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***
Yep. You got that straight. You also pointed out that whoever has POA can sign hospice papers, but there is a difference between complete POA, financial POA, and healthcare POA. I'm not positive, but I think it was reported here that Mae's granddaughter originally only had financial POA.
oops. you did a fast and better explanation of html :-)
Thanks. I didn't know either.
Sounds like we need someone in the area to do some legwork and see which story is tru and see if Mae is in the hospital or a hospice. That would help for starters.
Not really. I'm lazy. :)
She's in hospice. eeevil conservative called yesterday and they said Mae is there.
Got e-mail back from Denny Schaffer, host who was referenced in an above post, speaking about Mae. I asked Denny if he could post information about her on his site, he sent back:'no information-nothing we could track down to prove it was authentic.'
Would that be unexpected after no food or water with morphine and ativan?
Well, they aren't giving out info anymore.
See posts 946 through 949 for contact info please. Note that the Med Center and Hospice are intertwined.
Well exactly, I bet if I deprived you of food and water for a couple of weeks you might in fact be unconscious or terminal, hence the need for a hospice (read death camp).
Glennbeck.com has this link up to a story in the local paper.
Woman, 81, at center of feeding tube feud
http://lagrangenews.com/new.php?StoryType=full
It may be what the other host (Denny Schaeffer??) was referring to. I don't see where registration is required.
Now they are being scrutinised and I expect disinformation such as what the Toledo talk show host was told.
Thanks. I did pick that up from the threads...so now it's a matter of discovering why her doctor said she had no chance of recovery from problems with a dissected aorta? Her age maybe? Because others have had the same problem and are living to tell about it.
He apparently did not need that info, apparently all that is needed is the guardians request.
Okay, that confirms that part. We aren't getting much more info than that though, are we? I mean, the hospice isn't giving out much 'over the phone', are they?
No they have closed down all their lines of info and simply forward you to voicemail.
OKAY!
Let's get this aired out NOW!
I talked with that Judge.
He told me it was all out of his hands- and up to the doctors per the hearing on MONDAY!
Did YOu all READ the latest Email sent by Kenneth?
I spent ALL day calling people.
Including the attorney for Kenneth- etc. The Judge was the only one I got to talk to in person- other than the lady at hospice. (She doesn't like me) I asked her a hard question and she accused me of being rude.
LOL!
Okay-
I asked her- "Is it policy at your Hospice to consider the next of kin to be a grandaughter over a brother or sister?"
She said "Go look at the court records."
I said, "Let's forget this specific case. I am asking you about your policy."
She said, "You are being rude and yelling at me."
I said, "No, I am asking you about your policy." (keep in mind-- NO ONE IS YELLING! NOT HER- OR I!)
Again, she said "Go look at the court records."
THIS IS NOT SOMEONE TRYING TO GET THE TRUTH OUT! THEY ARE HIDING SOMETHING!
The In-House Attorney- that noticed the mistake that the Hospice made is suddenly "gone for the week."
Mae was put into ICU- then the grandaughter denied her a feeding tube and hydration and THEN had her moved to a Hospice to die.
Get it?
Mae didn't need a feeding tube until she had compications with the surgery and was put in ICU.
Many people need a feeding tube TEMPORARILY!
Especially when they are all drugged up and unable to eat!
THIS is how I understand the facts to be.
This per MY conversation with Kenneth, and the inteview with Glenn Beck-- etc....
If you feel like you do not have enough facts- and don't want to help-- no problem. If you disagree with the way I am interpreting this info- No problem.
BUT I will work to save Miss Mae as long as I can- or until her family tells me to stop.
If her family is asking my help to save her-- THAT IS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO!
That's ME!
And you would be completely right in doing so.
Can we make a list of contacts to air this over the weekend, please? This word will die on network media in the rotations. We also need boots on the ground there if possible.
Regular offices are now closed on the Eastern seaboard. Talk radio has to pick this up fast, as do newspapers.
Please see posts 946 through eevil's list and repost at 949.
Beck, Hannity's caller, Katz in SF, and Toledo have air time. Blogs have it. WND and the local paper has it.
The Schindlers have picked it up, along with Gibbs. Is there word there?
Do all Congressmen & Senators have it? W? Interested clergy?
Can we dig re viaticals in the line of what Calpuria was doing last night late, hospice/hospital financing, guardianship issues and probate judges?
Volunteers?
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