri Schiavo’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, to have Terri’s wheelchair repaired, Michael Schiavo, Terri Schiavo’s legal guardian, has refused to repair her wheelchair.

If Terri was permitted by Michael to leave her Hospice bedroom and go outside, the fact that Terri does not have a properly working wheelchair makes it very difficult to transport Terri in anything other than the bed, which is where her guardian instructs for Terri to spend most of her day.

Subsequently, for over four years, Terri’s family has been refused by Michael Schiavo the permission for Terri to be taken outside, or leave her room for any reason.

Denied Swallow Therapy

FS 744.3215 Rights of persons determined incapacitated

Contrary to what is reported by Michael Schiavo, Terri Schiavo’s legal guardian, and his attorney’s, records indicate that Terri Schiavo has not received a swallowing test to determine if she could swallow since sometime in 1992.

Terri’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, have the testimony of several physicians and have submitted additional affidavits to the court since the original January 2000 trial stating that, with proper therapy, Terri could be taught to not only eat food again, but also speak.

Furthermore, a speech therapist from the University of Chicago, Ms. Sara Green Mele, MS, CCC-SLP, submitted an affidavit in 2002 stating that after thoroughly studying tapes and reading Terri’s medical files strongly believes that Terri can be taught to once again swallow food, and also be taught to speak again. In fact, Ms. Mele believes that Terri is communicating right now. Additionally, Ms. Mele stated the she has treated patients in worse condition than Terri that have been successfully re-taught to swallow and consume food.

Michael Schiavo has brought contradictory testimony from doctors to the court stating that Terri cannot swallow food. They claim that it would be very dangerous to see if Terri is able to eat and could cause her to aspirate, which could then lead to a painful death by choking.

The Judge in this case, George Greer, has sided with Michael Schiavo’s doctors believing that Terri cannot be taught to eat again and therefore has refused to grant even a test to see if this in fact would be true.

Therefore, Judge Greer has denied any swallowing therapy believing that a potential death by aspiration and choking is more agonizing than his order to have Terri die by starvation and dehydration.

Note: In the January 2000 trial, Michael Schiavo was asked by his attorney if there was some type of therapy that could possibly help Terri would he provide it for her.

Michael’s answer was that he would be there in a heartbeat.

Confining Terri to a Single Room

FS 744.3215 Right of persons determined incapacitated

When Terri Schiavo’s family, the Schindler’s, visit with Terri at Hospice and would like to take her outside, the nursing staff must first ask Terri’s legal guardian, Michael Schiavo for permission.

For the past four years, Michael Schiavo has repeatedly denied the request by Terri’s parents and siblings for permission to take Terri outside. Subsequently, Terri has been confined to her Hospice room, not permitted to leave her room for any reason, for over four years, and is confined to her bed where she spends most of her time.

Additionally, prior to 2000 when Michael Schiavo began his orders for Terri not to leave her room, it is impossible to know the frequency in which Terri was taken outside other than when her parents requested to do so.

Denial of Medical Treatment for Life Threatening Infection

FS 825.102 Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of Elderly Persons and Disabled Adults

According to the testimony of Michael Schiavo, he assured a judge and jury in November 1992 that his wife, Terri Schiavo, would be given proper therapy and care for the rest of his life.

However, medical records indicate that after receiving the proceeds of the 1992 Medical Malpractice Trial totaling close to one million dollars not a single day of proper rehabilitation or therapy has been given to Terri.

And in the spring of 1993, just a few months after this Medical Malpractice was awarded to Terri, Michael Schiavo, Terri’s legal guardian, instructed caregivers not to treat Terri who had acquired a common but life threatening infection. This happened again in 1995. Note: Michael is the inheritor of this Medical Trust.

Michael Schiavo’s testimony - November 1993.

Q. What was her bladder condition?

Michael Schiavo: She had a UTI.

Q. What is that?

Michael Schiavo: Urinary tract infection.

Q. What did the doctor tell you treatment for that would be?

Michael Schiavo: Antibiotic usually.

Q. And did he tell you what would occur if you failed to treat that infection? What did he tell you?

Michael Schiavo: That sometimes urinary tract infection will turn to sepsis.

Q. And sepsis is what?

Michael Schiavo: An infection throughout the body.

Q. And what would the result of untreated sepsis be to the patient?

Michael Schiavo: The patient would pass on.

