Are Some Now Understanding What Happened to Terri Schiavo Was Wrong?

Life News ^ | 10/16/07 | Wesley J. Smith

[wagglebee]

Wesley J. Smith is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and an attorney for the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. His latest book is Consumer's Guide to a Brave New World.

I think Bobby Schindler is right.

There have been a lot of stories of late about how supposedly vegetative patients could understand, or of "miraculous" awakenings by people who doctors were sure would never react consciously again.

Bobby, Terri Schiavo's brother, has noticed that whatever the condition of the patient whose story is being told, the reports all have a common sub theme--the awakening, comprehension, etc. has nothing to do with Terri, meaning it was right to dehydrate her to death.

It is as these reports, to quote Shakespeare, "doth protest too much," as if there is a subliminal realization that a terrible injustice was done to her.

The latest almost unbelievable example is in an otherwise interesting and important (and long) piece in the New Yorker, byline Jerome Groopman. After describing how supposedly unconscious people have been misdiagnosed, the author quotes an unnamed neuroscientist about Terri.

From the story:

A neuroscientist showed me a video on the Internet of Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman who spent fifteen years in what most doctors agree was a vegetative state--tests revealed almost no activity in her cortex--and whose death, in 2005, provoked fierce debate over the rights of severely brain-damaged patients. (Schiavo died after the Supreme Court rejected her parents' appeal of a judge's decision approving her husband's request that her feeding tube be removed. An autopsy showed extensive brain damage.) In the video, a man's voice can be heard praising Schiavo for opening her eyes in response to his instructions, and the neuroscientist told me that he was impressed until he muted the sound. "With the sound off, it is clear that her movements are random," the neuroscientist said. "But, with the voice-over, it is easy to make a misdiagnosis. (My emphasis.)

The above stills are from the video in question. It deeply touched my heart and it is seared forever in my memory. In that video, Terri is asked by the examiner to open her eyes. At first, nothing. Then, within ten or so seconds, her eyes flicker, she opens them, and then opens them so wide her forehead wrinkles. It is clearly an intentional response to the question.

But if you turn the sound off, there is no question to hear--and voila, her opening her eyes with clear intention can now be dismissed as merely "random movement."

But a random movement under those circumstances would be to move her head from side to side or lick or lips. But when she opened her eyes, and so intently, precisely as requested, you have to work hard to make it "random." So, to make sure we don't see the terrible wrong that was done to her, we just turn off the sound.

As I said, unbelievable. But do read the larger piece. It is well worth the time.

[floriduh voter]

Teddy Kennedy advocated for Terri. When did he lose his power?

[penowa]

"They were wrong, and this reckless usurpation played a significant role in the recent change of power, IMO. And until Republicans understand this, they aren't coming back."

That should certainly please you and your fellow death cultists like Soros and Hillary.

[penowa]

"The gop mafia in Pinellas has his back, even George W. Bush has his back."

Sad, isn't it, FV? But it certainly gave all of us paying attention a peek behind the curtain.

[Shelayne]

Before all you so called "Christians" rush off to burn him at the stake. He was at her side for three years and got a nursing degree to understand what was going on with Terri. Then and only then, he realized there was no hope for her.

You know I certainly hope that his heart was in the right place then. I don't know because only God knows hearts. But I also know that my Lord and Savior said, "Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to Me." I believe Terri is just who Jesus was speaking of.

I pray that Michael Schiavo has a relationship with the Lord. Only God knows that. "By their fruits you shall know them."

He moved on. I suggest you all do the same.

He moved on right after he received the jury award from his lawsuit on behalf of his beloved wife. As Church lady would say, "How conveeeeeenient."

Truly, he moved on by starting a family with another woman, but refusing to divorce Terri. I hardly call that moving on in the sense you are suggesting. Unless you mean for us to stop caring, which is obviously what he did. Because as a Christian (no scare quotes, I know that I am saved by the blood of Christ), the day I stop caring for the sick, the helpless, and the defenseless, is the day I stand in direct disobedience of God. And I am just not willing to go there.

[bvw]

He made sure she was dead dead dead, and her family kept from her, and then he ojayed the headstone of her grave. And then he went on a whole "slew" of political campaigns across the nation supporting "off the the invalid" candidates.

Yeah, yeah baby, yeah. He moved on. Sure.

[dschapin]

Yikes - that makes me positively sick. I had no idea that Bush was on good terms with Greer or anyone associated with that hospice. Heaven help us.

[bvw]

One drop of blood, fallen under the tree of Liberty. One drop is all it takes.

