Posted on 02/25/2005 10:28:40 AM PST by Hildy
Actually, Trinity_Tx is right. Your error is that you confuse the cerebral cortex with the whole cerebrum. The cerebral cortex is just the "outer layer," while the 80% you cite is referring to the cerebral lobes underneath. See, for example, http://www.alzheimers.org/unraveling/04.htm. From the alzheimers.org glosary:
Cerebral cortex - the outer layer of nerve cells surrounding the cerebral hemispheres. [my emphasis]
I think the confusion arises when people look at a diagram of the brain and see the post label for "cerebral cortex"--and don't realize it's pointing to just the outside layer. (Sort of analogous to a picture of a cake that has an arrow to "Grey Frosting" and people think the whole cake is a blob of frosting. :-)
For example, here is the abstract of an article on a study done of boys with autism. Scans of the brain were done to determine volumes of each part, and the cerebrum was subdivided into cerebral cortex, cerebral white matter, hippocampusamygdala, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus plus putamen, and diencephalon (thalamus plus ventral diencephalon). The children with autism had smaller volumes of cerebral cortex relative to the massive white matter portions below when compared to the control group.
Agreed. If we can't be civilized and allow her a less painful active deliverance, then morphine should be provided to relieve the agony--at whatever dosage is needed, even if that ultimately makes her unable to survive. Unless some Catholics or others wish to argue that there's some merit inherent in suffering and Mrs. Schiavo would have wanted it that way (yes, I've heard some do so).
"Matt Conigliaro is clearly a liar, for claiming that "The only debate between the doctors is whether she has a small amount of isolated living tissue in her cerebral cortex or whether she has no living tissue in her cerebral cortex." Dr. Hammesfher disagrees, so there *is* a debate, and it is *not* what Mr. Conigliaro claims."No. See above.
The only debate between the doctorsClear enough???
is whether she has a small amount
of isolated living tissue in her cerebral cortex
or whether she has no living tissue in her cerebral cortex.
Michael Schiavo had Terri totally sedated the last time she had the tube pulled. Her parents complained about it because she was "too unresponsive".
Ah! Now I see it all in a different light. (As in lightbulb going on). Sad and spooky.
Like stealing the rings off her fingers to make jewelry for himself, as he admitted in sworn testimony? Like killing her cats? Like hiring a euthanasia lawyer to get her put to death right after getting the insurance settlement? Like denying her therapy for all the years? Like refusing to let her out of her room to go out in the sunshine? Like not letting her have visitors? Like preventing her from taking holy communion?
It used to be that I thought Mr. Schiavo was not to be trusted, and that the Schindlers were just loving but misguided parents who couldn't let go. The more I read, the more I feel the Schindlers also are a bit loose with the whole truth.
Now, I know that Mrs. Schiavo--sorry, "Terri"--is a saint, the second coming of Mary, mother of Jesus, but how did she get her "sweetness" and all while being surrounded by such a crowd? Maybe all of those who know Mrs. Schaivo Terri so well can explain.
Oh, and since when does being "sweet" mean that we should ignore your wishes and preferences, or force you to endure an agonizing end? How could her parents do that to her? Perhaps the historical trauma was caused by Mr. Schindler? Has anyone investigated that?
What a sick situation.
That's what Michael wants to do to Terri. :(
According to Trinity_Tx, it was the Schindlers who didn't like her being sedated.
That's because they were Praying for her Rescue, which Came, Praise God, and they wanted to have their dear one know they were there with her, until Help Arrived.
Terri ping to 187! If anyone would like to be added to or removed from my Terri ping list, please let me know by FReepmail!
......that he decided to do what he thought was in HIS BEST INTEREST!!!!!!!!! Stop kidding yourself.!!!!!!!
Mike Thomas
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-locmiket25022505feb25,0,566960.column?coll=orl-home-headlines
I received an avalanche of e-mail about Terri Schiavo. The bad information going out on this case is amazing.
What is real and what is not?
For answers, I turned to University of South Florida professor Jay Wolfson. He was appointed as a guardian ad litem for Terri in 2003 and prepared a report on her for Jeb Bush.
After a judge dismissed him in December of that year, Bush and Terri's parents -- Bob and Mary Schindler -- requested he stay on as Terri's guardian. Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, opposed the request.
Wolfson's report is based on court files, depositions, medical records and interviews with everyone involved.
That said, I begin with the most explosive allegation:
Did Michael try to kill Terri?
Wolfson laughs. "No!"
In 1990, Terri went into cardiac arrest, which shut off oxygen to her brain. A potassium imbalance, perhaps caused by an eating disorder, triggered the attack.
Has Michael withheld treatment?
Wolfson's report states that in the four years after her collapse, Michael "had insistently held to the premise that Theresa could recover and the evidence is incontrovertible that he gave his heart and soul to her treatment and care . . . In late autumn of 1990, following months of therapy and testing and formal diagnoses of persistent vegetative state with no evidence of improvement, Michael took Theresa to California, where she received an experimental thalamic stimulator implant in her brain. Michael remained in California caring for Theresa during a period of several months."
Says Wolfson now: "Michael was adoring of her. One nursing home complained he was hostile and abusive of the staff in championing her care. She was immaculately kept. In 13 years, she never had one bedsore."
Is Michael after her insurance settlement?
Wolfson's report says that early on, Michael "formally offered to divest himself entirely of his financial interests in the guardianship estate."
Why doesn't Michael simply turn Terri over to her family?
