Feeding tube removed from comatose woman at center of long-running legal battle

Associated Press ^ | 10-15-03

[formercalifornian]

If someone would just post a link to a story that shows she is not comatose or vegatative that should clear things up. Some are simply responding to mainstream media reports. If you've got other info, it would probably help.

[texasbluebell]

Why do people want to artificial prolong the "life" of this lady? She would be long dead without medical intervention.

But that's the whole point. There has been no rehabilitation or therapy to help her get back to any sort of functioning. Her husband has refused it. He won't even let her teeth be treated by a dentist.

His reason: "Her teeth are fine. She doesn't eat."

He's a cold-hearted ba$#&*d.

[Theodore R.]

There are people of good will on both sides of this issue

This is what is wrong with the Republican party -- its leaders and many members try to see "both sides" of an issue instead of recognize the good v. evil inevitability.

[Theodore R.]

So what is Jeb Bush doing? Is he cutting ribbons again? What do you suppose he can do? Or should I say WILL do?

[UCANSEE2]

I will be praying this women gets out of bed and goes and gets her own glass of water.

God has performed countless miracles before, some more spectacular than this. From your mouth to God's ears.

[TexasCajun]

I only know what I would want if I was laying comatos for 13 years.

Her soul may already be in heaven, just maybe?

[judicial meanz]

This smacks of Nazi-ism.

Yes it does. The left's fascination with euthanasia seens to be more and more directed at solving the financial problems they believe will happen when the Baby Boomers start to retire and supposedly drain Social security.

This drumbeat has been going on for about 15 years now, and it seems to have reached a new climax with the impending death of this fine woman.

May God bless her and grant her a long life, in spite of the tin pot jerks who participated on the wrong side of this deal.

[EggsAckley]

I hope someone can post the link to the website. I'm not positive what it is.

[Theodore R.]

Well, she is not comatose. The major just can't get the story right. I wonder if they get most of their other stories wrong too.

[cateizgr8]

I hope that if I am EVER in a vegetative state for years on end, that someone will do the merciful thing & pull the plug.

[TexasCajun]

p.s. ever heard of Spell-Check ?

If it really bothers you that much, I'll try to do better. OK.

[pollywog]

So what is Jeb Bush doing? Is he cutting ribbons again? What do you suppose he can do? Or should I say WILL do?

Oh GOD I hope he will act fast!!! Praying.

[justshutupandtakeit]

But this lady is incapable of such actions, is she not? I have not followed this much but I thought she was in a coma.

Certainly God puts the instinct to survive in us but these decisions are not being made by her since she is incapable of such.

This is part of a larger question which is "How much effort and expense should be devoted to prolonging lives which without intervention would have ended naturally long before?"

I don't think God put an alternative feeding port in us, did he? Thus, if we are looking at God sanctioned aspects of life once one cannot feed themselves one dies in the God imposed course of life.

[Gophack]

I respect your opinion as well. And you have the right to tell your wife that you do not want to put on a feeding tube.

HOWEVER, for 13 years Michael Schiavo has been attempting to withhold medical treatment from his wife. There was a settlement in trust to pay for her medical care, and he denied much care that MAY have changed the state that she is in today.

My grandmother signed a do not resusitate document and gave it to my mother and her doctor. I understand why some people do not want to live under conditions they do not deem to be of quality.

Terri Schiavo never signed such a statement. She has been denied treatment for years, treatment that MAY have changed what has happened. The fact is, we will never know. I may have a different opinion today if all options had been explored and proven did not help her. But very little was tried.

No civil court would have denied her husband a divorce. Her family wanted to be her guardian and give her the experimental treatment that may have saved her life. Her husband fought them every step of the way.

To say that she can't even be given food and water by mouth is abhorrent. They are not even TRYING to see if she can take food by mouth. We don't even KNOW if she would be able to chew and shallow because she had been denied that option.

When she developed a urinary tract infection months after her collapse, her husband said no antibiotics. That would have killed her, and the doctors told him that, and he didn't change his mind. The hospital attorney's said they had to give her antibiotics, so they did. The husband then moved her to a different facility.

Every movement has been circumspect. Yes, I don't know all the facts, but there's enough out there that suggests that the husband has never wanted his wife to live.

IMO

[texasbluebell]

After all the facts in Terri's case were brought to light...the many fractures discovered on her body, the possible strangulation attested to by one physician, the fact that Terri and her husband were arguing and she supposedly told a friend that there would be a divorce, the mysterious "heart attack" suffered by this 26 year-old...

On top of all that, I read on another thread that twice when the husband had a private visit with her, door closed, when he left each time she went into insulin shock.

Only medical intervention saved her each of those times when a nurse saw what was happening to her. She nearly died both times. What does look like to you? I know what I think.

Apparently, that info is on her website somewhere though I haven't read it there myself.

[pollywog]

Bump!

[PleaseNoMore]

I took the time to educate myself on this case before I spoke about it. I did so that I wouldn't be emotionally responsive. I suggest that you read the facts. Those facts are that she is NOT comatose. She is not nonresponsive to people or stimuli. She is unable to communicate because of brain damage. She has been denied rehabilitation/therapy that might enable her to do so. She is very very much alive.

[pollywog]

Prayers and a bump for Terri.!!

[Gophack]

She's not dead, therefore her soul is with her body.

[pollywog]

Prayers and a bump for Terri!