Denial of Personal Items, Gifts

FS 744.3215 Right of persons determined incapacitated.

Terri Schiavo resides is at a Hospice facility and is confined to a small room. Therefore, Terri’s family, the Schindler's, will try and personalize and warm her room by adding family photos. Michael Schiavo, Terri’s legal guardian, has removed family pictures from Terri’s room not to be returned.

Additionally, on several occasions, family and friends of Terri have sent flowers and cards of support to be given to her and placed in her room. Michael Schiavo has refused any cards to be displayed or for flowers to be to be delivered and placed in Terri’s room. He instructs the nurses to place the flowers at the nurse’s station.

Denial of Stimulation

In Terri Schiavo’s room, there is a small radio equipped with a CD player that Terri is permitted to listen to.

On several occasions, Terri’s family has brought some of Terri’s favorite music CD’s for Terri so that she can listen with earphones. In order to play Terri these CD’s, the Hospice nurses must first phone Michael Schiavo to ask permission. Without any reason given, Michael Schiavo refuses to allow Terri’s family to play her these CD’s.

One occasion in particular, Terri’s mother, Mary Schindler, played Terri a CD in the portable CD player. Mrs. Schindler was reprimanded by Michael Schiavo when this incident prompted the nurses to phone him inquiring what Mrs. Schindler was doing.

This restriction continues, and Terri is not permitted to listen to music via headphones.

Denial of Interaction with Parent

Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube was removed in October 2003. During one of the visits by Terri’s mother, Mary, attempted to apply lip-gloss to Terri’s lips. A security policeman stationed outside Terri’s door informed Mrs. Schindler that she was not permitted to apply any lip-gloss to Terri’s lips.

During a family visit with Terri in February 2004, Terri’s brother, Bobby Schindler, attempted to move Terri’s Geri chair that she was sitting in to the front of the window so that she could receive some fresh air. The nurse stopped Terri from being moved and informed Terri’s brother that he was not permitted to move Terri without the permission of the nursing staff. This information was given to Michael and Bobby was warned not to be a disruptive visitor.

Michael Schiavo Refuses to Dissolve Marriage FS 798.01 Living in Open Adultery

Since 1995, Michael Schiavo, Terri’s legal guardian, has been engaged to and living with Jodi Centzone. Michael Schiavo has fathered two children with this woman.

Michael Schiavo is currently married to Terri Schiavo. The two were married in a Catholic Nuptial Mass, November 1984.

Incidentally, in order to be married in a Catholic ceremony, and at the insistence of Terri because Michael was not Catholic, Michael agreed to get a special dispensation. One stipulation to receive a special dispensation was that Michael agreed to raise any children that Terri and he may have as Roman Catholics.

Incidentally, the manner in which the Schindler family was made aware that Michael was engaged to another woman while still married to Terri was receiving the obituary of Michael’s mother, Claire Schiavo, when she died in 1997.

In part of the obituary it was stated that Claire Schiavo is survived by Michael Schiavo and his fiancé Jodi Centzone. There was no mention of Michael Schiavo’s wife, Terri.

This happened once again in 2001 when Michael Schiavo's father passed away. While Jodi Centzone was mentioned as Michael’s fiancé, there was no mentioning of Michael’s current wife, Terri.

Note: Michael Schiavo did testify that he was in fact engaged to marry Jodi Centzone once his wife has passed away.


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: cohabitation; criminal; cruel; defactoremarriage; domesticviolence; enemywithin; euthanasia; florida; genevaconvention; greer; grossnegligence; guardianfromhell; hitler; homelandsecurity; judgegeorgegreer; judicialhomicide; michaelschiavo; notafitguardian; punishment; schiavo; terrischiavo; terrischindler; torture; unitednations
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To: supercat
"(Michael Schiavo is trying to starve Terri not because she's dying, but because she ISN'T.)"

SUPER, SUPER tagline, SUPERcat!

21 posted on 02/12/2005 6:36:40 PM PST by TOUGH STOUGH (If starvation & dehydration are painless, make them the method of preference for Capital Punishment.)
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To: TOUGH STOUGH
SUPER, SUPER tagline, SUPERcat!

I didn't coin the wording, but it fits. To it, I'd add that Michael et al. aren't killing Terri because she can't ever recover, but to ensure she doesn't.

