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***
Well, I was away from the computer all day and am just now finding out this great news. Woohooo! Tears of joy here.
I greatly enjoyed your post with Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus." Handel is one of my favorites. (And hearing Handel's "Messiah" Easter morning on the classical radio station during the midst of the Terri Schiavo fight was a real spiritual renewal after so much emotional drain.)
In addition to those you specifically thanked, I would like to thank you for the fantastic job of delegation and organization you did. We were able to move quickly and effectively together.
If judgemc is a troll, then she is the worst of her kind. She has done nothing but attempt to derail our fight to save Mae's life.
She began by spouting some legal arguments, which another FReeper eventually refuted (I suppose we were supposed to take judgemc's screenname at face value and assume she was a judge).
Then, she claimed that she'd gotten nothing but rude responses when in fact she'd gotten a few polite and interested responses. Then, she started talking down to us, implying that we were all irrational, emotional, and ignorant, while she made a very poor attempt to convince us that she was our resident "rocket scientist".
After it was pointed out that she'd only been a member since April 9, 2005, she claimed that she'd been here for a long time under another screenname but had to change it because some FReeper had sent her death threats??? Then, she admits she is a Democrat.
Next, she tells us that she was only trying to engage us in debate (on a very serious action thread?), because she's interested in getting some legislation passed or some such nonsense.
Finally, once Mae is safe and we are all thrilled about it, judgemc instantly transforms into a LaGrange local claiming to have intimate knowledge of the people and circumstances there.
Then, she attempts to convince us that we've achieved nothing, that Mae would've been just as safe if we'd never intervened and that our actions had no influence on the outcome whatsoever. (Which is total BS. There was too much foot-dragging going on. The doctors were twiddling their thumbs, and the hospice was stalling. A woman in Mae's condition needed to be in a hospital where she could get proper care for her heart problem. There was no reason for her to be in that hospice unless she'd been taken there to die!)
Now, judgemc claims that this was all some kind of a publicity stunt to boost Ken's chances of being elected? That brings up some questions. First of all, why was Mae finally transfered from the hospice to a hospital then? If she was truly dying of natural causes, she would've remained in the hospice. If she was not dying, then what was she doing in the hospice to begin with, and who put her there? If this was nothing but a publicity stunt, why didn't Ken jump all over it the moment Mae was placed in the hospice rather than giving the doctors more than enough time to make the decision that Judge Boyd required of them? It sounds to me like Ken gave the system some breathing space to get the job done, but then became desperate when the doctors sat on their hands for too long and nothing was done about it.
judgemc also questioned where the rest of the family has been for the last 10 years while the granddaughter has been taking care of Mae. If Mae is anything like my husband's grandparents, she may have insisted on remaining in her home in Georgia. My hubby and his uncle had a very hard time convincing his ailing grandparents to leave the town they'd lived in their entire lives so they could move in with family and get the care they needed. Mae might not have wanted to move to Alabama and, believe me, it is not possible to win an argument with an 81 year old woman (in fact, you will never win any argument with any person who can rebut you with: "I used to change your diapers").
Narcissism:http://www.nypress.com/16/7/news&columns/feature.cfm
1. An exaggerated sense of self-importance
2. Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or
ideal love
3. Believes he is "special" and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. Requires excessive admiration
5. Has a sense of entitlement
6. Selfishly takes advantage of others to achieve his own ends
7. Lacks empathy
8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him
9. Shows arrogant, haughty, patronizing, or contemptuous behaviors or attitudes.
That sounds like a perfect fit.
Except for #3, since judgemc seemed to have no problems with deigning to associate with "rabble" like us. LOL.
I concur. Well said.
To: eeevil conservative
I am not peeing on your parade. I am steering you in a direction.
1,631 posted on 04/09/2005 10:50:02 PM EDT by judgemc (My judicial sense is tingling)
;)
New article, from the Birmingham News
AFTER DAYS WITHOUT WATER, NOURISHMENT,
WOMAN AT UAB
HERE:
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1113124997294560.xml
I like this quote from Ken Mullinax:
"Hospice is only for the dying, and my aunt has many more years to live," he said. "A crime was being committed by having a person in a hospice who was not terminally ill. I hope that this never ever happens again."
Just received an email update from HPA.
[SNIP]
Note from Ron P:
Mae is now at UAB Med Center getting needed treatment and care. We are working on getting direct input from the other side of this story, however the granddaughter is unavailable which is significant. If she wanted to get her side of the story out directly, she should have released a statement.
However, we have been in contact with the judge who emailed us saying he was willing to speak by phone on Monday, so we'll see if we can get a statement from him. If we are able to get something directly from the granddaughter or other involved parties, we will share that with you as well.
In every case where there are family disputes about what to do with a patient/family member, each side may accuse the other of distorting the picture or of violating the patient's wishes, so what we're seeing here is not surprising ... hopefully more information will be forthcoming. [END SNIP]
If anyone's interested, Ron Panzer has been fighting this fight for decades via his org HPA-Hospice Patients Alliance. I've found a wealth of info at his site, and you can sign up for news updates like the one quoted above.
Go here:
http://www.hospicepatients.org/
Great morning - good nights sleep - whew
I remember judgeBean - oh, judgemc saying she had been a member blah blah, but it just dawned on me, she never offered up precious name/dates :O) (wonder if it was Gaddy ;o) )
nailed it!
precious name
PREVIOUS names :o(
thanks for the link to rules/regs on Hospices. Got saved. Valuable to have at hand for future battles
Found another enlightening link at WizbangBlog here:
http://wizbangblog.com/archives/005631.php
You'll find a number of sound rebuttals to the skeptics. Wizbang also calls an email received from the LaGrange Hospice a Clintonian "non-denial denial," and "worthless doublespeak."
In the comments, look for a guy called "TomT" who makes some very interesting points.
"Judge Boyd called Mullinax's charges completely false and said all relatives agreed to let three doctors decide what was next for Magouirk. He said that everyone was happy with the compromise."
"The CEO of the West Georgia Health System told 11Alive News, "No patient at our hospice is denied food or water.""
http://www.11alive.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=61478
I did know that, but science/math can confuse/confound my brain, which is more of a analytical/writing brain....and, therefore, when I get confounded by math processes, I forget these kinds of things. : )
That one person has been genetically tracked by the scientists - it is a woman, and they nicknamed her "Eve".
Is this a joke? I never heard about this. Who do they presume this person is...where do they trace the originating "eve" (of course, I'm sure it's in the Middle East somewheres). I would be interested reading this type of thing...are there any threads regarding such? (Not the evolution threads, I don't like those threads.)
Of course, I know we are all family, but I'm just pointing out the callousness I see exhibited by those who worry about just their own immediate family and don't really care about those not related to them, or their lack of concern about strangers.
Ron Panzer of HPA - Hospice Patients Alliance - will be interviewed on THE ANDREA SHEA KING SHOW tonight (Sunday April 10)
10:05 pm Eastern/7:05 pm Pacific
AM Radio 580 WDBO - Central Florida
Listen online:
http://580wdbo.com/listen/
Thanks for your post.....I'll plan on listening.
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