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.
On #3 I say that he is "married" to someone else. He is indeed in a common law marriage. Take that for what it is worth.
I firmly believe Michael Schiavo's real motivation here is to avoid being charged with abuse he committed while Terri was still healthy...and possibly with causing the health crisis that left her disabled. It's the only thing that explains why he won't relinquish her care to someone else, even when offered money. Her body contains evidence against him, so it must be destroyed.
Her unfaithful husband is unavoidably and hopelessly conflicted between her true interests and his own, and the state judge is clearly biased and unwilling to listen to or hear of those allegations...therefore, it provides the opportunity for a different venue...in this case a federal court.
Our most basic unalienable right is the right, endowed by the creator on all mankind, to life. That is codefied into our law. If the state process is flawed and not providing for it, then a federal court should hear it. Some may well considere this to be "Federal intervention". I say, that since it is being done to protect her unalienable right to life from corruption and conflict of interest IMHO, then this is reason for intervetnion if there ever was one.
I believe that Terry will live. I have that faith that God will indeed intervene.
You may very well be correct. I have heard those charges and accusations, but I have no factual evidence to support it. That is why I did not mention those things in my artical.
Please post some sources. I agree entirely with you, but I have some liberal colleagues who demand references everytime I say something like "Her husband is estranged" or "Doctors have said that she is responsive". Of course, they believe everything they read in the NY Times!
I've said all along that we the public do not have the facts on this case. The few that you list support my theory that this is more about money than anything else.
Anyone, except of cours the ACLU, who believes that the husband cares about his wife or that she told him that she did not wish to be on any life support measures is naive.
This guy stands to make millions of dollars over this. The fact that she could come home should be enough to convince anyone that if her family wishes to care for her then they should.
I'm surprised that the parties could not compromise on this. The only explanation is that the husband's desire to cash in on his wife's story is the real truth.
Regarding Congress getting involved or not, I must admit that I don't think Congress should supercede the states in matters such as this...but on the other hand this passed unanimously in the senate and had overwelming support in the house and the the president's support.
In other words, in this personal incident, they are doing the right thing.
I've been doing alot of research on the details of the Schiavo case (unlike Rush and Hannity who were clueless when I tuned them in this afternoon.
It's disengenuous to imply that Terri is suffering like a healthy person would suffer without food. The hyperbole in this case has obscured the fact that feeding tubes are removed on a regular basis in this country--without fanfare because the family is in agreement.
By the way, I'm not defending Michael Schiavo.
All of this info comes from the speeches on the House floor last night. I simply took notes as I listened to it. I do not have access to lexis nexis, but all you would need is a transcript of what was said last night on the floor or a copy of the CSPAN tape. Perhaps www.house.gov has that info.
Also, the Noble Prize nominated doctor that I was referring to will be on Hannity's radio show in the next segment.
"The fact that feeding tubes are removed everyday" does not mean that it is unjust in this case. There are people who would know no difference, Schiavo would.
"The fact that feeding tubes are removed everyday" does not mean that it is not unjust in this case. There are people who would know no difference, Schiavo would.
Florida does not recognize common law marriage. Even if it did, he is still married to Terri.
Just a time out here to engage in the time-honored Freeper past time of bashing Hannity.
He really is a robot. He keeps arguing with callers about stuff that is easily checkable with an internet connection and half a brain. I can't believe that somebody who makes a living discussing the news isn't as informed as the average FR cubicle jockey.
When I disagree with him, it makes me nuts. And when I agree with him, it's even more annoying because he doesn't do the argument justice.
Yes, but we can drop Tom Delay's comments about "people wouldn't do this to a dog" and so forth.
How offensive to people who let a loved one go this way. How offensive to the people who have instructions in their wills ordering just that.
I think many Freepers are motivated more by a desire to punish Michael Schiavo (understandable)than a desire to determine Terry's wishes. The two are separate issues.
Feeding tubes being removed on a regular basis for other cases does not justify starving this woman to death in this case. Might as well do CRAK because everyone else is doing it...
I guess DeLay doesn't care enough not to offend people who starve their loved ones to death by removing their feeding tubes...
Ok, so if his new wife were to become ill like Terri, would he have any say on what happens to her?
I don't know much about Michael Schiavo and I really don't care about him one way or another. All I know if that a woman who many doctors say is not in PVS is going to be starved to death!
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