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***
"I'm sensing a pattern in your post."
Me too. It goes like this:
How Dare You.
She Was Going to Die.
How Dare You.
Ummm - let me see if I understand this,
the "bad guy" puts her in the hospice, forbids food and water, lies about having POA for medical care, says gramma need to "go home to Jesus" -
the "good guy(s)" (KEN, brother and sister) with the evaluation of doctors that she is NOT terminal but has a treatable condition - the same one her sister was treated successfully for - and has her transferred to a hospital where she is now awake, conversant, joking, requesting her favorite foods - tho; still suffering from the effects of starvation/dehydration...etc.
Okay now - Yep - Ken, brother and sister still come out the REAL good guys.
Oh, and by the way, it was reported that Mae had a helper - NOT Gaddy - that came in daily to do housework and run errands, etc - that Gaddy had POA financially to do bills etc as Mae's eyesight is bad. If that is so, I would not call that "10 years" of "care."
"Methinks thou dost ...."
I can't buckdance, she said.
he he he
Wouldn't want you to miss #2633.
Sounds to me that she has been able to talk and that it wasn't her time "To be with Jesus" as Beth Gaddy asserted and started in on putting her in a death process prematurely at a hospice that supposedly has ties to the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, Inc. Maybe you are the ignorant one who is making themselves into an ass.
Posted By: Lorie - lorieanngiacinti@hotmail.com
Date: Thursday, 24 March 2005, at 7:28 a.m.
I am writing in hopes that I can get support for the upcoming parole hearing for the boy who asaulted my son at school while he was defending another student who was being bullied. The boy had to be pulled off my son after knocking him to the ground and jumping on his head with both feet four times!! His response? "I guess I just lost it". My son was brought back twice before he even made it to the hospital and we were told that he would not make it. Well, because he lost it, my son is now 2 years and 4 mos. post TBI that has him currently receiving treatment in a brain injury facility out of state.
The system wants to let this kid out on April 5th!! My son has a lifetime sentence and this boy should have to stay and at least finish his sentence till the age of 21! He plead guilty to "assault and battery with intent to kill and was sentenced to age 21!!! He was supposed to have been transferred to an adult facility when he turned 17 and he is still being held in the juvenile system because of "good behavior"!!!! Well, something is definately wrong with that picture!!! This will be his 4th hearing and we were told this will be the last because they probably will release him. So, I am asking for fellow brain injury victims and their families to send a letter opposing the parole of this vicious person who took my son and turned him into a completely different person. He was only trying to help his fellow classmate. If you would like to help, please send your letter to me at lorieanngiacinti@hotmail.com. If you would like to read a current story, you can log onto www.abcnews4.com and type "family fights for justice" into the search area if it does not come up with the link.
I really don't know what else to do help keep this criminal behind bars where he deserves to be. If at least till he is 21. As you all know, a brain injury not only changes the victims life, but the whole family. And, it is a lifetime change. I know that it is not going to make my son better, but at least give us some peace of mind. When you do the crime, you do the time.
Bless each and everyone of you, I keep you in my prayers daily just as I do my son.
http://www.abcnews4.com
http://www.abcnews4.com
What injustice. Lorie might want to send a copy of her letter to Dr. Phil. I heard that he devoted one or two shows to the problem of bullying.
That boy got paroled. The school district is considering letting him back in school.
Just unbelievable!
Not all nursing homes are bad, just as not all hospices are good. Can you be more specific about the greed of the relatives who got food and hydration restored to Mrs. Magourik? I don't understand how they would benefit.
Am I remembering correctly that Gaddy is a school teacher? ... If the missive to which you responded is from Gaddy, iether the school system in LaGrange is woefully inadeqaute or the poster is too upset to edit for spelling, punctuation, and grammar. [Not to mention the speciousness of a few of the assertions regarding Mae!]
Kudos to Ken.
IF the La Grange family of Mrs. Mae Magouirk, had NOT put her in a Hospice to die, I would feel differently.
IF the La Grange family of Mrs. Mae Magouirk had respected her living will, which specifically said that she wanted food and hydration, I would feel differently.
When Mrs. Mae Magouirk was unable to eat on her own, IF the La Grange family had provided nourishment and hydration through a feeding tube, I would feel differently.
The fact is, the La Grange family of Mrs. Mae Magouirk, decided on their own without any Medical Power of Attorney to cease medical, life prolonging treatment (a Hospice by LAW cannot provide life prolonging care,) and that it was time for Mrs. Mae Magouirk to "Meet Jesus."
If everything you have written is true concerning Mrs. Magouirk's years of care being provided by her La Grange family I salute them and praise them for everything they did up until the time they unilaterally decided to cease life prolonging treatment for their kin. Up until that point, my hat's off to them, they did what millions of people all over the world do, and that is take care of our sick and ederly.
Living Will = Feed Me,
Unilateral decision to not provide nourishment through a feeding tube is NOT commendable. Also a bit spitefull that the La Grange family denied the sister and brother and nephew visitation and inclusion in medical decisions.
Mrs. Mae Magouirk is not chattel, and having Power of Attorney does not give anyone the right to deny food and hydration to anyone, even if given through a feeding tube. Particularly agrevious becasue it was in contradiction to her living will.
If the Good Lord calls Mrs. Mae Magouirk home do to a heart problem that resisted treatment, then that was her time to go. But until that time, do the words, "Feed my sheep" have any meaning to you?
Thanks for the ping. Bump for Mae.
How does Ken Mullinax get ahold of her money by trying to keep her alive?
Welcome to Free Republic. Are you the grand daughter?
Whoever you are, you are spreading false information!
Mae has been sitting up, asking for Ice Cream and a Chicken Sandwich!
She has a right to live. Just because she has a condition that is not going to get "better", doesn't mean she needs to die so that her heirs can have more of her money!
Here is a hint for YOU...YOUR condition gets worse everyday! There is NO ONE who can improve your condition. YOU ARE GOING TO DIE! You get worse day by day, and are dying.
I was thinking the same thing! WOW! Good advertisment for homeschooling!
As for the rest, expat, in post #2655 laid it out pretty good - on the evidence, it' s pretty clear there were lies and actions that nearly cost Mae her life and surely set Mae's treatment and recovery back dangerously - and other actions that could certainly be deemed reprehensible.
It's a miracle she has made it thru' that horrendous attempt to send her "home to Jesus" - If you can believe there was any legal or moral right to make that decision for another human being, then God help you - for we get to reap what we have sown, most particularly when we invoke the Name of Jesus is doing so.
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