22 posted on 02/12/2005 6:43:03 PM PST by supercat (Michael Schiavo is trying to starve Terri not because she's dying, but because she ISN'T.)
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To: AnimalLover
"we Freepers file a wrongful death suit - "

Absolutely. Someone MUST file it!

23 posted on 02/12/2005 6:55:07 PM PST by TOUGH STOUGH (If starvation & dehydration are painless, make them the method of preference for Capital Punishment.)
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To: Ohioan from Florida

Thanks for the ping!


24 posted on 02/12/2005 8:10:12 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: amdgmary

Seeing the condition of the Schindler family, it makes me sometimes think that in the LONG RUN, Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo were the real winners in that tyranny is now alive and well in the USA.


25 posted on 02/12/2005 8:33:25 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: AnimalLover

can we Freepers file a wrongful death suit - perhaps in another state?

No, in court one must have "standing to sue," and even the Schindlers lack "legal standing" in this case. The Schindlers cannot even erect a tombstone in their family cemetery for Terri without the permission of the "guardian." This family is understanding first-hand the definition of "American tyranny."


26 posted on 02/12/2005 8:35:13 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: Theodore R.
No, in court one must have "standing to sue," and even the Schindlers lack "legal standing" in this case. The Schindlers cannot even erect a tombstone in their family cemetery for Terri without the permission of the "guardian." This family is understanding first-hand the definition of "American tyranny."

The only cause of action in which anyone who doesn't want Terri dead has full standing is the guardianship challenge, which His Imperial Majesty the Great Lord High Executioner Judge Greer himself seems never have time to schedule.

27 posted on 02/12/2005 9:10:42 PM PST by supercat (Michael Schiavo is trying to starve Terri not because she's dying, but because she ISN'T.)
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To: AnimalLover

I just got back home from going down behind a neighbourhood grocery store to feed my little street cat, Julius. I have had him neutered, I feed him each day, I can now pet him and I'm desperately trying to find him a home where there are no other cats and the person is an animal lover. I have done this for years, rescued and then had street cats spayed or neutered. A group of us used to then place them on acreages owned by people we knew and sometimes worked with us. I was the SPCA Pres. for 5 years in my small city. I also earned my Inspectors credentials so I went out on many cruelty complaints. In certain cases, I trespassed and broke the law to scoop an animal to rescue it. I don't see as much done for Terri as i have seen the animal loving world do for God's furry creatures. As to your comment on Terri, I agree that something along those lines must be done. It cannot be a passive resistence type of thing. Corruption survives UNTIL the people say, NO MORE!! History is replete with examples of people finally rising up and saying ENOUGH.


28 posted on 02/12/2005 9:14:01 PM PST by Canadian Outrage (All us Western Canuks belong South - we'd make good Americans!!)
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To: Theodore R.

Every one of those dictators finally went down and not with honor either TR. If President Bush was going to send soldiers to shed their blood to rid the world of tyrants, he should have sent a few troops to Pinellas County FIRST!!! What a hypochritical irony, Americas sons and daughters are dying on the battlefield of another land to keep tyranny out of America when in fact, tyranny is alive and well in at least Florida. I will NEVER vacation in that State as long as I live.


29 posted on 02/12/2005 9:20:13 PM PST by Canadian Outrage (All us Western Canuks belong South - we'd make good Americans!!)
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To: amdgmary

Michael is one of the most Wicked and Heartless men Walking the earth, if you can even Call him a man. O Lord, Continue to Protect Your daughter from the sons of Darkness!


30 posted on 02/12/2005 11:21:17 PM PST by Kitty Mittens
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To: Canadian Outrage
Bless you Canadian Outrage for helping all the little
creatures. I too do my best to take care of my
little friends. When the people next door moved away
they were going to put their old cat Scruffy in the
pound.

Being an old girl of about 12 or 13 you know
what would have happened to her. Needless to say I now
own a cat and am trying to figure out where to keep her
(she is strictly an outdoor cat) - I also have a heinz 57
named Max that I adopted from the SPCA. Needless to say
dogs and cats don't mix.

I also have a collection of squirrels, birds and whatever
that I thoroughly enjoy.

With respect to Terri, we must come up with some plan to
save her - I'll do just about anything I can. Even "behind
bars" time.

What is the old saying - "Evil succeeds because good men
do nothing"

31 posted on 02/13/2005 12:03:38 AM PST by AnimalLover ((Are there special rules and regulations for the big guys?))
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To: Theodore R.

Perhaps you can clarify "legal standing" to sue.

