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

Associated Press ^ | 10-15-03

[Gophack]

Bump #311

[fawn796]

You really need to look at the web site for Terri. My sister also suffered for 2 years with breast cancer. She asked to be able to die. It was the hardest thing we have ever had to do. I would not wish this on anyone.

This situation is totally different. She is not dying. She is not being kept alive by artificial means. She is being fed. The whole idea of not allowing therapy to teach her to eat puts a bad smell on the whole thing. Something is wrong here.

P.S. If I read one more time that she is "comatose," I think I will scream!

[secretagent]

I can imagine few things worse than watching a beloved wife go through such a thing for 13 yrs.

I haven't read of Terry in agony. Ups and downs, but no great physical pain, and no terminal disease.

Delights in seeing her parents, smiles, and other normal emotional states.

Though, I too haven't read much about her.

[Ohioan from Florida]

BTW, I also forgot to mention that they care very little about whether Terri receives treatment for infections. Michael has been denying her antibiotics as early as 1993 (oh, yes, just after the malpractice money was awarded - this is a fact he has admitted under oath).

Terri was moved from hospice care to the hospital for treatment of pneumonia and was sent a packing before they ever had dismissed her (this was in late August, 2003). Michael had her removed from the hospital, because in his words, this was extraordinary care when she would die anyway. Well, God pulled one out for her, because Terri survived the pneumonia and sepsis that developed. To use another freepers words, Terri had the red carpet rolled out for her if she wanted to die. But she fought that off, too. Terri has a strong will to live, because she keeps pulling through one thing after another. It must not be that bad for her. Since you're not in her shoes, how do you know that she is miserable? Maybe she found out that life is still worth living, EVEN IN HER CURRENT CONDITION! And who are we to take that away from her or anyone else?!

[agrace]

Hi Yoni. Learn all about it on terrisfight.org.

We don't get it either. Judge Greer, who has presided over most proceedings in this case, is a real piece of work. He has allowed her settlement money (intended to be used for treatment) to be spent on her husband's legal fees as he attempts to get legal permission to kill her, he has consistently and inexplicably sided with the husband, defying all logic in many cases, has dismissed out of hand any testimony or affidavit that sides with her parents, he has refused to view most video of Terri and has never once gone to see her in all the years he has ruled on her case.

All this, and Michael Schiavo has hardly been the dutiful husband to Terri. A couple years after her accident, he testified in malpractice proceedings that he loved his wife very much and just wanted to take care of her for the rest of her life, but lacked the means. He was awarded 1-2 million dollars as a result of that testimony. Shortly after the money was in his hands, he suddenly remembered that Terri wouldn't want to live that way and has been trying to kill her ever since by denying treatment, anywhere from treating potentially fatal infections to not allowing her teeth to be brushed. He has often denied her family access to her and sometimes they have had no idea of her whereabouts or condition. He has refused to allow her priest to visit as well.

Meanwhile, he is cohabitating with his fiance and mother of his child, a second child is on the way and he vows to marry her when Terri is dead.

He refuses to relinquish gardianship to Terri's parents and vows to have her cremated as soon as she is dead.

The Governor is apparently quite dismayed but feels his hands are tied.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have about the case.

[RosieCotton]

She's NOT comatose. She responds to her family (when they are allowed to visit) and can follow instructions given by a doctor (like "open your eyes"). Her website has it all on video. Her husband has refused to provide her with any sort of therapy.

Yeah, I've seen the videos. That's why the headline threw me for a loop.

The husband is a creep.

[Ohioan from Florida]

Her parents are there, but they aren't allowed to see her anymore, unless Michael or one of his representatives is with them at all times. You know, so they don't try to feed her or anything.

[shhrubbery!]

I'm very sorry that your wife suffered so much.

However I think you recognize that Terri's case is different. Terri is not terminal. She does not appear to be suffering pain. Her problem is that she can't communicate. But that could likely be remedied if she were allowed therapy.

If you haven't done so already, please go to Terri's website and check out the videos they have posted there under "Audio Visual Files."

All of those videos show indisputably that Terri is awake and aware. The first, titled "Big Eyes", shows Terri responding to a doctor's command that she open her eyes wide.

It takes Terri a few seconds to respond to the doctor's command (as it often does for brain-damaged patients); but when she does, she acts with such clear effort and determination that I believe she is trying desperately to show her will to live.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Babies are obviously different from adults.

[secretagent]

To quote further from the Bishop:

Terri’s family be allowed to attempt a medical protocol which they feel would improve her condition.

[yonif]

What is the current story concerning what happened to her? Was there a criminal investigation?

[cateizgr8]

I had to watch my Grandmother in a vegetative state for over a year. I got to see everything that comes with it. Thanks but no thanks....that is not living & I KNOW that she wouldn't have wanted to stay that way. You have your definition of "living" & I have mine. Feeding tubes & ventilators are not a part of it. Thanks :)

[texasbluebell]

Everything had been tried and nothing worked though she fought like a tiger.

Very sorry about your wife. She was lucky she was not married to someone like poor Terri is.

[cateizgr8]

I had to watch my Grandmother in a vegetative state for over a year. I got to see everything that comes with it. Thanks but no thanks....that is not living & I KNOW that she wouldn't have wanted to stay that way. You have your definition of "living" & I have mine. Feeding tubes & ventilators are not a part of it. Thanks :)

[Ohioan from Florida]

The video is on her website:

http://www.terrisfight.org

[agrace]

Is it a good policy to save all of the infants? Maybe not.

It is ALWAYS good policy to save a child. If the prognosis is good, as it is more and more as science progresses, it is most definitely good policy. I'm personally stunned by the implications of your post, frankly, whether they are intended or not.

Why are such massive interventions not resisting the will of God? Because He gave us the intelligence and means to make medical advancements, and common sense to know when to draw the line. He gave the Israelites basic instruction on how to stay healthy and live long lives. It certainly sounds like He sanctions the field of medicine to me. One of the gospels was written by a physician. You read His words and tell me that He doesn't think it is good policy to save a child whenever possible and I'll stand corrected.

[Ohioan from Florida]

Haven't you heard of the guy who emerged from his coma of 19 years, and started speaking? Was his soul already in heaven, and did he get it back when he regained consciousness? I suspect it was still with him as he lay there, at least that's what I believe.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Yes, but the point is like my father used to tell me "money doesn't grow on trees." When health care dollars are spent in one area they are not available to be spent on others.

At what point is the treasury tapped out and who will suffer because of it?

Our society does not expose infants or old people like some cultures and that is good but it cannot afford to spend gigantic sums on prolonging "life" for some with no end in sight. At some point one will have to make decisions on where the money is to be spent.

What percent of the national income can be spent on such things in your opinion? We spend far more than any other nation if I am not mistaken about 17-18% and growing.

[ejo]

WOULD lose 1.6 million

Yes! think about movie rights and book deals???? He is a despicable man.

[dansangel]

PLEASE copy and paste post 21 to email format and SEND. Email addresses are all there too. This whole case just isn't right.

DONE. May I respectfully add two things:

1) Calpernia meant post # 121. Took me a minute to figure it out.

2) I was doing each email individually and got through about a third of the list when .45MAN had me copy and paste all of the email addresses into one email. (Duh on me!) I put them all into the *bcc* address field so when it arrives, it won't look like spam. Only one address needs to go into the regular "send" field.

Calpernia, Salvation, Julie, meeknming and everyone else that pinged me to this worthy cause, thank you for caring about Terri and thank you for thinking of me.