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***
Capitol toll-free number is 1-877-762-8762.
“Marjorie Nighbert, a 76-year-old Florida woman, was hospitalized in 1996 after a stroke. Before her hospital admission, she signed an advance directive that no 'heroic measures' should be employed to save her life. On the basis of that directive and at the request of her family, the hospital denied her requests for food and water … Until her death more than 10 days later, Nighbert was restrained in her bed to prevent her raiding other patients’ food trays.”
The Washington Post National Weekly Edition, January 13, 1997, page 23.
Nighbert died while an appeal in her case was pending.
Very good Phil!
e-mailed Dr. Dobson this morning; thanks.
I have Freep mailed you everything you have asked for, hopefully. I don't have anything else to send. Gods Speed in contacting Zell Miller.
Prayer Warriors lift up your prayers that Zell Millers heart will be opened to grandma Mae and that he is moved to fight in earnest for her living will to be implemented as she has directed.
You wrote:
He (Nat Hentoff) writes for the Village Voice, a liberal magazine. He's very pro-life...and spoke out against what was happening to Terri.
Terri Schiavo: Judicial Murder
My Reply: Okay he is next on my list to write.
BTW thanks for writing to Dobson. Others I hope you also can take the time to write to James Dobson. nic can you post the contact link for dobson?
Also might as well re-post the link to Nate Hentoff at the Village Voice as I am pretty sure my copy past of your original post will not get the hyperling corredt :(
Dr. Dobson: citizenlink@ family.org
Nat Hentoff (only e-mail addy I could find): editor@ villagevoice.com
Rush: rush@eibnet.com
Dr. Kennedy: cfra@coralridge.org
Gary Bauer: gary.bauer@ mail.amvalues.org
gotta go get ready for work now; see you later.
I started a research thread. That's all I can do for now. Wish I had more time. FReegards....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1379722/posts
Arthur,
MOST EXCELLENT Research Thread.
If we can keep the table talk and chatter off of that thread and keep it JUST FOR RESEARCH it will be invaulable.
Many thanks for starting this.
Everyone, when you have contact information to share please make a very brief post on the research thread. Just the bare facts.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1379722/posts
As well as posting your info over here on the Action Thread.
Yeah Floriduh again...
Can you imagine, she is physically out scavaging for food and they kill her. Wasn't that long ago either, 1997, those appeals court judges are probably some of the same ones the Schindlers had to deal with.
Re-focusing back on Mae Magouirk of LaGrange Georgia, who have you contacted so far? i don't know you very well so I thought I would ask.
Read posts 31 and 130, and put 2 and 2 together.
Ping if you haven't seen this thread.
Wonderful observation! I would propose then if you are ameanable that you help out Arthur Wildfire !March see his post #751
He has started a very valuable research thread, where there is no discussion jsut a compilation fo the facts.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1379722/posts
If you could look over what he ahs posted then scroll through this thread and add "just the facts Mame" onto the research thread I think that would be a huge help.
Thank all of you who are actively following this story and your efforts. Sometimes I think, when I am facing this issue, I will want to just walk off in the woods and be allowed to die on my own terms, like the Indians.
Well I might be getting a bit over the top here but heck, I'll ask you.
If you could somehow get copies of the court documents, perhaps work through eeevil conservative, as she is in direct contact with Kenneth the nephew, and post them on this thread as well as the research thread that would be extreemly helpful.
Time has gone by and we are a bit more organized then the last time we were writing back and forth.
If you have been following the thread please, what have we not covered yet?
Are you writing, faxing or calling to the many sources we are posting on the thread?
A lie? Criminally accountable? What are you talking about?
In February, 2000, Judge Greer signed a court order to remove the feeding tube. Since she was only expected to live for two weeks, she was admitted to a hospice in early March.
Now, what's your problem?
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