[floriduh voter]

This was such a wrong turn and millions worldwide cannot forget about Terri or what state sponsored homicide can do. Judge Greer was a puppet for the euthanasia movement. Michael Schiavo was a pawn. Terri was the first person who was ordered to die by a court of law that was not a criminal proceeding (death row case). It is a law that a judge "cannot order the manner of someone's death". Yet, Judge Greer ordered Terri be unfed and dehydrated which was his chosen manner of her death. THAT WAS AGAINST THE LAW. No judge chooses the manner of death. Juries do. Back to due process - Terri had no due process, no counsel of her own. The lawyers repped her parents and siblings only. Jeb backed off for big brother W.

That's worse than pretty bad. This is why we cannot or will not forget Terri. She was murdered and it behooves us to pay attention to treatment given to friends and loved ones who are in facilities.

Visit often and keep a journal. Ask questions and make sure they are hydrated, fed and not overmedicated. Do it yourself if it looks like staff is scarce or inattentive.

Bioethickers may use parlor tricks sometimes to convince family that the patient is failing but in fact, they are being neglected.

Euthanasia is illegal but you wouldn't know it.

Hi, pollywog and halls. FV

[floriduh voter]

"That has NOTHING to do with the farce that was played out in Congress"

That was no farce, it was a ruse. They knew in the Fla legislature the day after Congress convened that Terri wasn't going to be saved. Who told them? The federal government told them before federal Judge Whittemore even got the case bk to hold a de novo hearing which he refused to do. When something is this heinous, it gets very complex.

[floriduh voter]

Yeah, a peek behind the curtain. I’m am an independent now but the RNC still sends me envelopes. I send the envelopes back and tell them I’m out until they have anti-euthanasia added to their platform. Pro-life is too vague when there are places like Florida where the vulnerable are prey for their money and their very lives.

[floriduh voter]

As soon as Mikey got Terri's award for rehabilitation and he got a large sum for loss of consortium, he stopped all rehabilitation way back in 1992.

After Debra Bushnell, Esq. wrote to him, he gave Atty Felos and Bushnell Terri's rehab money so get Terri killed. Debra Bushnell started the ball rolling to starve and dehydrate her. When Mikey found out he could have judges kill Terri, he wanted in.

[floriduh voter]

Mikey’s pac to campaign against politicians is out of business.

[Lesforlife]

Don’t forget the other partner in CRIME - the
heinous Mr. Felos!

Schiavo, Greer and Felos - heading for the Lake of Fire!

Prayers they repent but don’t hold your breath.

[ruthles]

I can’t understand how they’d let her die when she had siblings and intimate family members who loved her and wanted to take care of her. Screw Michael, or hwatever his name is.

[floriduh voter]

This is where the RNC gets some big money. They are Greer's friends and lobbyists, and Bush 41 and Bush 43's ambassador to Italy too. I'll be here at FR as long as it takes to explain that Terri died not in spite of GOP efforts but because of their counter-efforts.

He's a lame duck. He has the power to pardon anybody. He could have pardoned Terri. He chose big money over her. He was just here last week. It was disgusting. Greer is a republican which is why I am now an indy. I won't be in the same party as someone that misguided and vile.

[floriduh voter]

I was just going to ping you.

[dschapin]

I don’t think Bush could have pardoned Terri since she wasn’t charged with a crime. However, I think he could have ordered the national guard to intervene and prevent her execution. I just was shocked that he had taken money from Greer’s friends. That is just sick.

[floriduh voter]

No shame to show up here to pick up a million dollars in Terri's backyard. For all we know, Greer was at the fundraiser. His campaign manager was there since it was at his house or his brother's house. Giving an award to a hospice person on the airport tarmac is another spiteful act.

The man does things deliberately that are hurtful. He changed after the 2004 re-election. Poor Laura is all I have to say.

[jackibutterfly]

You call murdering her, “moving on”??? Puh-lease! WHY couldn’t he have let her parents care for her, or why couldn’t he have divorced her??? He wasn’t about “moving on”, he was about making sure she would be killed so she could NEVER tell what happened to her that night! Why don’t YOU look at some of those videos? Afraid that you’d find out she was really a human being?? Hmmmmm? AND, that she WASN’T “brain dead”? I dare you to watch the one I posted in #23, and the same video was posted in #34. THEN, come back and tell us that she deserved to be murdered!

[jackibutterfly]

Bet you guys didn’t know that Jeb Bush was complicit in her murder. He signed into law FL Statute 765 which allowed for feeding tubes to be removed from PVS patients. So, he was NO help - and he sure wasn’t about to help, either, probably because of that.