Natural Causes! If it weren't so serious, it would be hilarious.

ABC Radio | 10/14/03 | will1776

[WinOne4TheGipper]

ABC radio's reporter just said that Terri Schaivo's feeding tube was removed and she should die of "natural causes" within a week to ten days. Congratulations to him, as he has won the award for understatement of the yaer.

[mcg1969]

Yes, and he reported that doctors said that she has had no brain activity since the accident, and that she would not suffer... poppycock!

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[syriacus]

So now starvation is "natural death"....hmmmm

I see a new defense for murderers.

"Your Honor...
I am not guilty of murder
.. I only slashed the victim's throat.
It wasn't my fault that his blood didn't clot fast enough and he bled himself to death naturally."

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Lost a day! sorry...

[birdsman]

Our hearts and prayers go out to this woman's parents.

[Eala]

Ugh. Just over an hour ago there was a call to a local radio talk show program (Seattle, , The John Carlson Show) from a man whose 8-year-old son spent six weeks in what the doctors called a "primitive vegetative" state. (Cause, if I remember right, was a horse kick to the head that severed the son's brain's hemispheres.)

The father said that his son Joseph, when he recovered, was able to relate how they turned the TV on to his favourite programs (inclusing the Smurfs) so he could watch, and Joseph recalled all his visitors from his church during that time he was supposedly brain-dead.

The kicker came when Joseph, now approximately 24, came on the air. You could hear the slowness and hesitation of his speech -- but as his father had pointed out, the doctors had essentially written him off, said he wouldn't talk again (the speech centers were cut off), walk again.. or do much of anything again.

Early on in the interview Joseph said it was his church's prayers that brought him back out.

Joseph is now apparently in college (in Texas?), living on his own, with (as his father says) a real girlfriend, types 30 WPM (compensation for the speech?), lifting weights...

And Joseph says that Terri should be kept alive.

John Carlson remarked that this was one of the most.. important.. calls in his 10 years on the air. I'm fishing for the right word too, but I quite agree. This interview needs to be heard around the country!

[Eala]

Note to self: Always preview.

[Phantom Lord]

I know virtually nothing about this story. Here is my question. Whats the deal? From what I understand she had told her husband that she did not want to live in such a condition and to 'end it' if she ended up in such a condition. Seems reasonable, and something that many millions of married couples have agreements about. But her parents did not wish to honor her wishes, and/or are calling her husband a liar.

So, could some one give me a real quick Cliff's Notes version of this story. Thanks!

[kenth]

Dear God, it's like we're all living a nightmare.

We all have seen Terri's reactions to her mother, etc. We all know that she is not on 'life support', just a feeding tube. We all know the financial and probable criminal motivations for the husband to be wanting her dead. We know the judge has been complicit this entire time, not once regarding Terri as a human being, just as property of M. Schiavo to be done away with. Not only is it a basic denial of Terri's rights to merely live, but also will affect countless others who have the temerity to be stricken through disease, accident or abusive husbands. Having been informed countless times with these facts, we seem to be the only people outraged by it. When two o'clock rolled around, I left the computer to see if Fox was going to mention it. Their lead story was the bombing of our guys in Israel, then Kobe Bryant, followed by the Cubs fan. This is outrageous and disgusting. Even when it is mentioned, facts be damned. The news is constantly misreporting her as being in a coma, brain dead, etc. with no hope. They never mention the irregularities such as the husbands refusal to seek therapy, his refusal to allow the parents to seek therapy, his insistance on killing her, his adultery and the judge's ignoring that while taking the stance that the husband's word is utmost of importance. Then there is the ignorance of the masses who know nothing but what they've read in USA Today, etc.

I've yet to hear of any one in a position of power, other than Governor Bush comment on the case, much less support Terri. What the hell is going on?

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Well, supposedly Mrs. Schaivo had a heart attack back in 1990 (though allegedly there were other injuries on her that might indicate an attack). For the last 13 years, she has been on "life support" (which is food in Florida). She has not been comatose or in a vegitative state, despite what the media claims. Basically, we're starving the lady to death.

[Hildy]

Why do you think the Dr.'s would lie...why do you think all of the expert Dr.'s would lie? What's the motivation?

[Phantom Lord]

That much I know. But I don't understand the whole controversy.

Either she wished/declared to not live like this and told her husband as much prior to her demise (for lack of a better word) and the parents object to her wishes being carried out, or the husband is a liar and she didn't make any such wish as I believe i have heard reported the parents claim.

Thats my question on the controversy. If she did make the request to her husband, then I say end of story, pull the plug.

Am I also correct in that the husband will not gain a penny financially by her death?

[sgtbono2002]

I read an article the other day that said they wanted to teach her to eat on her own before taking away her life support. If they havent taught her in 13 years when do they think she will start to learn. The Doctors say she is brain dead, are they lying? If so why? What reason is there to keep a brain dead person on life support?

[small_l_libertarian]

What the hell is WRONG with these people?!?

I know I'm not supposed to say things like this on the public forum (and if the Admin Moderator or JimRob or John Robinson see fit to pull my post and/or give me a time-out or banning, I will understand and not complain), but enough is enough.

I am stuck in Atlanta until Sunday morning, but then I'll be home in Tampa. If there is still time to help Terri and if other folks are willing, I am ready to stage a coup at the hospice. I will do whatever it takes to save a helpless woman from being murdered by my state. MY STATE, damnit!

This is murder, and though the actions I am prepared to take are illegal, I just don't care anymore. I'll face any judge and spit right in his eye. A jury would never convict me, and if they did, I'd spit in their eyes, too. Right is right and wrong is wrong. I am offering my brain, my home, my car, my food, my hands, my solemn vow of secrecy (I will never rat you out!) and my help to anyone who is willing to actually DO something to stop this travesty.

Contact me by FReepmail if you need me.

[kenth]

Because the husband has refused to allow her to be taught.

[aruanan]

Natural Causes! If it weren't so serious, it would be hilarious.

Yeah, and when someone cuts off my air, I naturally die from suffocation.

[Oreo Kookey]

I heard Joni Tada speaking about this woman this afternoon on radio ( Wed 10-15). She said the woman is NOT brain dead. She can communicate with eye blinks. She smiles when her mother enters the room. She clearly is mentally impaired, (I don't remember if she said "retarded" or mentally something or other) but definitely is not brain dead. That makes for unspeakable suffering by dying by starvation. It is nothing short of criminal. Jeb Bush is trying to find a legal way to stop it but hadn't come up with success yet. Joni is in on the fight to stop this horror also.

[wafflehouse]

ok lemme see if i got the story straight..

guy, girl get married.. allegedly have 'dont keep me alive as a vegetable' conversation..

some time later, woman goes to hospital, and ends up in a coma from what is initially mis-diagnosed as 'heart attack'..

subsequent examinations reveal the distinct possibility of foul play as the cause of her injuries, with possible implication of spouse..

woman doesnt die, and could possibly get better, despite complete lack of any sort of treatment, as mandated by spouse..

family claims woman can be rehabilitated, has aproximately a dozen physicians with written statements agreeing with them..

spouse responds by banning or severely restricting all visitation to the woman..

the now shady sounding spouse has weird conspiracy thing going on with his half dozen physicians (who claim woman is a vegetable), his shyster 'right-to-die' lawyer, and judge who does anything the spouse asks him to..

it sounds to me like they are going to slowly kill this woman (by dehydration) in the name of human rights (i.e. 'right to die')

anyway, that is what i have heard on this so far

[wafflehouse]

see my post #19.. i think i have the story straight..