Posted on 03/21/2005 1:30:36 PM PST by cainin04
A Few Facts on Schiavo Many Americans have been lead to believe that Terri Schiavo is in the process of dying, that there is no hope of her getting better, and that she is living by artificial means such as life support. I would like to clear up these mistakes and list some facts that we do know.
1. Terri Schiavo has been connected to a feeding tube. She is not connected to heart pumps, respirators, or "life support." Simply put, this is not a matter of "pulling the plug" as we have been lead to believe. It will take several days for her to starve to death. She will suffer if starvation continues.
2. Her husband only made the claim that "she would not want to live this way," years after the fact. One would think that if she had not wished to live in a vegetative state (which she actually is not even in, more on this later) he would have mentioned that fact at the beginning of the process.
3. Michael Schiavo has already moved on. He has a common law wife and two children with a new woman. I am not condemning him for "moving on" but the very fact that he is already married to someone else should legally exclude him from being Terri Schiavo's "guardian."
4. Michael Schiavo discontinued Terri's therapy the very day that he received the funds from the medical malpractice lawsuit that was filed. At the time of the discontinued therapy, Terri could speak and her therapist says that with therapy Terri could possibly again talk.
5. Terri is not in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). The following is taken from http://www.cwu.edu/~chem/courses/Chem564/finalpapers/PVSfinal.html
"Eye tracking and Emotional responses are the most common ways of determining whether a patient is responding, and therefore no longer in a vegetative state. The first sign of a patient emerging from PVS is the localizing of the eyes on a visual stimulus. This can be observed because persons in a vegetative state are unable to track moving objects or fixate their vision on an object, and as a patient recovers they regain this ability. This type of a response if most often detected by family members or caregivers that have worked directly with the patient. Eye tracking is not necessarily enough to show that a person is recovering from PVS because patients may not show any other evidence of other meaningful response to the environment. More difficulties with eye tracking may come into play because of the possibility of other neurological or ophthalmological damage that may prevent a patient from tracking stimuli. This means that a patient may actually have a degree of recovery that will be missed because it cannot be detected through eye tracking."
Anyone that has seen videos of Schiavo can clearly see that her eyes followed the balloon placed in front of her. Her family has told other such stories, but the balloon video is just one good example.
6. A Noble prize nominated Doctor that has spent over 10 hours with Schiavo contends that she could be rehabilitated.
7. She is not in a coma and she does comprehend things.
8. Terri could go outside in a wheel chair; she could go home, or even be taken other places.
After reading these facts, if you still think Schiavo should be starved to death, you should check your sanity. To support death for this woman is nothing short of evil--if you are aware of the above facts. To starve someone to death is nothing short of torture. Where are the loving and caring liberals at on this one? Where are the so-called human rights groups like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the ACLU? I tell you where they are; they are on the side of those who support this culture of death.
Knowing the above facts and still wishing the death of this lady is quite simply EVIL. Thank God the American people have put Republicans in charge of this country. Now, let us pray that the Clinton appointed Federal judge appointed to this case, will rule in favor of life.
My point is that the method being used to end her life (i.e., removal ot the feeding tube) is not the issue. Are you saying that you would oppose this practice even if Terry had a living will and her entire family was in agreement?
My first post concerning this situation. Here goes...
It is this fact that has swayed me into realizing that the Federal government belongs in this case. It is a difficult case, and I'm not so sure that Michael is the monster that others are supposing, nor the rulings in Florida an explicit attempt for murder. Part of the problem involves continuing advances in the medical community with regards to both technological breakthroughs and understanding in how the body and brain work. It would be arrogant of me to comment on the complexities of the case since I don't know the full history of court rulings (or expert medical testimony) in Florida.
However, the Constitution recognizes for us all an unalienable, - i.e. not to be separated, given away, or taken away; inalienable - right to life. Furthermore, regardless of the exact status of her brain function and "awareness", it is clear that she is a living being not being kept alive artificially. Food and water are basic components needed to sustain all life and should not be regarded as medical treatment. The result of the judge's ruling in Florida means that Terri would die of starvation/dehydration imposed by the law granting her guardian's request without intervention. This is not a natural death occurring because life support systems are being turned off, which can be an acceptable decision for individuals or their legal guardians in similar situations. Furthermore, Terri's unalienable rights are above Michael's decisions as her guardian when those decisions contradict these rights. Even Terri, nor anyone else for that matter, does not have the Constitutional right to "suicide" in this manner! I hope this case will force State legislatures across the country to clarify in their respective legislation these matters for future scenarios and that the respective courts will adjudicate them properly when called to do so.
Anyway, I hope the Federal court sees it this way.
Shiavo clearly does not, and he has proven it by his actions over and over again. From the very moment he supposedly found her uncoonscious and called the Dad before calling 911 and did not do CPR on her himself, to when he stopped all of her rehabilitative treatment after winning the civil suite, to his unfaithfulness to her as a husband.
IMHO, all of that adds up to him not being qualified to be her guardian and his insistance on her death by reffering (very belatedly I might add, as in several years later) to inoucuous verbal statements regrding her desires which happen to line up with his own interests demonstrates a clear conflict of interest on his part.
Anyhow, our continued prayers for this woman and her family. I pray the Lord sees fit, either through legislative means, judicial means, or citizen activism...or miraculous means if necessary, to preserve her life.
She is on no method of life support, they are starving her to death. I do not know what is so hard to understand about that fact.
Nope. There is no common law marriage in Florida. That is about as "factual" as the "Nobel Prize nomination."
bttt
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