I was thinking of the O.J. Simpson case and how Nicole's
parents sued for wrongful death as did the Goldman's. It
was their son who was killed because he happened by.

How about all of us - we are fellow humans who all have
adopted Terri as little sister, niece, cousin, etc., and
who is a member of our family.

I want Michael behind bars where he deserves to be!!!


32 posted on 02/13/2005 12:09:09 AM PST by AnimalLover ((Are there special rules and regulations for the big guys?))
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To: AnimalLover

FL courts have consistently said that the Schindlers have no "standing" in court. Michael R. Schiavo is the be-all and END-ALL for poor Terri. Ultimately, she married the wrong man, if she were to relocate from PA to FL. I don't know how her status would be treated outside of FL.


33 posted on 02/13/2005 12:38:57 PM PST by Theodore R.
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To: stopem; no more apples; SweetCaroline
pc93 reporting!

FOR LOCAL AND NON-LOCAL (GLOBAL) DISTRIBUTION:

Here is the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Life Ribbon Desktop Logo with instructions on how to get it on your screen. Also contains an exhortation to the Florida House Representatives and Senators of the FL Senate as well as contact numbers of officials to call, including links to The Empire Journal, terrisfight.org and Free Republic, etc.:

http://www.enlightenment-engine.net/eeng/ribbon/terriliferibbondesktoplogo.zip

Here is a flyer for Terri that can be printed out and distributed:

http://www.enlightenment-engine.net/eeng/ribbon/terriflyer.pdf

Here is html code if you have a webpage and would like to participate in the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Life Ribbon Campaign besides the above of having a Terri Life Ribbon on your own computer:

Copy and paste the following text into your HTML web page code where you want the Terri Schindler Life Ribbon banner to appear:

Join the Terri Schindler Life Ribbon Campaign
Join the Terri Schindler Life Ribbon Campaign!

If instead you simply want to have the Terri Schindler Life Ribbon appearing on your web page then use this code:
Join the Terri Schindler Life Ribbon Campaign

Terri Schindler Life Ribbon Campaign


Terri Schindler-Schiavo Life Ribbon Campaign:

Google -> Life Ribbon

or:

http://bellsouthpwp.net/p/c/pc93/terri_schindler_life_ribbon_campaign.htm

Juan V Schoch - Lake Mary, FL
Concerned Florida Resident / United States Citizen who believes Terri should be provided protection, removed from out of the hands of those trying to kill her via substituted (hearsay) wishes, and who believes she should be placed back on the road to her recovery via rehabilitation and therapy, etc. as well as into the hands of her loved ones, etc.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1333205/posts

Florida House Could Impeach Schiavo Judge

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1342344/posts?page=1#1

34 posted on 02/13/2005 3:00:03 PM PST by pc93
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To: pc93

Thank you so much for the ping and the information.


35 posted on 02/13/2005 3:17:19 PM PST by stopem (Support the troops yellow ribbon purse-key-holders.)
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To: stopem

You are quite welcome.

Regards and much exuberance.


36 posted on 02/13/2005 4:19:32 PM PST by pc93
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To: Theodore R.

Don't want to appear a dummy but, has all courts in Florida
said the parents have "no standing"?

Something is very wrong here!


37 posted on 02/13/2005 7:27:24 PM PST by AnimalLover ((Are there special rules and regulations for the big guys?))
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To: 2nd amendment mama; A2J; Agitate; Alouette; Annie03; aposiopetic; attagirl; axel f; Balto_Boy; ...

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

38 posted on 02/14/2005 2:16:47 PM PST by Mr. Silverback (Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and steppin' out over the line)
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To: AnimalLover
Something is very wrong here!

Especially given that a bona fide guardianship hearing has been pending since 2002. I would think that the Schindlers would have standing to order an injunction against destroying Terri prior to a resolution of the guardianship case, just as anyone filing suit over documents, animals, or artifacts would have standing to enjoin their destruction pending resolution of ownership.

39 posted on 02/14/2005 4:39:28 PM PST by supercat (Michael Schiavo is trying to starve Terri not because she's dying, but because she ISN'T.)
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To: amdgmary
Hail Terri...

Child of God...

We pray those judicial sinners...

Do not cause the hour of thy death...

Amen !!!

.

40 posted on 03/17/2005 11:06:24 AM PST by GeekDejure ( LOL = Liberals Obey Lucifer !!!)
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