From the report: "Testimony provided by members of the Schindler family included very personal statements about their desire and intention to ensure that Theresa remain alive . . . at any and all costs. Nearly gruesome examples were given, eliciting agreement by family members that in the event Theresa should contract diabetes and subsequent gangrene in each of her limbs, they would agree to amputate each limb and would then, were she to be diagnosed with heart disease, perform open-heart surgery. Within the testimony, as part of the hypothetical presented, Schindler family members stated that even if Theresa had told them of her intention to have artificial nutrition withdrawn, they would not do it."
Wolfson told me that when Michael heard this, he said: "That's it. I'm never going to let that happen to her."
Wolfson says the Schindlers later recanted their testimony.
Can Terri recover?
"Theresa's neurological tests and CT scans indicate objective measures of the persistent vegetative state," the report says. "These data indicate that Theresa's cerebral cortex is principally liquid, having shrunken due to the severe anoxic trauma experienced 13 years ago."
To read the entire report online, go to OrlandoSentinel.com/schiavo
2/27/1990
DeSousa Report
Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response shows no significant disruption of the brain stem acoustic pathway - study within normal limits
2/28/1990
EEG Report Dr. DeSousa
Generalized diffuse slowing. Some fast frequency rhythms which were not obvious during previous recording. May have been slight improvement over last EEG.
6/27/1990
History - Physical Dr. Baras
Had been seen by me at College Harbor and started to make improvement. Started to show some vocalization where she will say no and occasionally has had some voluntary movement on command of eyes and mouth as reported by husband and mother.
1/29/1991
Progress Note Dr. Alcazaran
Meadowbrook, California facility 11/29/90 admitted, seen by Dr. Hosobuchi for DBS placement. Done 12/12/90. Stimulator started 12/17/90. Awakening threashold of 2.7 volts, 50 hz - with eye opening and blinking. 12/19/90 back to Meadowbrook from acute care. Noted to have severe agitated response and fever. Stimulator placed on hold. UTI? 1/9/91 brain stimulator resumed with gradual response. Weined off Dantrim 1/13/91. by 1/17/91 stimulating up to 12 hrs w/ amperage 1.3 Noted increased alertness, turns head toward voice, turns head from tactile stimulation. Sucking and rooting response to olfactory stimulation. Spontaneously vocalized. Good cough. Head midline X 15 sec. Some visual tracking. Upper extremity - ATNR Discharged 1/20/90 Has been home x 1 wk.
2/4/1991
Progress Notes Dr. Carnahan
Both knees increased warmth, start Keflex, question H.O. of knees, repeat alkalyn phosphotase. ? Bone Scan
2/19/1991
Physical Therapy Monthly Summary
Terri came to Mediplex in a completely inadequate chair for her seating needs, as it allows no head support, facilitates her lower extremity abnormal extensor pattern, and her upper extremity flexor pattern. It gives her no trunk support and she literally falls out of the chair,
3/8/1991
Progress Notes Dr. Carnahan
Bone Scan reveals subperiosteal area of right thigh - most likely reflects H.O. Other areas not explained by disease ? Infection. Neoplastic is rare probability.
3/26/1991
Nurses Notes
Terri's side-rail on her bed found down after Michael left. When told about it, he replied that "that was their job."
4/21/1991
MS Journal
Crying spell again, short one this time, keeps fighting falling to sleep. Would not let O.T. do anything / started to cry again, later did a lot better, fights sleep again
4/25/1991
MS Journal
MS talking to her, she then lifted head off and away from chair. I asked her if she wanted to get up. She nodded. I asked her a minute later, she did the same motion.
6/17/1991
Treatment Plan Review
Vocalizing when prone in P.T., occasionally will say "Stop" to nurse during procedures. To T.R. groups. More relaxed to therapists voice, touch (habituation)
6/20/1991
Nursing Notes
1:00 pm Husband concerend over pts increased "jumpiness". Dr. Carnahan in, brain stimulator decreased 20% per Dr.'s verbal order 3:00 pm Husb states decreasing brain stimulator "did not really help her", "but turning her on her side helped for a while"
7/6/1991
Nursing Note M. McCloskey?
Brain stimulator off per husbands request
7/8/1991
Progress Note Dr. Alcazaran
Husband asking about casting ankle. On exam, fixed contracture - tendon shortening. No indication for
.. Or inhibitive casting at present. Also, cast may cause skin breakdown, with worsening hammertoeing.
DEPOSITION OF: MICHAEL SCHIAVO - DATE: November 19, 1993
15 Q Are you presently involved in a romantic
16 relationship with anyone?
17 A Yes, I am.
9 Q Okay. Tell me about the relationship. How long
10 has it been going on?
13 A We just met approximately three months ago. (july-August-1993)
Oh, shut up.
Your screen name suits you.
From the report: "Testimony provided by members of the Schindler family included very personal statements about their desire and intention to ensure that Theresa remain alive . . . at any and all costs. Nearly gruesome examples were given, eliciting agreement by family members that in the event Theresa should contract diabetes and subsequent gangrene in each of her limbs, they would agree to amputate each limb and would then, were she to be diagnosed with heart disease, perform open-heart surgery. Within the testimony, as part of the hypothetical presented, Schindler family members stated that even if Theresa had told them of her intention to have artificial nutrition withdrawn, they would not do it."
Wolfson told me that when Michael heard this, he said: "That's it. I'm never going to let that happen to her."
I understand now why he is so adamant about this.
Had the Schindlers agreed to any circumstance where Terri could be starved to death, Michael would have made sure such a circumstance came about.
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