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***
And the COURT is siding with the person who is PRO-DEATH in DEFIANCE of the law. The US COURTS have truly become America's ENEMY #1.
I just re-reported to Drudge. Will add prayers.
Thanks for the heads Up, I hope you and other Freepers on this Action Thread are posting over there links to this trhread....
GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can take the rest of the day off, jsut for doing that one post to Glenn Beck!!!
I just sent e-mail about this to USANext (the counterpart to the bad AARP). We'll see what they do.
Whooo Haaaaa!!!!!!!!!!
Now if Jessy Jackson will jsut show up and say, in that way he has of preaching, "This is wrong, this is morhally wrong."
He showed up to late for terri, pray there is time for Mrs. Mae Magouirk.
Good to hear from you today. I had been wondering where you were. Thanks for also keeping me sane during those trying times at FR. I am glad this thread is filled with people who want to save Mae.
withdrawing hydration and nutrition without proper informed consent (prior to the guardianship) is a violation of the law:
Office of Regulatory Services
The Office of Regulatory Services (ORS) inspects, monitors, licenses, registers, and certifies a variety of health and child care facilities.
Contact Information
Two Peachtree Street, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3142
Voice: (404)657-5700
Fax: (404)657-5708
Email: mapalli@dhr.state.ga.us
Website: http://www2.state.ga.us/departments/dhr/ors/
I just got off the phone with Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services in my region. If the above state survey agency will not investigate, the CMS division of Survey and Certification should be contacted here:
Patricia Bender
404-562-7445
I would suggest that Georgia citizens make complaints to the state survey agency and then call Patricia Bender as well.
You Go Girl!!!
I know you have been very physically sick.
I know that emotionally you must have been in even worse shape after Terris murder (soory I cna't surgar coat it) It so good to see you vent some anger again.
just take care of yourself....
I just e-mailed them too; so frustrating, as Glenn said today; it's difficult when a story like this gets out on a Friday (remember how Clinton's did this to perfection?), as not as many folks paying attention.
Yeah!!!!!!! you and Phil Dragoo, the guy I can NEVER remember how to spell his sign in name.........
This was reported to be a "settlement", which is not usually used to describe a court order. Family and probate court matters generally do not become part of the public record, unless certain criteria are met. And when they do, it is in a VERY formal way -- i.e. people can get a copy of the official documents -- not some judge as libbing to some total stranger who calls him up.
Note that most of the probate court level Terri Schiavo records were sealed. What was public was the appellate records, which contained only a handful of personal facts, and were primarily about the courts' interpretation of legal procedures. Other information about Terri got into the public domain by members of her family sharing it.
Someone needs to call Sean Hannity. I can't right now. He has been talking about Terri. Tell the person who answers it's about another Terri would be my suggestion.
1-800-941-7326
I just cant believe no one is all over this story I heard Glenn beck on this story this morning he is the only one. didnt hear Rush or Sean so far! I dont understand this at all. Glenn beck said he was going to call sean about the story and make sure he was on it.
Maybe they don't know about it. Email not to them, Sean's in GA, maybe Beck couldn't get in touch with him. I don't know.
While I'm no George Soros fan especially after the recent election campaign, and it's true that Soros funds causes in which I vehemently disagree including drugs, gay marriage and abortion. However, your reference to the PDIA was anything but complete. Here is what his organization states as the goal:
Now, I would assume most here would applaud anything that tended to improve care for dying patients. Perhaps you are aware of the $45 million being spent to kill rather than extend care?
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/pdia/about
One of the local talk radio guys here in Toledo, Denny Schaffer (who regularly fills in for Glenn Beck), and his producer did some research on the story that appeared in WND. Apparently the granddaughter, Beth Gaddy (who is alledgedly trying to starve her to death) has been taking care of her grandmother for 10 years. She has been feeding her every day, whether it be soft food, jello, ice chips, etc. She does not currently receive nourishment through a feeding tube at all. The nephew, Ken Mullinax, wants feeding tube inserted. So when he claims that Hospice-LaGrange has denied Magouirk normal nourishment or fluids via a feeding tube through her nose or fluids via an IV" the reality is that his insistence that she be put ON a feeding tube is being denied. The hospital policy is that doctors will not do that while a patient can still swallow and ingest food by normal means.
Gaddy received emergency guardianship from probate court two weeks ago in order to have Mae transferred to the hospital after her aortic dissection. Gaddy, Mullinax, and two other relatives all reached settlement following week that Gaddy would receive guardianship, that three cardiologists will examine Mae, and treatment will be administered according to what 2 out of 3 doctors determine is necessary.
So, the sum of it is that Mullinax is p***ed off about Gaddy being awarded guardianship and is seeking to draw attention to his case with outrageous claims. It should be noted that even the local officials in LaGrange (population of only a couple thousand) had no idea about anything regarding this case. You would think if it was what Mullinax made it out to be that somebody would know something about it. As it was, the only local information available on it was from a local paper which the producer had to buy a subscription to in order to read the article.
I don't doubt that there are cases out there where elderly are being essentially euthanized, but I don't think this is one of them.
***One of the local talk radio guys here in Toledo, Denny Schaffer (who regularly fills in for Glenn Beck), and his producer did some research on the story that appeared in WND. Apparently the granddaughter, Beth Gaddy (who is alledgedly trying to starve her to death) has been taking care of her grandmother for 10 years. She has been feeding her every day, whether it be soft food, jello, ice chips, etc. She does not currently receive nourishment through a feeding tube at all. The nephew, Ken Mullinax, wants feeding tube inserted. So when he claims that Hospice-LaGrange has denied Magouirk normal nourishment or fluids via a feeding tube through her nose or fluids via an IV" the reality is that his insistence that she be put ON a feeding tube is being denied. The hospital policy is that doctors will not do that while a patient can still swallow and ingest food by normal means.
Well, the question then is, Is she getting fed orally or are they letting her die?
***Gaddy received emergency guardianship from probate court two weeks ago in order to have Mae transferred to the hospital after her aortic dissection. Gaddy, Mullinax, and two other relatives all reached settlement following week that Gaddy would receive guardianship, that three cardiologists will examine Mae, and treatment will be administered according to what 2 out of 3 doctors determine is necessary.
So are they starving her or not?
And I just re-reported to Georgia Right to Life. Many prayers here, too.
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