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***
Both sides are potentially as good or bad as the individuals involved. One one hand... to put it in the hands of an unemotional third party relieves your family of a big weight of responsibility... but on the other hand, it may make them feel powerless. This all assumes only good intent. I don't picture my own family ever killing me for my inheritance.
Well, here's to hoping we never have to rely on either one for our decisions.
I would not have a living will that was activated if I am conscious. Living wills for me assume the inability for me to speak for myself. And no, I can't imagine rejecting any such request.
See, that is one of those distinction things. Terri COULD MOVE. She could turn her head and look at people, she even closed her eyes for prayer and opened them again after the prayer ended. Sounds like more than 'reflex'.
And I'd hope we wouldn't end up on TV, being dissected and passed around as grist for the mill.
There's another distinction. Had it not been for tv, we would not have been able to see Terri move her head, or follow the balloon with her eyes. We got to see something with our own eyes.
NOC is the Free Republic Nuclear Option Committe for Judicial Activism. We intend to help break the filibuster if we can.
I'm not particularly qualified to do that. I just recognize that there is a whole range of brain injury where the mind may be lost but the body is healthy.
The content of those tapes is far from conclusive... But IF all the videos showed what they claimed to show, that is still not a life I would want to prolong if it were me. Years of laying there unable to move my body, hoping someone comes in today and stimulates me with a balloon moving back and forth is just not enough reason for me to want to wake up in the morning.
If it were me, I'd hope I was NEVER the topic of discussion and dissection for the country to muse over. This needs to remain the very private decision of families that it usually is. Terri's case was rare, and it's publicity even more rare.
I've been an conservative activist for a LONG time...before it was "cool".
I have deeply sacrificed--both personal and professional success--for "the cause" and to assist worthy groups. You'd probably be surprised that I did fund-raising (volunteer) for "pro-life" groups (supporting their anti-abortion activities). You'd probably be surprised that my conservative activist activities were mentioned in a NYT best-seller a decade ago. You'd probably be surprised that ... well, many more... :-)
You may surprise me. I'd definately enjoy that. :)
I appreciate your candor. I hope I have surprised you in a positive way...and I hope it opens the eyes of some who are trying to rip us all apart with epithets and lies. I try not to assume things about others on here, and try to see their points of view...and even if I disagree, I hope I'm civil and don't assume the worst of them.
I just talked with the nephew- Kenneth..
The Judge DOES NEED TO BE HOUNDED!
KEEP ON THE JUDGE! Check out Hyscinece for all the latest info on this case-- Kenneth is in touch with them...
He had to get off the 0phone to talk to his attorney- so info should be coming soon!!
Yes, Terri's body was healthy. Such a shame that her family will never know if she could have improved like some doctors though if she had been allowed to go through a full course of rehab.
One of my uncle's had a brain anurysm. He went into coma and was brain dead. My aun had the plugs (PLURAL as he was on a respirator and other machines) after roughly 3 months. See, there was a big difference between his condition and Terri's. He truly was vegetative and comatose, she wasn't. But, they killed her anyway.
Can you try to consider that these FReepers might not be siding with "death" but with "rights" and "law" and "constitution" and "limited government" and "marriage" and "The Golden Rule" and many other things? Why must you slur your fellow posters so? Is it that you can't see any other possibility, or do you do it intentionally because you can't argue facts? Or something else?
She was vegetative, just not brain dead.
okay your position is well thought out, reasoned and accepted. That is what you would want for YOU. You understand it to be the same thing your husband would want.
How about Mae's case here? From what we know at face value. Living Will clearly shows when she would want to be stared and dehydrated to death. Do you think the Judge made a good decision putting the granddaughter in charge as Mae's Guardian when the granddaughter ordered her grandmother to be starved to death when grandma wasn't "dying." This is granddaughter (same as Terri Schindlers Husband in Name only) actively forcing death on an otherwise living person, who is not in the act of dying.
Good move by the Judge, or do you think the Sister and Brother and Nephew would have been better guardians. Re-read the post first what is wrong with Mae then comment on if the Judge selected the best in family as guardian.
Thanks for letting me know waht NOC is. At this point I can't get involved. But good luck to you guys!
Well how about a link!
No problem, pal.
PING
Marriage? You mean as in.. the sanctity of??? you mean like not moving in with another woman when you're married to someone else? like for better or worse??
Constitution? as in the inalienable RIGHT TO LIFE?
thanks for playing..try again.
Cool! ;)
I hope I have surprised you in a positive way.
You have. I'm glad.
and I hope it opens the eyes of some who are trying to rip us all apart with epithets
For being pro-life for ALL life I've been called lunatic and fringer. Posting prayers, hymns and Scripture will get a person a nasty label. And on a pro-life, pro-God forum. It's difficult NOT to strike back. And there are a few who have been very cruel in their attitude toward the Schindlers. One rejoiced that Terri's parents would have no access to her grave. I asked if I had misunderstood. I didn't. Those kinds of hard words make civility difficult and differences polarizing.
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